Overview
Sightings of UFO occupants have occurred steadily over the years, but tend to increase during sighting waves. By far the most common type is the small humanoid wearing "coveralls" and some kind of headgear, usually round or helmet-like. During close-range encounters with beings outside of their UFO craft, witnesses sometimes have heard unintelligible vocalizations and observed technological "tools." They have been observed "taking samples," "repairing their craft," and engaged in other activities.

Police officer Lonnie Zamora reported seeing two small humanoid beings standing next to a landed craft on April 24. 1964, in Socorro, New Mexico. Since Zamora was a well-known and respected officer, his report helped to legitimize 10 years of prior UFO occupant sightings that had been considered somewhat borderline by many people. His report made headlines nationally and, to some degree, internationally.

Some scattered reports of humanoid beings observed in association with UFOs were made as early as 1947. However, the earliest wave of such sightings occurred in Europe late in 1954, primarily in France and Italy. Major U.S. publications like Life and The New Yorker magazine reported the sightings, though inevitably with tongue-in-cheek commentary.

The reported beings typically were 3-4.5 feet (0.9-1.4 meters) tall and wore coveralls and round, translucent headgear resembling "diver's helmets." Light beams or other electromagnetic energy from the craft (or from the beings) had effects on animals and frequently paralyzed human witnesses. At the same time, vehicle engines and headlights failed. Some sort of aerial craft, usually round or disc-shaped, was observed.

In the spring and summer of 1955 scattered witnesses throughout the southern and midwestern United States reported sightings of UFO occupants. The most famous case occurred on August 21, 1955, near Kelly, Kentucky. Small beings with large heads and prominent ears besieged a farmhouse for hours shortly after the sighting of a descending UFO. 2 The 1955 U.S. sightings were not much like those in France and Italy the year before. As expressed by highly regarded contemporary investigators, Isabel Davis and Ted Bloecher:

"Most of the European and South American cases described beings associated directly with objects [i.e., apparent craft]; in the United States, the beings' association with an actual UFO was uncertain or even absent altogether. In several cases, the entities displayed details of appearance strikingly similar to some of the foreign humanoid reports— small size, large glowing eyes and clawed hands. In other respects, there were some notable differences; for example, none of the domestic reports described the `diving suits' that were so often reported in the French and Italian cases."

Very tight, form-fitting coveralls often are described, and sometimes what appeared to life-support systems. In other cases it seemed that the entities were breathing our atmosphere, or perhaps were robots. Quite a few reports describe backpacks, hoses, or tubes, elaborate headgear, and handheld boxes or instruments, indicating some form of technology analogous to ours.

The next major wave of UFO sightings, late in 1957, was concentrated in the southwestern and central United States, and featured unidentified glowing elliptical objects that landed on roadways in Levelland, Texas, as cars stalled. Scattered reports of UFO occupants came from all over the country during this wave. 3 Similar reports were made occasionally during the early 1960s. Then came Socorro, a growing frequency of UFO sightings in 1965, and, finally, the major UFO sighting wave of 1966-1967. UFO occupant sightings multiplied in these years; some of these are included in table 1.

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TABLE 1. UFO OCCUPANT SIGHTINGS, 1954-1963

September 10, 1954 Antoine Mazaud, Mourieras, France 8:50 P.M.
One being of average height, "helmet"-like headgear; cigar-shaped craft; being confronted witness, extended arm and touched him.

September 10, 1954 Marius Dewilde, Quarouble, France 10:30 P.M.
Two beings 3-1/2 ft. tall, coveralls, diver's helmet; dark mass on ground; dog howled, witness blinded by light from craft, paralyzed.

September 17, 1954 Yves David, Cenon (Vienne), France 10:30 P.M.
One being smaller than a man; bicyclist felt shock, paralysis, being touched him on shoulder, uttered unintelligible sound; object on road took off, green light".

September 26, 1954 Mme. Leboeuf, Chabeuil (Drome), France 4:00 P.M.
One being 3 ft. tall, diving suit, helmet, large eyes; flat circular craft; dog barked, being approached, witness fled; circle of crushed foliage found at site.

September 27, 1954 Raymond Romand, Premanon (Jura), France 8:30 P.M.
Two beings, squarish with legs; fiery ball hovered over meadow, light from barn reflected off being, child threw pebbles that struck it with metallic sound; 12-foot circle of flattened grass, imprints, at site".

