Shivangi Sinha
The phenomenon of alien encounters and UFO sightings attracts considerable attention and controversy. While many dismiss such reports as mere imagination or wishful thinking, some instances defy simple explanations. John Burroughs’ encounters in 1980, for instance, have been extensively documented and remain a legendary story within communities of ET enthusiasts. In Netflix’s ‘Files of the Unexplained,’ episode titled ‘Government’s UFO Conspiracy,’ Burroughs recounts his experiences from that day and the events that have unfolded since then.
John Burroughs saw Strange Lights When He was Stationed at Woodbridge
John Burroughs, stationed at RAF Bentwaters Woodbridge from 1979 to 1981, recalled a significant event on December 26, 1980. While patrolling the east gate of the station around 3 a.m. with his supervisor, they observed lights descending into Rendlesham Forest. Intrigued, they decided to investigate, suspecting a possible plane crash. However, Burroughs found the night to be anything but ordinary. He described witnessing a white light emitting from the forest, accompanied by an orange oval light with blue and white lights below it.
Burroughs struggled to identify the source of the lights he witnessed, noting their movement away from the forest towards the coast. Perplexed, even the station supervisors were uncertain about the event, prompting Burroughs to return during daylight hours for further investigation. During his daytime inspection, he observed indentations on the ground and damage to the canopy above. However, he initially dismissed the incident and did not dwell on it. Two years later, he departed from the base.
Four years after the incident, Burroughs was surprised to find that his name, along with others involved, was leaked through a memo released by the Ministry of Defense. CNN’s investigative episode into the incident brought it to the forefront, making it a significant story. Despite the evidence presented, neither the Air Force nor any other agency could refute it. Burroughs was approached for an interview, but he declined due to having signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before leaving the Woodbridge base. He noted that while some information from the investigation was shared with the media, certain details remained classified.
Upon leaving the service in 1988, Burroughs discovered that he had been diagnosed with physical damage to the heart, which seemed implausible given that he wouldn’t have been accepted into the Air Force with a heart murmur. Additionally, he began experiencing eye damage, with doctors attributing it to radiation exposure. Upon investigation, Burroughs found a correlation between these health issues and the incident in Rendlesham Forest. However, his request for access to his medical records was denied, adding to the mystery surrounding his experiences.
Burroughs encountered further obstacles when he attempted to access the veteran’s benefits he was entitled to. Despite his service, he never received his DD-214, a document issued to honorably discharged service members. This absence of documentation suggested that the Air Force denied his presence at the RAF Bentwaters Woodbridge from 1979 to 1981. Despite efforts to obtain these records through legal channels, including involving the Department of Justice, access remained restricted. Beyond acknowledging his presence at the Air Force during the incident, no additional information was disclosed.
John Burroughs is an Illinois Resident Today
After persistent efforts, John Burroughs managed to obtain verification from the Air Force, Department of Defense, and Veterans Administration regarding his injury during the Woodbridge incident. However, the specifics of what occurred remain undisclosed to him and others. Despite his continued requests, he has been informed that his medical records and related files will not be released to him. In 2015, the US government acknowledged his health issues and granted him total medical disability through the Veterans Administration.
In 2014, Burroughs co-authored a book titled ‘Encounter in Rendlesham Forest: The Inside Story of the World’s Best-Documented UFO Incident’. Currently residing in Normal, Illinois, he is near his two children, a daughter named Courtney Garrels and a son named Caden Burroughs. He actively speaks and shares about his encounter, but more importantly, he is also quite vocal about various socio-political issues of the modern world. An avid music enthusiast, Burroughs finds immense love in the presence of his beloved pets too.
On his social media, he wrote, “Think of the Rendlesham forest incident as a jigsaw puzzle. Stories have changed or grown in nature to include the dates on when the incident took place. There has been a direct attack on some of the witnesses by the officer in charge that has slowly been taken apart. Even the debunkers have not been truthful somehow missing that Rendlesham was involved in the Condign report to when the lighthouse theory was first being spread and by whom. Never mind the outside interest taken by intelligent agencies in what took place. Taking a close look at all of this will help start putting the pieces together.”
Read More: Terry Lovelace: Where is the Former Air Force EMT Now?
