UFO sightings happen all the time all over the world. Depending on who you ask, stories of UFO encounters can be interesting, frighting, bizarre, or just plain nuts. Incidents that have taken place over the many Air Force bases in the United States, however, are some of the most intriguing on record.

Notably, unidentified and presumably intelligently controlled craft that can buzz military bases with impunity could certainly represent a direct risk to national security. Here are just ten of the best and most interesting UFO incidents to have taken place over various Air Force facilities around the US.

10 18 Silver Discs Hover Over Nellis AFB
October 1951

In October 1951, at a closed part of the Nevada desert reserved for nuclear testing named Yucca Flat, several military personnel witnessed 18 “silvery, rotating discs” hovering over the area for 15 minutes.^[1] As the incident was not reported or spoken about until 13 years later in 1964, some of the details are a little hazy.

For example, the date was somewhere between October 22 and October 30, with the time of the sighting being somewhere between 6:00 and 7:00 AM. A scheduled nuclear test was due to take place later than morning. However, approximately a quarter of an hour before the test was to begin, the triangular formation of the glittering objects appeared overhead.

Furthermore, one of the main witnesses, a 19-year-old known only as “Mr. M,” would also claim to have witnessed several “strange creatures” in the area at the same time as the sighting, which disappeared just as quickly. The hovering objects would remain in a tight formation throughout the incident, not making a sound of any kind before disappearing in a matter of seconds.

Nellis Air Force Base would have several other sightings over the years, with some taking place more recently. However, one of these stands out from the others and would unfold a little over a decade after the Yucca Flat incident.

9 UFO Crashes In Nellis AFB
April 1962

According to newspaper reports at the time and subsequent investigations by UFO organizations since, an otherworldly craft came crashing to the ground on the evening of April 18, 1962, within the grounds of Nellis Air Force Base, no less.^[2] It would come to light years later, when investigators pieced together several “different” UFO sightings that were, in fact, the same apparent object that would eventually crash-land.

It was spotted and monitored by various Air Force radars as it went over New York from the Atlantic before making its way west, with confirmed sightings over Kansas, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona before its flight finally came to an abrupt end. The Las Vegas Sun would report on the incident, using many local residents’ witness statements of a “weird unidentified object” that resulted in a “brilliant red explosion.”

When UFO investigators began examining such reports and declassified files, perhaps in particular the Project Blue Book reports, they discovered hints of a cover-up of the incident. For example, there was a record of an unidentified radar report which was then changed to being a case with “insufficient data.” What’s more, there was no reason stated for the change (as there should have been). Even more alarming was the fact that the records claimed there were “no visual” sightings, which, again, was clearly not the case.

By the time allegations of the Air Force scrambling jets in order to intercept and engage the strange craft surfaced, the incident took on a air of mystique that makes it one of the most intriguing apparent encounters in UFO history.

8UFO Deactivates Nukes At Malmstrom AFB
March 1967

What is perhaps most alarming about the Malmstrom UFO incident is the realization, at last in theory, that the power and intelligence behind the strange craft sighted apparently had the ability to disarm the United States military of its most potent weapons—arguably rendering it defenseless against such an intelligence should it prove hostile. And while that might seem outlandish to many of us today, that was not the case for many American citizens at the time, sandwiched between the ever-constant threat of the Cold War and these apparent visitors from another world.

On the morning of March 16, 1967, Captain Robert Salas received reports of a strange, glowing, red saucer-shaped object simply hovering above the Montana base. It would remain there for several minutes, with multiple military personnel viewing it. Then, as Salas watched helplessly, the ten nuclear missiles he was overseeing would go offline one by one.^[3] The object then vanished. The missiles, however, would remain offline for several hours before returning back to normal.

Many UFO researchers have suggested that this action was a display of superiority regarding the military’s nuclear weapons and their apparent ineffectiveness against such advanced intelligence. The incident remains unexplained.