October 3, 1954 Bernard Devoisin, Rene Coudette, Ligescourt, France 6:45 P.M.
One child-sized being, diver's suit; glowing orange domed disc on road, bicyclists approached, being entered craft and took off.

October 3, 1954 Angelo Girardo, Bressuire, France
One small figure in diver's suit; bicyclist came upon 10-foot disc on ground, being next to it; being entered craft and took off.

October 9, 1954 Roger Barrault, Lavoux, France 7:00 P.M.
One 4-1/2 ft tall being, diver's suit, bright eyes, two lights on chest; bicyclist at dusk encountered being, who disappeared into woods; no craft seen".

October 9, 1954 Gilbert Calda, 12 Pournoy-la- Che live, (Moselle), France 6:30 P.M.
One 4-ft tall being, dark coveralls, large eyes; children roller-skating, shiny round craft landed near them, being emerged, made unintelligible sound; they ran away.

October 11, 1954 Henri Gallois, Louis Vigneron, Clamecy (Nievre), France 4:30 A.M.
Three small figures; en route to a fair, felt shock, paralysis, engine and lights failed; beings entered round craft and took off.

October 11, 1954 Three motorists, Tapignac (Charente, Maritime), France 7:30 P.M.
Four 3-ft tall beings; motorists stopped to watch hovering disc that descended into woods; two entered woods to investigate, saw beings enter domed disc and take off".

October 16, 1954 Dr. Henri Robert, Baillolet (Seine-Inferieure), France nightfall
One 3-ft tall being; one of four circular objects zigzagged down in front of car, witness felt shock,  engine and lights failed; being visible in light from UFO .

October 18, 1954 Marie-L. Bourriot, St.-Point (Doubs), France 10:45 P.M. 
One human in coveralls, two dwarflike beings; luminous object over road, motorcycle almost struck human form, joined by small beings, craft departed; small footprints found.

November 28, 1954 Gustavo Gonzalez, Jose Ponce, Caracas, Venezuela
Three hairy dwarfs with glowing eyes; glowing sphere blocked road; Gonzalez struggled with being which knocked him down, second  emerged, blinded him with light beam.

December 10, 1954     . Lorenzo Flores, Jesus Gomez, Chico, Venezuela nighttime
Four 3-ft tall, hairy, strong beings; UFO like two bowls rim to rim just off ground; beings tried to drag witnesses on board.

May 25, 1955 Robert Hunnicutt, Branch Hill, OH, 3:30 A.M.
Three 3-1/2 ft tall gray beings, wide mouths, lopsided chests; driving home from work, saw beings by road, one held sparkling rod overhead, alfalfa-almond odor; Ground Observer Corps UFO sighting earlier that evening.

July 3, 1955 Margaret Symmonds, Stockton, GA 3:30 A.M.
Four 3-1/2 to 4-ft tall beings, gray garb, long arms, large reddish eyes, pointed chins, small mouths, clawlike hands; beings in road apparently digging with sticks; witness swerved car to avoid hitting them.

August 21-22, 1955 J. C. Sutton family, Kelly, KY. 8:00 P.M.
Two or three 3-1/2 ft tall beings, large heads, big ears, large luminous eyes, long arms, clawlike hands, luminescent torsos; disc-shaped craft landed, dog barked violently, beings approached house one or two at a time, floated at times.

May 10, 1957. Michel Fekete, M. & Mme. Rene Lepot, Beaucort-sur-Ancre, France.10:45 P.M.
Four beings under five feet tall, gray skin or garb, oversized heads; darkness and distance concealed features; bicyclist blinded by light, saw silhouettes of small beings in road, fled; luminous object pulsating from red to white flew away at 45-degree angle.

October 15, 1957 Antonio Villas-Boas, Sao Francisco de Sales, Brazil. 1:00 A.M.
Five small beings, headgear, one female; abducted onto landed disc craft (see section XIII, Abduction Case Summaries)

November 6, 1957 Everett Clark, Dante, TN 6:30 A.M.
Four human-looking beings, unintelligible vocal sounds, entered cigar-shaped craft on ground as if "walking through glass," took off silently; elliptical imprint 5 ft. x 24 ft. found in grass.

