A groundbreaking new documentary has thrust a long-buried alleged UFO incident back into the spotlight, claiming that three unidentified flying objects landed at a New Mexico air base in 1964 and that former President George H.W. Bush was later briefed on the extraordinary encounter. Titled Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind: The Holloman Landing, the film draws on declassified documents, eyewitness accounts, and insider testimonies to argue that the U.S. government has concealed evidence of alien contact for decades. This revelation is reigniting public fascination with UFOs, government secrecy, and the push for full disclosure, as experts and enthusiasts debate the authenticity of these claims.
- 1964 Holloman Air Base Sighting: Eyewitness Accounts Emerge
- George H.W. Bush’s Alleged Briefing: Ties to CIA and Presidential Knowledge
- Documentary’s Evidence Unpacked: From Declassified Files to Expert Analysis
- Public Backlash and Calls for Government Transparency Intensify
- Future Probes into UFO Disclosure: What Lies Ahead for Holloman Revelations
The story centers on Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, New Mexico, where, according to the documentary, three disc-shaped craft descended and made contact with military personnel on April 24, 1964. Proponents say this event, codenamed “Project Highlander,” involved direct communication between extraterrestrial beings and Air Force officers, marking one of the most significant alien encounters in modern history. The film’s director, investigative journalist Linda Moulton Howe, asserts that the incident was hushed up to avoid mass panic, but leaks and whistleblower statements are now bringing it to light.
1964 Holloman Air Base Sighting: Eyewitness Accounts Emerge
In the spring of 1964, amid the height of the Cold War, Holloman Air Force Base became the unlikely stage for what the documentary portrays as a pivotal UFO event. According to multiple sources cited in the film, radar operators first detected three anomalous objects approaching from the south at hypersonic speeds, defying known aircraft capabilities. These UFOs, described as metallic saucers approximately 30 feet in diameter, executed maneuvers impossible for human technology of the era, including sudden 90-degree turns and instantaneous acceleration.
One of the key witnesses featured in the documentary is retired Air Force Sergeant Charles Hall, who claims to have been stationed at the base during the incident. Hall recounts in an exclusive interview segment: “I saw them land right there on the tarmac. They weren’t ours—no way. The beings that emerged were humanoid, about five feet tall, with pale skin and large eyes. They communicated telepathically with the base commander.” Hall’s testimony aligns with earlier leaks from the 1970s, when UFO researcher Robert Todd obtained alleged memos referencing the event.
The documentary bolsters these claims with purported declassified footage, grainy black-and-white clips showing lights hovering over the New Mexico desert. Historians note that Holloman was a hub for advanced aerospace testing, including early drone programs, which skeptics argue could explain the sightings as experimental craft. However, the film counters this by highlighting inconsistencies in official logs from that night, where entries were reportedly redacted or altered. “This wasn’t a test flight; it was an alien encounter,” Howe states emphatically in the narration.
Contextually, the 1960s were a hotbed for UFO reports in New Mexico, home to the infamous Roswell incident just 17 years prior. The state’s vast, isolated landscapes and military installations have long fueled speculation about extraterrestrial activity. Statistics from the National UFO Reporting Center indicate over 500 sightings in New Mexico alone during the decade, with Holloman accounting for a disproportionate share due to its strategic importance.
George H.W. Bush’s Alleged Briefing: Ties to CIA and Presidential Knowledge
The documentary’s most explosive allegation involves former President George H.W. Bush, who, as CIA Director in 1976, was reportedly briefed on the 1964 Holloman landing. According to the film, Bush received a classified dossier detailing the UFOs’ touchdown, the entities’ interaction with base personnel, and potential implications for national security. This briefing, the documentary claims, was part of a broader “Majestic 12” program—a supposed secret committee overseeing UFO matters since the late 1940s.
Evidence presented includes a leaked memo from 1977, authenticated by forensic document experts in the film, which references Bush’s involvement. “As Director, I was informed of assets beyond our world’s understanding,” the memo allegedly quotes Bush as saying in a private meeting. Bush, who served as president from 1989 to 1993, had a storied career in intelligence, including his role in the CIA during the Watergate era. The documentary speculates that this knowledge influenced his administration’s reticence on UFO disclosure, despite growing congressional interest.
Whistleblower testimony from a former CIA analyst, identified only as “Source X” for security reasons, adds weight to the claims. “Bush was read into the program early. He knew about Holloman and Roswell. It shaped his view on extraterrestrial threats,” Source X reveals in a shadowed interview. Critics, including historians from the George Bush Presidential Library, dismiss these assertions as unsubstantiated conspiracy theories, pointing to Bush’s public statements where he downplayed UFOs as “fun to talk about but not real policy issues.”