7 Glowing Object Hovers Over Loring AFB
October 1975

A similar incident would take place on the evening of October 27, 1975, over the weapons storage facility at Loring Air Force Base in Maine.^[4] It was around 7:45 PM on the night in question when the glowing object was first observed by on-duty personnel. What is perhaps interesting about this is that the units were disguised and covered over. That the aerial anomaly “knew” weapons were there is perhaps a telling detail concerning its technical capability.

One of the witnesses, Danny Lewis, would later recall how it had a single red light and a separate white strobe light on its underside. The object circled the base several times before settling in over the weapons unit. In total, it remained visible over the base for around 40 minutes before eventually taking off and vanishing into the night sky.

The following evening, however, the strange object returned at almost the exact same time as the previous night. Once more, it would circle the base, as if surveying it, before settling into a hovering position over the weapons storage unit.

The base would remain on alert for several weeks following the incident, with several other sightings taking place as well. Then, they simply stopped as quickly as they had begun.

6 ‘Cat And Mouse’ UFO Chase Over Cannon AFB
January 1976

The incident over Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico on January 21, 1976, would not only stretch to a second night but was also witnessed by pure chance by a student journalist known only as “Bruce.”^[5]

On the evening in question, Bruce was working for a local radio station, performing tests on their transmitters. It was while he was at such a transmitter overlooking Cannon Air Force Base that he witnessed the bizarre scene. First, he noticed lights which he later described as looking like “light bulbs on a string.”

When he observed them through binoculars, however, the light bulbs were decidedly “saucer-shaped,” with a red glow emanating from their undersides. While one of the craft remained in position, the other two would suddenly swoop downward toward the ground. The objects then moved out over a nearby town. Bruce would note how, from his perspective overlooking the area, he could see the streetlights dimming in turn as the UFOs passed overhead.

The following evening, Bruce would purposely return to the area, only this time, he and several fellow journalists would position themselves on buildings with a view of the military base, the scene of the bizarre happenings the night before. Just before 1:00 AM, the glowing objects returned, and this time, there four of them. What’s more, within minutes, several military jets also arrived, immediately giving chase to the aerial anomalies. However, the intruders would always manage to evade the oncoming jets. This would continue for approximately 45 minutes before each of the objects simply disappeared vertically in a matter of seconds.

Interestingly, Freedom of Information Act requests would show that several F-111s were scrambled from Cannon AFB on the night in question. Perhaps more worrying, at least according to Bruce, is that he would receive some extremely disturbing warnings following his decision to speak publicly of the incident.

5 Red Object Over Ellsworth AFB
August 1953

On the evening of August 5, 1953, several residents in the town of Blackhawk, South Dakota, would witness and report a glowing red craft overhead, seemingly heading toward Ellsworth Air Force Base.^[6] What’s more, due to the environment of the Cold War, many of the witnesses were trained observers with the Ground Observer Corps.

The first account, for example, would come from such a volunteer observer, Mrs. Kellian, who would make a report directly to radar operators at Ellsworth Air Force Base. Not only did they have the object on their screens, but they sent several personnel outside to obtain visual confirmation (which they duly did).

A military aircraft already performing patrol duties was redirected to the area on an intercept mission. However, like many other similar cases, as soon as he began to get close to the UFO, it would move rapidly out of the way. After giving chase for several minutes, the jet returned to base. A second jet would scramble from the runway in an attempt to intercept but would ultimately prove unsuccessful.

The official conclusion of the United States Air Force was that the object was “unknown,” although no further (official) investigation took place. The case remains unexplained.

4 Alien Battle Over McChord AFB
October 1972

The alleged incidents that took place near Tacoma, Washington, in the skies around McChord Air Force Base remained largely buried away for almost three decades before a one-time government agent, Robert Collins, would finally reveal the account in 2001.

