During the recent public hearing on UFOs, several high-ranking officials came forward to testify before Congress about their encounters with unidentified flying objects. One of these testimonies was provided by former U.S. Air Force sergeant Mario Woods. In the 1970s, while stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, he had a remarkable experience involving dazzling lights that appeared to be UFOs and encounter with tall aliens. Captain Michael Johnson, his commanding officer, also witnessed this mysterious incident alongside him.
This particular event had a profound impact on Mario Woods, reshaping his perspective on extraterrestrial phenomena. It marked his first encounter with something resembling a close encounter of the third kind. The incident gained significant attention and came to be known as the Ellsworth UFO Case, becoming one of the most renowned cases of its kind. Lue Elizondo, a former Pentagon official, conducted an in-depth investigation into one of Mario Woods’ UFO encounters.
Who Was Mario Woods?
Mario Woods served in the US Air Force until 1983 before embarking on a career with the United States Department of Energy (USDOE) in nuclear industry production facilities. His journey began as a security inspector at General Electric Neutron Device in Florida, where he was responsible for safeguarding nuclear materials.
Later, he took on the role of a personal guard for a scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, a renowned hub for cutting-edge nuclear research. Mario Woods also contributed his expertise at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Tennessee and the historically significant K-25 Gaseous Diffusion Facility, which played a vital role in uranium enrichment during the Manhattan Project era.
During his service as a lieutenant and security inspector, Mario Woods held a Q Clearance, granting him access to classified information. In 1986, he departed from his position at USDOE, a decision influenced by downsizing within the organization.
Alien Abduction Of Mario Woods
Mario Woods was a member of the USAF team stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota from 1975 to 1983. In the year 1977, one night around 10:45, Mario Woods’ team received a breach alert. The alarm from the launch control officers indicated that something unusual had triggered the exterior alarm at a missile silo with the code name “November 5.” Recognizing the potential threat, Mario Woods promptly reported this security breach to his captain, Michael Johnson.
They were swiftly ordered to investigate the situation, so they drove to the area near missile silo Highway 79. As they arrived, they felt that something was out of the ordinary. The night sky was bathed in an eerie glow, suggesting the presence of an unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP). The entire sky resembled a rising sun. As they made a turn, they spotted a UFO hovering just 5 to 10 feet above the ground.
Mario Woods described the object as a perfectly circular sphere, crafted from a single material without any visible seams or joints. It was of immense size, akin to a large building. As it emitted light, a gaseous component was observed, and it also emitted a glowing smoke that enveloped its surroundings. While Mario Woods and his captain, Michael Johnson, observed this phenomenon from their military truck, they experienced a sense of discomfort in the atmosphere. The smoke emitted by the UFO made it difficult to breathe, and Michael Johnson became unresponsive, fixated on the UFO.
In a courageous move, Mario Woods grabbed his flashlight and directed it towards the interior of the UFO, allowing them to see inside and facilitating easier breathing as the concentration of the surrounding gas dissipated. However, the abrupt return to normal conditions caused him to slump into his seat. Woods lost consciousness shortly afterward.
When Mario Woods regained consciousness, he was surprised to hear a radio transmission directed at their call sign, “November 1,” from Wing Security Control (WSC). He was perplexed by their situation and realized that their truck had mysteriously moved from the vicinity of “November 5” to Newell Lake, a location between 5 and 7.5 miles away. Their vehicle was the only one present in the muddy terrain, with no tire tracks or any other indications of their journey. Mario Woods had no recollection of how they had arrived at this new location, and there was no account of the hours that had passed.
In response, Woods contacted WSC and requested assistance, providing information about their surroundings. A backup alert squad eventually arrived, instructing them to wait. Woods attempted to communicate with Johnson, but he remained unresponsive. With the help of another team member, they moved Johnson to the passenger seat. Mario Woods and Johnson were relieved of their weapons and escorted back to the main base by the backup alert team.
Upon their return, they were brought to the wing commander’s office, where Mario Woods was questioned about the event. He described the enormous size of the object and reiterated his lack of understanding regarding how they ended up in the new location. Subsequently, Woods was sent to the base hospital for a medical examination, which was ordered by the wing commander. During the examination, doctors discovered burns on Woods’ head and hand. They also collected a skin sample, which was placed in a vial and stored on a silver tray. Regrettably, Mario Woods was never informed of any reports or findings related to the skin sample.
Two weeks later, Johnson visited Woods and they discussed the entire UFO incident. Woods noted that the encounter had left Johnson deeply fearful and traumatized. However, this conversation marked the last time they met. The entire incident had a lasting impact on Mario Woods, both physically and psychologically, and it continued to affect his daily life to this day.
Encounter With Tall Aliens
Mario Woods sought the assistance of hypnosis to recall the events that transpired during the lost four hours of his encounter. During an interview on the Earthfiles Podcast with Linda Moulton Howe, Woods shared a vivid and unsettling account of what he remembered.
According to Woods, while he and Johnson were in their military truck, they witnessed a black sphere approaching the windshield. This sphere communicated with them telepathically, reassuring them not to be afraid. Following this, Woods described seeing a tunnel from which two small aliens emerged, followed by a taller, more imposing alien.
The smaller beings were around 4.0 to 4.5 feet tall and wore gray uniforms, while the larger being was clad in a darker gray suit. The taller alien stood out with its rough and intimidating appearance, higher cheekbones, and a narrower, projecting jawline. They had three fingers and a thumb on each hand, and unlike typical depictions of reptilian creatures, they lacked scales and had a pale blue-gray skin tone that tended toward teal.
Woods also noted that he experienced a form of communication that felt like thoughts within his eardrums while inside the truck with the windows closed. This communication assured him not to be afraid. The striking differences in the facial features of the taller alien and the smaller beings caught his attention.
As the encounter progressed, Woods had a momentary episode of passing out or losing consciousness. During this time, he had a profound introspective experience that felt like a rapid life review. Memories and thoughts flooded his mind, including reflections on his entire existence and the loss of loved ones. This intense experience deeply affected him, raising profound questions about the nature of life and existence.
The encounter did not end there; Woods recalled being pulled out of the vehicle and finding himself in a dark, cold, and unfamiliar place, overwhelmed by loneliness and dread. When asked about the significance or purpose of this life review, Woods admitted that he was at a loss for words.
In summary, Mario Woods’ account of his encounter with alien entities is vivid and disconcerting, leaving him with enduring memories and a profound sense of the unknown. Such encounters raise questions about the intentions and objectives of these beings and the lasting effects they may have on individuals who experience them.
