Overview
Former United States Air Force officer Mario Woods has publicly detailed a 1977 incident that took place at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, a site that housed a key intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silo complex. In a series of interviews featured in the documentary Age of Disclosure and several UFO‑focused podcasts, Woods describes an encounter with multiple unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) and what he believes were non‑human intelligence (NHI) entities. The account, which includes a five‑hour power blackout and alleged physical interaction with a missile installation, adds a new layer to the growing body of military‑related UFO testimony that has surfaced in recent years.
The 1977 Encounter
According to Woods, the event began on a clear night in early 1977 when a giant, glowing sphere appeared over a missile silo at Ellsworth AFB. The sphere hovered silently for several minutes before a smaller, black, disc‑shaped orb descended and hovered close to Woods’ vehicle, emitting a low hum. While Woods was observing the objects, four elongated beings—described as “gliding” and “luminous”—emerged from the larger sphere and moved around the silo area. During their presence, the base experienced a complete electrical outage lasting roughly five hours, affecting lighting, communications, and security systems. Woods reports that the beings appeared to be conducting a visual inspection of the missile infrastructure before departing.
Witness Account
In the documentary, Woods recounts his experience with a measured tone:
“I was on a routine patrol when the sphere showed up. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen in training—no rotors, no exhaust, just a steady, soft glow. When the black orb came down, it hovered a few feet from my truck, and I could feel the temperature drop.”
He adds that the four entities “seemed to be observing the silo, almost as if they were checking something.” Woods claims the blackout began shortly after the beings appeared, and that all electronic equipment—including the base’s radar and communications—went dead. When power was finally restored, the objects had vanished without a trace. Woods says he reported the incident to his superiors the next day and was subsequently interrogated by senior officers, who warned him against discussing the event publicly.
Investigation and Aftermath
Military records from the period confirm that Ellsworth AFB experienced an unexplained power failure on the night in question, though official documentation attributes it to a routine electrical fault. No declassified Air Force reports directly reference the visual phenomena described by Woods. However, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed in 2023 uncovered a brief internal memo noting “unusual aerial activity observed near silo 12 on 12‑May‑1977” and recommending “further observation.”
Woods’ testimony has been cross‑checked with other veteran accounts from the same era, including a 1978 report by a crew chief at a nearby missile site who recalled a “bright, pulsating light” that lingered over the perimeter. While the evidence remains largely anecdotal, the convergence of multiple independent recollections has prompted renewed interest from the Department of Defense’s UAP Task Force, which has been compiling similar sightings for congressional briefings.
Broader Context
Woods’ story arrives at a moment when the U.S. government is increasingly transparent about unidentified aerial phenomena. In 2021, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released an unclassified report acknowledging 144 UAP incidents, many of which involved military personnel and critical infrastructure. The Ellsworth incident stands out because it allegedly involved a nuclear weapons facility, raising questions about potential security implications.
Experts caution against sensationalism, emphasizing the need for rigorous data analysis. Dr. Jacqueline M. Hall, a senior researcher at the National UFO Research Center, notes:
“When a credible former officer describes a multi‑stage encounter that coincides with a documented power outage, it warrants systematic investigation, not dismissal.”
As congressional hearings on UAPs continue, testimonies like Woods’ may influence policy decisions regarding airspace security and national defense protocols. Whether future disclosures will corroborate his account remains uncertain, but the episode underscores the growing demand for transparent, evidence‑based inquiry into unexplained aerial events.
