March 15, 1965; Everglades, Florida

Features: Sound, animal reactions, light beam, reaction to witness,
physiological effects, physical traces.

James W. Flynn, 45, was training hunting dogs in the Everglades when
at about 1:00 AM he saw a cone-shaped UFO hovering about 200 feet
over some cypress trees. The UFO moved rapidly and changed positions
several times, and Flynn thought it was a helicopter until he looked
at it through binoculars. Then, thinking it was "some new device
from Cape Kennedy", perhaps in trouble, he tried to approach and
offer help. The cone-shaped object appeared to be about 25 feet high
and had four tiers of windows emitting a yellowish glow. Flynn could
hear a noise "like a diesel generator", which disturbed one of his
dogs who "was howling in his cage and trying to get out".

Within 200 yards of the UFO, Flynn jumped out of his swamp buggy
waving his arms. At that point, the UFO emitted a jet-like noise and
a blast of wind that knocked him off balance. As he continued to
approach within a few yards, the UFO emitted a light beam like a
welder's torch and Flynn blacked out. "I felt a blow like a
sledgehammer between the eyes - and that's all I know", he told the
local newspaper. When he awoke, the UFO was gone and his vision was
severely impaired. About 24 hours had passed. Flynn sought aid from
an Indian acquaintance who helped him back to Fort Myers. Flynn
required medical treatment, and had a small dark spot on his
forehead. He suffered impaired vision in one eye, numbness, and
loss of hearing. Extensive physical trace evidence was found at the
site, including an area of burnt sawgrass 72 feet in diameter.

Sources: Strange Effects From UFOs (NICAP, 1969) p. 12, including
ophthalmologist's report on Flynn's injuries; Fort Myers, Fla.,
News-Press March 18, 1965, and editorial endorsement of Flynn, March
19, 1965.