3/6/05: from Kim Shaffer - A witness called to report that he was driving north on Hwy 19/23 in Sullivan County, near Bluff City, Tennessee. It was morning, 09:30, March 3rd when he saw a large, light colored object, which was clearly egg shaped, moving west against a very strong and gusty wind. As he watched, the object began to change. Attempting to verbalize what he saw, he stated the object seemed to become partially invisible , almost distorting the air around it with what appeared to be fumes or radiant heat or perhaps like a reflection on a body of water. In seconds, the object was gone. Having never reported anything like this before, he stated the sighting had bothered him to a point where he felt he had to let someone know. Shown at left is a crude Paintbrush rendering of the reported object.

11/21/04 and 12/5/04: Initial Report by Kim, 11/21 - At approx. 18:10 hours, reports started piling in to this station of a very loud rumbling noise above the solid cloud cover, shaking doors and windows all over Bristol, Elizabethton and Johnson City, TN. I also felt this phenomenon and went outside to hear what sounded like afterburners moving away at about 125 degrees and at an indeterminate elevation. The rumble lasted for some 3-4 minutes and actually shook the ground.

I got in touch with the FAA office at Tri Cities Airport. They advised me that they had received many calls and that the radar operator had no returns on the screen at any elevation, no radio contact with any aircraft and in fact they were as clueless as we were. The controller also advised me that "the government" will be looking into the anomaly and had already been in touch with him. Also, a check with USGS showed no seismic activity in the area. This, I suppose is one for the unknown category.

Follow-up Report by Kim, 12/6 - As for the sonic event case, I received a report from Cumberland county of a sonic event that scared a man and his wife to death at 02:00 in the morning, which they say nearly shook them out of bed. Again, there is no airport within 50 miles of that location. I finally received a letter in addition to the phone conversation with the Air Force. I was told by Major Lee Nelson that there were no flights that day over this area and he stressed the prohibitive regulation about "going supersonic" strictly enforced within the military. He stated that only in specified areas out west and over the ocean is supersonic flight allowed. I have attached the letter from the commander (shown, left).

Local television news reported the sonic event as an aircraft, yet they too spoke with the very same FAA supervisor I did telling them that no aircraft were on radar and no communication was made with such. The event was heard over approx 100 sq. miles in upper east TN. I found that at about the same time, these sonic booms were being felt and heard in Fort Wayne, Indiana and Richmond, Va. The Richmond case however seemed to have been a teenager with explosive devices in the city sewer or some such. I have not compared notes with Indiana MUFON and would guess that they have not looked into the event anyway. I would not have pursued this except for the fact that it was something I shared and the media was misrepresenting the facts. It was a strange event very much unlike an aircraft which I have experienced many many times. The shock waves seemed to "pulse" rather that just reverberate. Wish I had recorded the event, but hindsight as you know, ain't worth much.

10/9/04 - Another Triangle reported over Bristol, TN:

The witness reported that at 05:30 hours this morning he was driving home when he noted what first appeared to be a fire on a ridge nearby. As he drove , he got closer to the "fire" and realized that it was not a fire at all but a series of three reddish orange lights affixed to the bottom of a huge triangular object. He neared an intersection and exited his car to watch the metallic craft as it approached from the north and moving directly toward him. He noted his fear and started to run from his car but realized that there was nowhere to go. 

As the giant object passed overhead, it blocked out all the stars and he estimated the size to be some 300 feet in length. The bottom of the craft was somewhat illuminated from the three flame-like, symmetrical appendages on the bottom and he described what appeared to be "ribs" running across the bottom of the object. As it passed directly overhead, he was exposed something which seemed to reverberate through his body. He stated that he felt many sensations all at once, but no description could be found for what he actually felt. He also noted the object made a pulsating/drumming-like noise which also passed throughout his body. The object passed him and suddenly turned west, without banking and moved behind nearby hills.

At this time MUFON Tennessee has determined that the possibility exists that this witness may have been injured by this "CE-2", or close encounter case. Witness has reported a metallic taste in his mouth today and nose bleeds. This may or may not be related to this close encounter . Witness has also provided information on a loss of time by his watch of some 15 minutes.

This preliminary report will be revised and edited as information becomes available. Remember, this is only the preliminary findings and must be investigated fully before any determinations are made.

It should be also noted that this witness is a MUFON member and 100% honest and trustworthy.

9/22/04 - The latest sightings reported from Tennessee:

1. September 11, 2004, My personal sighting , (see video clip on my web site) During my evening sky watch I spotted this tri-lobed object as it moved from the southeast to the northwest.. I first suspected the anomaly was balloons but noted that both surface winds and upper level cloud movement indicated a wind from the Northwest. I taped the flat black object for some 8 minutes as it moved slowly, stopping and then changing course slightly, progressing northwest. After I lost sight of the object, I went to the Nat'l Weather service aviation page where wind conditions "at altitude" are ; listed by airport. Checking "Tri*", winds were from the NNW at all levels. One small piece of evidence which makes me think at this point , these were not balloons. I have also checked all over the internet, regionally at florists, grocery stores, novelty shops, etc., looking for a source for large flat black latex balloons. Not only can I not find a supplier or manufacturer, I cannot find anyone who even has ever sold such a balloon. I have submitted a copy of the tape for analysis with MUFON.

2. I received a call from Elizabethton, TN, Monday, Sep.20th from a truck driver who was coming home from work at about 21:30. As he drove along, he spotted a small aircraft in the darkness moving in a straight line toward a local airport.. The sky was clear and unobstructed. As he drove and watched the aircraft as brilliant blue object approached the aircraft from behind and was traveling about the same speed. The object hurt his eyes as if he was watching a welder and related the blue light to a UV light like the barber shop used to have for sterilizing equipment, except much, much stronger. As he watched for some 45-60 seconds, the discoid shaped object traveled along behind the plane then suddenly changing course and speeding off to the north at tremendous speed. He stated it took some time for his eyes to return to "normal". In communication with local FAA, no anomalies were logged for that time frame and no pilot reports filed.

3. I received a call from a retired algebra professor who was driving home from dining out on Sunday, Sep.,19th along hwy.11-e in Washington County, TN. Approximate time was 21:00 hours. As he drove, he noted a large acorn shaped object moving low in the sky over Buffalo Mountain. The discernable shape was made by noting the arrangement of lights on the object which he stated were quite like a "marquis". The object was flying in ever tightening circles, . The lights were flashing in random, fast way, exhibiting more that 5-6 different colors, remind him of a Christmas tree. He pulled his car over and watched the bizarre object rise, fall and finally moving up and behind the mountain out of view. This witness states that in 1966, he and his late wife, along with hundreds of Johnson City citizens witnessed a gigantic black disc shaped object block out all the stars in the sky on that summer night. He also remembered that the giant disc had multiple arrangements of lights on the bottom which flashed sequentially. The Johnson City Press did a full page story on the sighting (I miss that era) which I will try to acquire and present for publication on the MUFON TN. web site and possibly in the MUFON Journal with a follow -up interview of witnesses.
 

Go to Kim's MUFON Tennessee Web Site to see the video from the September 4th sighting in Bristol, Tennessee UFO sighting. Below are still frame images from the video.