November 6, 1957 John Trasco, Everittstown, NJ dusk
One 2-1/2- to 3-ft tall being, green garb, putty-colored face, chin, large bulging eyes; man saw 9- to 12-ft.-long luminous egg-shaped UFO, confronted by being who spoke in broken English.

November 7, 1957 Malvan Stephens, House, MS 7:25 P.M.
Three 4-1/2-ft tall beings, gray garb, dark hair, "pasty white" faces; truck driver blocked by large gray egg-shaped craft on road; door opened, beings emerged, made chattering sound; craft departed straight up at high speed.

December 16, 1957 Mary M. Starr, Old Saybrook, CT 2:00-3:00 A.M.
Two robot-like beings, squarish heads, one arm upraised; visible through windows of 20 to 30 ft long-ellipse hovering near house; craft glowed, windows vanished, took off.

June 26, 1959 Fr. William Gill, Papua, New Guinea 6:45 P.M.
Four "men" illuminated by blue light on top of hovering disc-shaped craft with four legs; responded to waves by witnesses.   

July 13, 1959 Mrs. Frederick, Moreland, Blenheim, New Zealand 5:50 A.M.
Two shiny beings, close-fitting garb, "opaque helmets," visible in dome of hovering disc-shaped craft.

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UFO Occupant Sightings, 1964-1967
Major UFO sighting waves in the mid-1960s and in 1973 included dozens of occupant sightings. The 1978 wave included the internationally reported disappearance of a young pilot over Australia during his sighting of a UFO as he was describing it to air traffic controllers.

To what extent do earlier descriptions of UFO occupants match abductee descriptions of their reported captors? In some of the 1954 cases the witnesses saw very large or especially noteworthy eyes through the headgear, and in one case, on October 18, a human-appearing being was seen cooperating with two small humanoids.

On November 6, 1957, in Dante, Tenn., Everett Clark saw beings apparently enter a craft through its side without benefit of a door. Some of these features were reported before abduction reports.

Some speculative questions are these: Were some clues concealed in the numerous occupant reports suggesting a change in the behavior or strategy of the presumed aliens leading up to increasing abductions of human beings? Can a progression of occupant sightings, passive encounters, aggressive encounters, and abductions be traced? Did the growing rate of abductions signal the end of some previous phase of activities?

There have always been sporadic reports of less "humanoid"—even monstrous—beings associated with UFOs in addition to the reported small humanoids. Some were reported to be gigantic and/or grotesque in appearance, but usually there were no confirming examples by independent witnesses in other cases.

Sightings began to increase noticeably early in 1964, for the first time in six or seven years. Then the pace picked up gradually, accelerated in 1965, and remained at an unprecedented high rate throughout 1966 and 1967. Late in 1964 and early in 1965 a flurry of sightings was reported in and around Washington, DC, that attracted the attention of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It was rumored that government officials had been among the witnesses.

Throughout this period high-strangeness cases were common, but often they were high credibility, as well. By the end of 1966 the Air Force Project Blue Book UFO investigation was receiving heavy criticism, Congress was taking a closer look, and an independent scientific study was mandated. Occupant cases during this period often included "coveralls" and helmets or headgear of some kind, elliptical or disc-shaped craft, and face-to-face encounters. A number of examples are listed in table 2.

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TABLE 2. UFO OCCUPANT SIGHTINGS, 1964-1967

April 24, 1964 Gary Wilcox, Newark Valley, NY 10:00 A.M.
Two 4-ft.-tall beings, silver-white garb, egg-shaped craft just above ground; beings communicated in English.

April 24, 1964 Lonnie Zamora, Socorro, NM 5:45 P.M.
Two 4-ft.-tall beings, white garb; beings fled into egg-shaped craft when spotted (see section V).

July 16, 1964 Five boys, Conklin, NY afternoon
One 3-ft.-tall being, black garb, helmet, glass-like faceplate; dome-shaped craft seen on ground; whistling sound attracted attention to being perched in tree, who floated to ground.

September 4, 1964 Donald Shrum, Cisco Grove, CA nighttime
Several humanoids plus robots; luminous object landed, beings trapped witness in tree, prolonged confrontation.

November 25, 1964 New Berlin, NY
Twelve humanoids observed at distance after two discs landed on hill; appeared to be engaged in repair operation for hours.