This connection to George Bush elevates the story beyond mere folklore, linking it to high-level government operations. The film’s narrative weaves in Bush’s New Mexico ties—he visited the state multiple times during his vice presidency, including a 1988 speech at Holloman emphasizing aerospace innovation. Whether coincidental or not, it underscores the enduring secrecy surrounding UFO investigations.
Documentary’s Evidence Unpacked: From Declassified Files to Expert Analysis
Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind doesn’t rely solely on anecdotes; it delves into a trove of documentary evidence to substantiate the 1964 alien encounter. Central to the film is a 1964 Air Force report, partially declassified under the Freedom of Information Act in 2019, which describes “unidentified aerial phenomena” at Holloman without explicit mention of landings. The documentary’s researchers claim additional pages, obtained through private channels, detail the crafts’ propulsion systems—possibly anti-gravity based—and biological samples collected from the site.
Expert analysis features prominently, with physicist Dr. Eric Davis, known for his work on advanced propulsion at NASA, reviewing the evidence. “The flight characteristics described match no known physics from the 1960s. If true, this implies extraterrestrial tech,” Davis opines in the film. The documentary also includes radar data visualizations, showing the UFOs’ trajectories, and compares them to modern UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) reports from the Pentagon’s 2021 task force.
Addressing skepticism, the film tackles common debunkings head-on. For instance, it refutes claims of weather balloons or Soviet spies by citing meteorological records from April 24, 1964, which show clear skies. A panel of ufologists, including Stanton Friedman—the physicist who popularized the Roswell story—debates the implications in a roundtable segment. “New Mexico has been ground zero for these events. Holloman’s landing could be the smoking gun we’ve waited for,” Friedman says.
The production quality is high, blending archival footage from New Mexico’s deserts with dramatic reenactments. Released on streaming platforms last week, it has already garnered over 500,000 views, trending on social media with hashtags like #HollomanUFO and #BushUFOBriefing. This surge highlights the documentary’s role in revitalizing interest in UFO lore.
Public Backlash and Calls for Government Transparency Intensify
The release of the documentary has sparked a firestorm of debate, with UFO enthusiasts hailing it as a breakthrough while skeptics label it sensationalism. Social media platforms are ablaze with reactions, from viral TikTok recreations of the landing to heated Twitter threads dissecting the George Bush connection. A poll conducted by YouGov following the premiere found that 62% of Americans believe the government is withholding UFO information, up from 50% in 2019—a statistic the film leverages to underscore public demand.
Congressional figures have weighed in, with Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), a vocal UFO disclosure advocate, tweeting: “If Bush knew about Holloman, it’s time for full transparency. No more secrets.” Advocacy groups like the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) are organizing screenings and petitions, urging the National Archives to release all related files. In New Mexico, local tourism boards are capitalizing on the buzz, promoting “UFO Trails” tours near Alamogordo that include Holloman visits.
Critics, however, caution against misinformation. James Oberg, a former NASA engineer and UFO debunker, argues in a counter-article: “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. This documentary recycles old rumors without new proof.” Legal experts note that while FOIA requests have yielded partial disclosures, classified national security exemptions continue to block full access. The film’s impact is evident in rising search queries for “UFO New Mexico”—up 300% per Google Trends data since launch.
Broader cultural ripples include ties to recent UAP hearings in Congress, where pilots testified to similar encounters. The documentary positions the 1964 event as a precursor, suggesting a pattern of government cover-ups spanning administrations.
Future Probes into UFO Disclosure: What Lies Ahead for Holloman Revelations
As the dust settles on this latest UFO controversy, the path forward points to intensified scrutiny and potential breakthroughs. Independent investigators, inspired by the documentary, are filing new FOIA requests targeting Holloman records from the 1960s. NASA’s renewed interest in UAPs, announced in 2022, could intersect with these claims, with calls for a dedicated Holloman review panel gaining traction among scientists.
The George Bush angle may prompt archival digs at presidential libraries, where researchers hope to uncover redacted correspondences. Internationally, the story resonates in countries like the UK, where declassified MI6 files mention U.S. UFO briefings. For New Mexico communities, economic boosts from UFO tourism could fund local history museums dedicated to these events.
Ultimately, the documentary serves as a catalyst, pushing the alien encounter narrative from fringe to mainstream. Whether it leads to confirmed evidence or remains speculative, it reinforces the public’s right to know about potential extraterrestrial visitations. As Howe concludes in the film: “The truth is out there, and it’s time we demand it.” With ongoing congressional pushes and whistleblower protections strengthening, the coming years may finally illuminate the shadows of 1964.

