USA – In the quietude of September 1964, a small town in Northern California became the epicentre of an otherworldly mystery that left one man’s life forever changed. Don Shrum, a welder at Aerojet Corporation and a skilled bow hunter, embarked on a weekend camping trip with friends Vincent Alvarez and Tim TR Blood in the Tahoe National Forest, seeking solace from the stress of his job involving Polaris and Titan nuclear missiles.
Little did Don know that this trip would thrust him into a 12-hour life-or-death struggle with beings from beyond the stars.
It was a Friday morning when Don found himself lost in the woods, separated from his friends as the sun dipped below the horizon. Seeking refuge from potential predators, Don climbed a massive pine tree rooted on a cliffside. Little did he anticipate that this decision would expose him to an extraordinary series of events that would baffle investigators for years to come.
As Don settled into his perch, a mysterious light emerged through the trees, initially mistaken for a rescue helicopter. However, the silent, swaying light revealed itself to be an enormous black cylinder, 150 feet long, lying on its side. The light emanating from the craft scanned the surroundings, revealing three horizontal slits that transformed into tall, narrow rectangles—windows or doors.
What unfolded next was nothing short of a sci-fi thriller. Two humanoid beings, between four and five feet tall, donning silver suits and welding-like goggles, emerged from the craft. Alongside them, a robotic figure, described as moving and looking like something out of a pulp magazine, stood about six feet tall with reddish-orange eyes that glowed in the dark.
Don, armed with his bow, found himself paralyzed by a jet of white smoke emitted by the beings. As the humanoid creatures approached his tree, Don fought back by shooting arrows at the robotic figure, unleashing a series of sparks and stumbling movements. This intense battle continued for hours, with Don resorting to burning everything he had to fend off the entities.
When Don woke up, battered and hanging from the tree by his belt, the beings were gone, leaving behind a bewildered and traumatized man. Upon sharing his account, the Air Force, intrigued and perhaps sceptical, dispatched investigators to unravel the truth.
However, the aftermath of this encounter was far from the Hollywood portrayal one might expect. Don’s life spiralled into a pit of anxiety, severe PTSD, and financial ruin. The Air Force, in their investigation, declared the incident a psychological delusion or hoax, leaving Don to grapple with the trauma on his own.
The Cisco Grove UFO encounter remains a lesser-known tale in the annals of extraterrestrial experiences. While sceptics point to the absence of concrete evidence, Don Shrum’s consistent narrative over 50 years and the corroborating account of Vincent Alvarez keeps the mystery alive.
Regardless of one’s stance on the existence of extraterrestrial life, the enigmatic events that unfolded in Cisco Grove in 1964 left an indelible mark on Don Shrum, a man who sought solace in the woods and found himself entangled in a struggle between worlds.