According to Collins’s account, on the afternoon of October 14, 1972, two US airmen, Steven Briggs and Dennis Hillsgeck, were at the Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) facility, which came under the care of the nearby McChord AFB. While performing their duties, they suddenly heard a high-pitched whining sound coming from outside the building. Upon stepping outside, they were confronted by a “saucer-shaped object” hovering overhead. Seconds later, the futuristic, shining craft began to descend to the ground.^[7]

The next thing the two men knew, two humanoid creatures had exited the craft and were seemingly headed for the building. They would urgently request backup, claiming that “intruders” were attempting to enter the facility. It would be a little over a quarter of an hour before another unit would arrive at the site. They would discover the two airmen confused and in a mild state of shock.

Not long after that, a security police officer, Sergeant Darren Alexander, was searching the area with a dog. He would not only witness the saucer-shaped craft but one of the apparent humanoid occupants on the ground as well. He would draw his revolver, and after seeing a strange device in the creature’s hand, he fired all six shots at almost point-blank range. In the chaos of the moment, the creature seemingly disappeared, leaving Sergeant Alexander quite confused.

The account is one that certainly divides opinion within the UFO community, with many perhaps understandably skeptical of the claims.

3 Abductee Crash-Lands At Edwards AFB
Summer 1971

If claims of alien abduction are just too unbelievable for some people to take seriously, then an abduction that results in a UFO crash at a military installation is perhaps even more unbelievable. However, one summer’s evening in 1971, or so the story goes, that is exactly what happened to a young woman eventually named as Lorraine Dvorak Cordini.^[8]

According to witnesses, the calm California night was suddenly disturbed by a sudden unearthly roar that ended in an equally frightening crashing sound. As people rushed out of their homes, a large cloud and evidence of flames was visible a short distance away, near Edwards Air Force Base. Even more bizarre, several people would claim to see “three grey humanoids” as well as a human female, herself wearing a strange, tight-fitting pink suit, among the ruins of a crashed vehicle of some sort.

Before anyone realized what was taking place, however, a legion of military trucks and other vehicles arrived and quickly sealed off the area. Furthermore, they would remove the wreckage and any sign of it, as well as taking the humanoids and the woman with them. Residents assumed they were taken to Edwards AFB.

The military would eventually claim that the downed craft was a military vehicle that had crash-landed. However, UFO researcher Albert Rosales would track down the mystery female, eventually revealing her identity as Lorraine (as mentioned above). What’s more, she would agree to undergo hypnotic regression in order to unlock the events of the night in question.

Lorraine claimed that after being abducted from her home and given the pink clothing to wear, she was taken to a larger ship in Earth’s orbit, where an examination took place. She was then placed in a smaller craft—the one that crashed—and sent back to Earth with several of the strange creatures. She would awaken in a military hangar. Even more bizarre, at least according to the hypnosis sessions, is that while here, she saw military personnel and strange large-headed creatures, different from the ones that had taken her from her room.

Needless to say, there are many who remain skeptical of the incident.

2 UFO Sighting Over Larson AFB
December 1952

While driving back toward Larson Air Force Base in Washington state on the evening of December 22, 1952, an off-duty technician witnessed a bizarre, vaguely hat-shaped object hovering over the base.^[9] He reported the object to his superiors and then continued on toward the base. However, shortly after, with the object now clearly visible through his windshield, he decided to pull the vehicle to the side of the road and exit it so that he could get a clearer, steadier view of the strange craft.

It would perform bizarre and breathtaking maneuvers, seemingly glowing brighter the faster it moved through the air. On occasion, the witness claimed to see the object “roll” in the air, apparently exposing an underside that had a red glow to it.

After several moments of these strange but impressive aerial movements, the UFO came to a stop and would hover for approximately a quarter of an hour. At that point, eager to get back to base and satisfied that nothing more of consequence would take place, the witness returned to his vehicle and set off once more.