January 19, 1965 William Blackburn, Brands Flats, VA 6:15 P.M.
Three small humanoids floated from hovering craft, confronted witness.

July 1, 1965 Maurice Masse. Valensole, France 5:45 A.M.
Two to three small humanoids, one-piece garb; whistling sound, saw craft and beings; tried to approach, paralyzed. 

September 1, 1965 Huanuco, Peru 5:00 A.M.
One humanoid, large head; oval object landed on estate, being emerged, gestured, reentered craft, took off straight up at high speed.

September 10, 1965 Sao Joao, Pernambuco State, Brazil 8:30 A.M.
Two small, brown-skinned humanoids, one-piece garb; two discs landed, beings emerged, objects rose a few meters, unintelligible vocalizations.

March 23, 1966 Temple, OK 5:05 A.M.
One human-like being and elongated craft with flashing lights encountered on road; being entered it and took off"

February 5, 1967 Milliard, OH evening
Several human-like beings emerged from elliptical craft with three legs, placed small spherical objects around craft.

March 12, 1967 Glens Falls, NY 10:30 P.M.
One being seen moving inside windows of hovering top-shaped craft with lights around circumference".

March 28, 1967 Munroe Falls, OH 2:30 A.M.
Four to five humanoid beings with large heads ran back and forth across road, one hit by car; dents found on car bumper.

April 14, 1967 Melville, NY 9:00 P.M.
One small being appeared in doorway of circular craft that landed beside road, E-M effects on car; soil samples taken.

June 13, 1967 Caledonia, Ontario, Canada 2:30 A.M.
Three 3- to 4-ft tall beings, light-colored clothing, helmets, moved around beneath cigar-shaped craft with windows; physical traces found at site".

July 17, 1967 Belfast, North Ireland evening
Two silver-suited humanoids emerged from craft, entered woods; returned and "drifted" back into craft.

July 20, 1967 Elizabeth Douglas, Titusville, FL 9:15 P.M.
One humanoid visible inside disc with dome, square windows, as craft flew low past house.

July 31, 1967 Sidney Zipkin, Churchville, NY 10:15 P.M.
Two small beings, shiny black garb. Saturn-shaped craft seen near ground in truck headlights; beings boarded, took off straight up.

August 3, 1967 Caracas, Venezuela 11:30 P.M.
One 3-ft tall being, emerged from hovering luminous disc, took gravel samples.

August 23, 1967 Stanley Moxon, Joyceville, Ontario Canada 4:00 A.M.
Three 3- to 4-ft tall beings, white garb, translucent helmets from disc with three legs, gathered specimens (see case summary below).

August 24, 1967 Ron Hyde, Wodonga, Victoria Australia 5:00 P.M.
Two humanoids about five ft. tall, silvery suits, round helmets, emerged from disc with dome; one moved toward witness and gestured, he fled in fear).

August 31, 1967 Cussac, France
Two small beings, black garb, entered disc-shaped craft and took off".

September 15, 1967 Winsted, CT 9:00 P.M.
Three beings about 4'^ ft. tall, large heads, scurried around glowing, pulsating object; light dimmed when cars approached.

September 21, 1967 Jose Edrosa, Barcelona, Spain 1230A.M.
Small beings, large heads, white garb; beings seen moving toward brilliant round object on ground, car lifted, witness in severe shock.

October 24, 1967 Newfield, NY 9:30 P.M.
Two humanoid figures seen in window of saucer-shaped craft (see Dyad case).

November 2, 1967 Guy Tossie, Willie Begay, Ririe, ID 9:30 P.M.
Two small humanoids from disc with dome, aggressive encounter.

November 24, 1967 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2:30 P.M.
Three small white-clad figures around disc with dome, red lights; physical traces found at site".

December 8, 1967 Marilyn Wilding, Idaho Falls, ID 7:40 P.M.
Two humanoid figures visible in disc with dome.

(For case summaries, 1964-1967, see pages 474-482, Vol. II, The UFO Evidence)
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UFO Occupant Sightings, 1968-1972
The sighting wave tapered off early in 1968, and it was not until 1973 that the next major wave occurred. Humanoid occupant encounters continued sporadically, but UFO sightings in general received very little publicity. However, the same patterns were evident in the cases reported during these years, as illustrated in table 3.

