Alien Abduction or Truth? The Charles Hickson Case That Passed the Polygraph Test

One of the most compelling stories of alien abduction took place on the night of October 11, 1973, in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Two men, Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker, experienced a bizarre and traumatic event that would go on to become one of the most famous UFO cases in American history. What sets this case apart from other similar reports is that both men passed polygraph tests, providing a degree of credibility to their account. The Pascagoula incident remains one of the most intriguing alien abduction stories to date.

The Incident: A Night of Fishing Gone Wrong

On that fateful evening, Hickson, a 42-year-old Korean War veteran and shipyard foreman, and his friend Calvin Parker, a 19-year-old welder, were fishing along the Pascagoula River. As they enjoyed the quiet night, they were suddenly startled by a strange zipping sound and two flashing blue lights. Turning around, they saw an oval-shaped, hovering object, approximately 30-40 feet across and 8-10 feet high, descend towards them. The craft appeared to defy the laws of gravity, hovering just above the ground.

Before the two men could react, three strange creatures emerged from the craft. The beings were described as having no necks, coarse, wrinkled skin, and standing around five feet tall. Their movements were mechanical, and they glided toward Hickson and Parker. The men later reported being paralyzed, unable to move but fully conscious, as they were floated aboard the hovering craft.

Inside the spacecraft, both men claimed to have undergone a terrifying examination. Hickson described an “electronic eye” that scanned his body, while Parker recalled being laid on a table, subjected to a thorough physical examination by a more human-like, feminine creature. Both men said they were given telepathic reassurances not to be afraid, but the experience left them traumatized.

The Aftermath: Reporting the Incident

After being released from the spacecraft, Hickson and Parker were left standing at the river’s edge, completely shaken. Still in shock, the men initially hesitated to report the incident, but eventually decided to contact local authorities. They first called Keesler Air Force Base, only to be told that UFO encounters were no longer within their jurisdiction. With nowhere else to turn, they went to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

Skeptical at first, the sheriff’s deputies interviewed the men separately and even placed them in a room wired for sound, hoping to catch them in a lie. However, their conversation, recorded when they thought they were alone, only reinforced the deputies’ belief that the men were genuinely terrified by something unexplainable.

The story quickly gained national attention. News outlets across the country reported on the Pascagoula abduction, and Hickson, in particular, became a media sensation. Despite the attention, both men maintained the truth of their account, never deviating from their original story.

Passing the Polygraph Test: The Truth or Belief?

A key moment in the investigation was the administration of polygraph tests, which both men passed. Charles Hickson’s polygraph test was conducted by a New Orleans firm on October 30, 1973, just weeks after the incident. The examiner stated that Hickson was truthful in his belief that he had been abducted by extraterrestrial beings.

Skeptics have pointed out that passing a polygraph test does not definitively prove the truth of an event. Instead, it shows that the person being tested believes they are telling the truth. However, the fact that both Hickson and Parker passed their polygraph tests adds a layer of complexity to the case, as they demonstrated strong conviction in the accuracy of their bizarre experience.

The Public Reaction and Ongoing Interest

Hickson, more open to sharing his story, appeared on popular talk shows like The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and To Tell the Truth. Despite the public interest, Parker shied away from the limelight, choosing a quieter life, though he never contradicted his earlier statements.

In the years that followed, other witnesses came forward to support the men’s claims. For example, Mike Cataldo, a retired Navy officer, later reported seeing a strange, hovering object in the sky the same night near the Pascagoula River. Cataldo’s account described an object with flashing lights, spinning in the sky, and disappearing after hovering for about 30 seconds.

Despite the corroborative testimonies, skeptics, including renowned UFO debunkers like Philip Klass, challenged Hickson and Parker’s story. Klass pointed to inconsistencies in Hickson’s descriptions of the creatures, noting that his accounts changed over time. Others suggested that the men had entered a state of sleep paralysis and hallucinated the entire experience.

Theories and Skepticism: Was It Real?

Skeptics have tried to explain the incident in various ways. Joe Nickell, a prominent paranormal investigator, suggested that Hickson and Parker might have entered a hypnagogic state, a condition where a person experiences sleep paralysis and vivid hallucinations. This could explain the sensations of paralysis and the strange visual and auditory experiences the men reported.

Additionally, some investigators raised concerns about the polygraph tests. They noted that the polygraph examiner was relatively inexperienced, and Hickson had refused to take another test conducted by a more seasoned expert. These factors have led some to question the legitimacy of the tests and the overall story.

VIDEO: The Most Convincing Alien Abduction Victim (He Passed The Polygraph Test)

The Pascagoula alien abduction case remains one of the most perplexing UFO encounters in American history. With both men passing polygraph tests, numerous eyewitnesses coming forward, and their consistent storytelling over the years, the incident continues to baffle investigators. Charles Hickson passed away in 2011, and Calvin Parker in 2023, yet their experience still ignites debate among believers and skeptics alike.

Was it a genuine alien abduction, a shared hallucination, or something else entirely? The Pascagoula incident leaves us with more questions than answers, but it stands as one of the most convincing cases in the annals of UFO lore, made even more compelling by the fact that its key witnesses passed a polygraph test, indicating that—at least in their minds—their terrifying experience was very real.