1 UFO Incident Over Minot AFB
October 1968

Unusual UFO activity is particularly persistent over Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. However, the incident that perhaps sticks out the most took place a little after 2:00 AM on October 24, 1968. While acting as “aboveground security” for an operation taking place underground, a small military unit spotted a “large glowing object” hovering in the sky. A short while later, reports would come in from several locations around the base. And what’s more, they would continue to do so right through the night until the early hours of dawn.

At around 3:30 AM, a B-52 bomber witnessed the UFO from above.^[10] In later declassified documents, the operators of the B-52 described the craft as being like a “miniature sun placed on the ground.”

Although Project Blue Book would investigate the incident, by this stage in the program’s existence, any pretense of genuine investigation was largely gone. Needless to say, it remains unexplained and, for the most part, unacknowledged.

Incidentally, two years earlier, a very similar incident took place over Minot Air Force Base, at least according to an apparent whistle-blower named David Schindele. Like the aforementioned incident over Malmstrom in March 1967, all of the base’s nuclear weapons were deactivated. While the Air Force denied such an incident, newspaper reports at the time regularly reported UFO sightings in and around the base.

The ‘Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All Of Us’ call to action that was issued in September, 2019, fizzled out.^[1] So what happens in Area 51 stays in Area 51. But the government-labeled tin-foil hat brigade, which claims that aliens and their spaceships are hidden there, doesn’t seem so crazy anymore. About a week before the call to action, the United States Navy finally acknowledged that UFOs exist. After decades of denial, the Navy publicly stated that there are, indeed, ‘Unidentified Aerial Phenomena.’^[2] Regardless of what they are called, the strange flying objects that Americans spot in the skies aren’t weather balloons and secret military aircraft, as they have been told.

Top 10 UFO Encounters That You’ve Never Heard About

It took the government almost as long to admit that there actually is a place called ‘Area 51.’ A Freedom of Information Act Request revealed its existence to the public in 2013. Officially, planes are tested and constructed at Area 51.^[3] The facility is actually called the Nevada Test and Training Range at Groom Lake, one of two military training areas at the Nellis Air Force Base Complex in Nevada.^[4] The remote desert site, about a two-hour drive from Las Vegas, is close to the UFO-themed tourist towns of Rachel and Hiko. Whistleblowers and witnesses continue to come forward about what is really going on at Area 51 and other military installations.

10 Malmstrom Air Force Base

Malmstrom Air Force Base, which deploys Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles, (ICBMs) is adjacent to Great Falls, Montana. In 1967, the Missile Combat Crew received reports from security patrols and maintenance crew that a UFO was hovering over one of the missile silos. Shortly thereafter, each of the ten missiles shut down, one at a time.^[5] While declassified documents prove that the nuclear weapons did, indeed, become inoperable, there is scant evidence of the UFO claim.^[6][7] However, evidence was gathered at an earlier UFO sighting. The Mariana UFO Incident took place in Great Falls in 1950. Nick Mariana, manager of a minor league baseball team, may be the first person to intentionally capture footage of UFOs. A bright flash caught Mariana’s attention as he was inspecting a baseball field. He ran to get a 16mm camera when he saw two silver disks flying at lightening speed over the city. He was able to get 16 seconds of color video footage. However, he later claimed that 35 complete frames were missing after the Air Force examined the film and returned it to him. These frames showed that the mystery objects in the sky were discs that were rotating.^[8]

9 Carswell Air Force Base

The 1947 Roswell Incident in New Mexico is perhaps the most famous UFO encounter. The first press release stated that a flying saucer had been found. The second press release claimed the object was a weather balloon.^[9] Operations officer Robert Shirkey saw an aluminum-like material with characters written on it being loaded for a flight to Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas.^[10] Flight crewman Robert Porter reported that the boxes holding the ‘pieces of flying saucer’ were as light as empty boxes.^[11] In later years, UFOs were seen around the base. In 1954, a T-shaped aircraft was spotted and picked up on radar. The blue, green, and white UFO hovered at 4000 feet over the nearby airport.^[12] Another sighting was recorded by the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) witness reporting database. In 1965, a witness saw a triangular UFO with three lights.^[13]