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TABLE 3. UFO OCCUPANT SIGHTINGS, 1968-1972

November 20, 1968 M. Milakovic, Hanbury, UK 5:30 P.M.
Five silhouetted humanoids moving back and forth in dome of luminous UFO.

January 1, 1970 Doreen Kendall, Duncan, B.C., Canada 5:00 A.M.
Two dark beings in tight-fitting garb visible in upper portion of Saturn-shaped object with lights on rim; facial features obscured by headgear.

January 7, 1970 A. Heinonen, Imjarvi, Finland 4:45 P.M.
One small humanoid, thin arms, descended in light beam from hovering disc, rendered witnesses unconscious with "light weapon".

June 27, 1970 Aristeu Machado, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 11:40 A.M.
Two small humanoids on rim of Saturn-shaped craft with flashing lights on the underside; craft took off, skimming ocean surface (see section V).

August 16, 1970 Puente de Herrera, Valladolid, Spain 1:00 A.M.
One human-size being, dark tight-fitting garb, entered Saturn-shaped craft, which took off with an intense whistling sound.

April 14, 1971    : D. Donaldson, Gallery, PA 8:00 P.M.
Two silhouetted human-like figures visible in windows of hovering disc (see section VI).

July 19, 1972 Brisbane, Queensland Australia 2:00 A.M.
Six grayish humanoids, faces obscured, standing by roadside near long silvery object; one held up hand as motorist approached.

(Case summaries can be located in Vol. II, The UFO Evidence on pages 483-486)
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UFO Occupant Sightings during 1973 Sighting Wave
During the 1973 sighting wave concentrated late in the year, occupant sightings and confrontational encounters were numerous. A number of robot-like or nonhumanoid beings were sighted during this wave, but the "standard" features prevailed, as shown in table 4. 

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TABLE 4. UFO OCCUPANT SIGHTINGS, 1973

September 27, 1973 Bedarrides, France 5:30 P.M.
Two 1.2-meter humanoids, slender limbs, black caps, coveralls, with oval craft; UFO took off with whistling sound, sped away.

October 4, 1973 Gary Chopic, Chatsworth, CA early evening
One human-size being, silver suit, elliptical craft with clear dome; saw witness, entered craft and took off.

October 6, 1973 St. Mathias, Quebec, Canada early A.M.
Five small beings, yellow garb, headgear, moved quickly back and forth near dome-shaped craft with body lights.

October 11, 1973 Hickson & Parker, Pascagoula, MS evening
Two robot-like beings, abduction case (see section XIII).

October 12, 1973 Cincinnati, OH 2:30 A.M.
One "apelike" being, featureless, large waist, no neck, visible in dome-shaped object on or near the ground.

October 17, 1973 Paul Brown, Danielsville, GA evening
Two 4- 4-1/2-ft. tall beings, silver garb, emerged from silver egg-shaped craft that descended ahead of car; took off with "whooshing" sound when witness brandished a pistol.

October 17, 1973 Eupora, MS night
One grotesque nonhumanoid creature, flipper-like feet, webbing between legs, appeared from top of dome-shaped object with blue-green flashing lights that landed on road, E-M effects on car.

October 19, 1973 Ashburn, GA 3:30 P.M.
One small being, round helmet, head moved like robot, E-M effects on car; no craft observed".

October 19, 1973 Goshen, OH 9:00 P.M.
Two or three 6-ft tall human-like beings moved around a domed disc resting on tripod legs, entered via ladder, took off with humming sound.

October 19, 1973 Copeland, NC
One 3-ft.-tall humanoid, gold garb, with blue oval object hovering near mobile home; family dog frightened, ran away until next day.

October 22, 1973 Hartford City, IN
Two 4-ft.-tall humanoids, silver garb, seen alongside road three separate times; no UFO seen.

October 23, 1973 Russell Springs, KY
Two 3-ft.-tall beings, reddish color, entered craft (no description), which took off.

October 24, 1973 David Simpson, Dobson, NC
One humanoid, glowing eyes, from oval UFO that landed near car, E-M effects on car".

October 28, 1973 Llanca, Bahia Blanca, Argentina
Three 5-ft tall beings, high foreheads, slanted eyes, gray coveralls, from yellow saucer-shaped craft; abduction case (see section XIII).

Source: Vol. II, The UFO Evidence, 464-498