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Ultimate Encounter
A recounting of the 1975 Travis Walton UFO abduction case.
208 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1978
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April 26, 2023
AN ACCOUNT OF THE TRAVIS WALTON ‘UFO ABDUCTION’ CASE
Author Bill Barry wrote in the first chapter of this 1978, “Something incredible was about to happen. Dusk was falling in the northern Arzona woods, and a November chill crept over the slate-colored earth… Mike Rogers was working on a Forest Service contract to thin out 1,277 acres of scrub brush… His six-man wood-cutting crew consisted of Travis Walton [and 5 others]… Rogers supervised… he was behind on his contract schedule, and he had already received one extension.” (Pg. 11) He continues, “And there it was. A large glowing object was hovering fifteen to twenty feet above a slash pile… it looked just like a UFO is supposed to look… Mike realized that Travis Walton was now walking directly to the slash pile, trying to get beneath the object… Travis had always been the first one to bolt headlong into danger… [Two of them] saw a shaft of blue-green light shoot out… and hit Travis in the head and chest. He flew straight up… ‘It got him, it got him!’ somebody was screaming… The truck was flying along the hump-backed road… [One of them noted] ‘Do you realize that we just ran off and left Travis back there?... We have to go back and get him.] … Mike turned the truck around… There was no sign of the UFO. There was no sign of Travis… They didn’t find anything---no blood, no tracks, no clothing … ‘Well, he’s not here,’ Mike finally said… ‘We’d better drive out … and call the sheriff.’” (Pg.13-20)
He continues, “[They] took the sheriff and his deputies back to where they claimed to have confronted the UFO… [There was] not a clue to show that either Travis Walton or a UFO had ever been there.” (Pg. 22-23) “All the witnesses had remained consistent in their accounts of what had happened.” (Pg. 45) The polygraph examiner concluded, “it is the opinion of this examiner that [five] were being truthful when they answered these relevant questions… No such determination can be made of the sixth man, whose test results were inconclusive.” (Pg. 54-55)
But six days later, Travis’s sister’s husband received a phone call: “‘This is Travis… I’m in a phone booth at the Heber gas station, and I need help. Come and get me.’ The voice seemed to gasp… The voice was knifed with genuine hysteria.” (Pg. 57) Walton was examined by a doctor: “Travis showed no signs of radiation exposure, his condition was not that of a ma who had been wandering around in the woods for five days, and he appeared to be dehydrated, but apparently had received some nourishment during his disappearance… Travis claimed no memory of being medically examined … while he was allegedly aboard the UFO.” (Pg. 66) Walton’s statement is then reproduced. (Pg. 70-77)
Walton was interviewed by reporters and UFO groups. But he was also given a polygraph test, and the examiner reported, “During the examination, he [Walton] showed gross deception… It was obvious during the examination that he was attempting to distort his respiration pattern. Based on his reactions on all charts, it is the opinion of this examiner that Walton, in concert with others, is attempting to perpetrate a UFO hoax, and that he has not been on any spacecraft.” (Pg. 91-92)
But some UFO groups defended Walton. (Pg, 95-101) The controversy raged; Walton did pass a second polygraph test. (Pg. 134-138) Skeptics such as Philip Klass ruled it a hoax. (Pg. 167-171)
The book will be of keen interest to those studying the Walton case.
Author Bill Barry wrote in the first chapter of this 1978, “Something incredible was about to happen. Dusk was falling in the northern Arzona woods, and a November chill crept over the slate-colored earth… Mike Rogers was working on a Forest Service contract to thin out 1,277 acres of scrub brush… His six-man wood-cutting crew consisted of Travis Walton [and 5 others]… Rogers supervised… he was behind on his contract schedule, and he had already received one extension.” (Pg. 11) He continues, “And there it was. A large glowing object was hovering fifteen to twenty feet above a slash pile… it looked just like a UFO is supposed to look… Mike realized that Travis Walton was now walking directly to the slash pile, trying to get beneath the object… Travis had always been the first one to bolt headlong into danger… [Two of them] saw a shaft of blue-green light shoot out… and hit Travis in the head and chest. He flew straight up… ‘It got him, it got him!’ somebody was screaming… The truck was flying along the hump-backed road… [One of them noted] ‘Do you realize that we just ran off and left Travis back there?... We have to go back and get him.] … Mike turned the truck around… There was no sign of the UFO. There was no sign of Travis… They didn’t find anything---no blood, no tracks, no clothing … ‘Well, he’s not here,’ Mike finally said… ‘We’d better drive out … and call the sheriff.’” (Pg.13-20)
He continues, “[They] took the sheriff and his deputies back to where they claimed to have confronted the UFO… [There was] not a clue to show that either Travis Walton or a UFO had ever been there.” (Pg. 22-23) “All the witnesses had remained consistent in their accounts of what had happened.” (Pg. 45) The polygraph examiner concluded, “it is the opinion of this examiner that [five] were being truthful when they answered these relevant questions… No such determination can be made of the sixth man, whose test results were inconclusive.” (Pg. 54-55)
But six days later, Travis’s sister’s husband received a phone call: “‘This is Travis… I’m in a phone booth at the Heber gas station, and I need help. Come and get me.’ The voice seemed to gasp… The voice was knifed with genuine hysteria.” (Pg. 57) Walton was examined by a doctor: “Travis showed no signs of radiation exposure, his condition was not that of a ma who had been wandering around in the woods for five days, and he appeared to be dehydrated, but apparently had received some nourishment during his disappearance… Travis claimed no memory of being medically examined … while he was allegedly aboard the UFO.” (Pg. 66) Walton’s statement is then reproduced. (Pg. 70-77)
Walton was interviewed by reporters and UFO groups. But he was also given a polygraph test, and the examiner reported, “During the examination, he [Walton] showed gross deception… It was obvious during the examination that he was attempting to distort his respiration pattern. Based on his reactions on all charts, it is the opinion of this examiner that Walton, in concert with others, is attempting to perpetrate a UFO hoax, and that he has not been on any spacecraft.” (Pg. 91-92)
But some UFO groups defended Walton. (Pg, 95-101) The controversy raged; Walton did pass a second polygraph test. (Pg. 134-138) Skeptics such as Philip Klass ruled it a hoax. (Pg. 167-171)
The book will be of keen interest to those studying the Walton case.
May 10, 2024
For a Pocket Book published back in the 1970's this comprehensive expose by Bill Barry was truly enlightening. While focusing mainly on the 1975 alien abduction of Travis Walton, it revealed the blowback experienced by reliable witnesses after going public with descriptions of incredible encounters with unexplained aerial phenomenon. Like the 1961 abduction of Betty and Barney Hill, Walton was abducted from one site, underwent examination and experienced "missing time" during which he couldn't remember exactly what had happened. Did it make a believer out of me? I'm still not weighing in on this one, but in any case it made for an interesting read. I especially enjoyed reading about well-documented worldwide encounters with unexplained alien craft. I would recommend this book to readers whether or not you believe that aliens exist.
April 22, 2023
Een erg interessant verhaal, waar ik 100% in geloof. Deze mannen hebben nu al 46 jaar hetzelfde verhaal met precies dezelfde details. Een bijzonder stukje geschiedenis in mijn boekenkast.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews