In the summer of 1945, a remarkable incident unfolded in rural New Mexico, just 13 miles from where the first atomic bomb was tested as part of the Manhattan Project. The man at the center of this extraordinary tale is Jose Padilla, who was only nine years old at the time. Today, Padilla, now residing in Los Angeles County, recounts his experience with a sense of conviction that has caught the attention of both UFO enthusiasts and the U.S. Department of Defense, which has expanded its probes into UFO sightings.
The Setting: Post-Trinity New Mexico
The backdrop of Padilla’s story is San Antonio, New Mexico, a small town near the White Sands Missile Range where the Trinity test—the world’s first nuclear bomb detonation—took place. The blast created a mushroom cloud visible for miles, marking the dawn of the nuclear age. It was within this charged atmosphere that Padilla’s life would intersect with something inexplicable.
The Incident: A Strange Encounter
Padilla vividly recalls the day when, not long after the Trinity test, he and a playmate were riding on his father’s ranch. They heard a loud boom, which they initially thought was another bomb test. However, what they saw next defied explanation. Rising from the ground was an avocado-shaped aircraft, and from it emerged three small, humanoid figures. These beings, according to Padilla, resembled extraterrestrials often depicted in movies, with the startling distinction that “they walk like us.”
Despite the unusual appearance of the creatures, Padilla did not feel fear. Instead, he believed they needed help. His sense of calm in the face of such an extraordinary encounter is notable, especially for a child of his age.
Aftermath: Military Involvement and a Mysterious Artifact
In the days that followed, Padilla witnessed military personnel arrive to clean up the wreckage of the mysterious craft. He and his friend observed the operation from a distance, hiding behind cacti to avoid detection. During the cleanup, Padilla managed to recover a small piece of the craft, which he described as a “little dial.” This artifact was later analyzed in 2015 by Frontier Analysis, a lab based in Ohio. The test results revealed that the object was made of aluminum mixed with silicon and copper—common materials found in engine parts. However, the report also noted that an extraterrestrial source for the metals could not be entirely ruled out.
The Legacy: A Story that Endures
Padilla’s account has not only persisted over the decades but has also drawn the interest of researchers and scholars. Paula Harris, a UFO researcher, and journalist, interviewed Padilla and his friend in 2012, documenting their experiences in her book Trinity. Harris points to what she considers compelling evidence supporting Padilla’s story, including the exact location of the encounter, which remains a barren, circular spot where nothing grows.
The impact of Padilla’s story extends beyond his personal experience. It has influenced broader discussions about the connection between UFO sightings and nuclear events. Renowned French astronomer Jacques Vallée, who inspired a character in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, has often spoken about the link between such sightings and concerns over nuclear weapons or environmental collapse.
The Broader Implications: Revisiting UFO Research
In recent years, Padilla’s story has gained renewed significance as the U.S. government expands its investigations into UFO phenomena. The 2023 National Defense Authorization Act included a provision that pushed the start date for federally funded UFO research back from 1947 to 1945, in part due to cases like Padilla’s. This change represents a significant shift in how UFO sightings are studied, acknowledging that the phenomenon predates the famous Roswell incident of 1947.
For Jose Padilla, the creatures he saw that summer day in 1945 remain as real to him as ever. While skeptics may question the veracity of his claims, Padilla is unwavering in his belief that what he experienced was extraordinary. As he continues to share his story, it serves as a reminder that some mysteries may never be fully explained, yet they continue to captivate and challenge our understanding of the world.
VIDEO: A UFO sighting and the creatures seen by one man in the summer of 1945: “They walk like us”
The UFO sighting and the encounter with strange creatures that Jose Padilla experienced in 1945 is a story that has stood the test of time. It has raised questions about the nature of UFO phenomena and their potential connections to significant historical events, such as the first atomic bomb test. As researchers and government agencies continue to explore these phenomena, Padilla’s account remains a compelling chapter in the ongoing quest to understand the unknown.
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