8 Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

Captain Oliver W. “Pappy” Henderson, a senior pilot at Roswell AFB during the Roswell Incident, flew a plane to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio shortly after the incident. He did not discuss the flight for more than thirty years because of his security clearance. But in 1977, he told his business partner about his assignment. He said he transported spacecraft wreckage and small alien bodies. He showed his partner a piece of metal from the wreckage. It resembled aluminum but was lighter and much stiffer. In 1982, Henderson told the same story to several of his Roswell pals while attending a reunion.^[14] Other military men confirm Henderson’s story. One of these men is Marine Lieutenant Colonel Marion M. “Black Mac” Magruder. On his deathbed, Magruder remembered that the alien he saw was ‘squiggly.’^[15]

7 Fort Dix

Major George Filer recounts six decades of investigating aliens and UFOs in John Guerra’s Strange Craft: The True Story of An Air Force Intelligence Officer’s Life with UFOs. Most notably, Filer recalls the shooting of an alien at Fort Dix in New Jersey.^[16] In 1978, a military policeman was following a low flying aircraft through the wilderness of the army base during the wee hours of a frigid January morning. A 4-foot tall, grayish-brown creature with long arms, a slender body, and fat head appeared in front of the MP’s truck and was then shot. The remains gave off an ammonia-like stench.^[17] Filer is a member of the Disclosure Project, which champions the release of all UFO information. In 2017, the Pentagon released footage of an extraterrestrial vehicle outdoing U.S. Navy fighters, confirming some of Filer’s descriptions.

6 29 Palms

29 Palms in the Mojave Desert in California was the site of a massive multi-regimental live-maneuver exercise in October, 2019.^[18] Military training is just one of the interesting activities at the Marine base, which is listed in Project Redbook. This database contains information about subsurface alien activity sites. It was compiled for those who want to explore the sites, with no claims of authenticity for any particular site.^[19] According to researcher Val Valerian, recovered alien technology is examined in underground facilities at the base.^[20] In addition, there have been many UFO sightings in the area since the 1950s.^[21] In May, 2019, a worm-like UFO was spotted over the town of 29 Palms.

Top 10 UFO Encounters That Involve Alien Humanoid Entities

5 Fort Meade

In his book, Above Black: Project Preserve Destiny, Dan Sherman writes that he was sent to Fort Meade in Maryland to train for his role in an above Top Secret-level Air Force program called ‘Greys.’ In 1992, he was recruited to speak to Grey Aliens, first encountered at the Roswell Incident. His mother was visited by aliens and was the subject of genetic manipulation. Therefore, Sherman could fulfill his duties as ‘Intuitive Communicator,’ and receive messages from the Greys. First, Sherman sat in a communications van in an unknown location to receive the messages from the designated alien. After some time, he began to receive what he calls ‘abduction data.’^[22] The National Security Agency, (NSA) headquartered at Fort Meade, declassified many documents in more recent years. Some of these reports note attempts to decode a ‘radio message’ received from outer space.^[23]

4 Edwards Air Force Base

Skeptics wonder why aliens speak to the ‘common man’ rather than leaders. In fact, one of our greatest leaders, Dwight Eisenhower, may have communicated with them. Depending on whose story you believe, the president either took a secret evening trip to Edwards Air Force Base while on a golf vacation or he went to the dentist for repair of a chipped tooth. Ike’s dentist insisted he saw the president on February 20, 1954. But Dr. Michael Salla believes that Ike met two blue-eyed aliens, who had colorless lips and white hair, at the base.^[24] Dr. Salla is a leader in the field of exopolitics, defined as ‘the political study of the key actors, institutions, and processes associated with extraterrestrial life.’^[25] Interestingly, the Associated Press reported that Ike died on February 20, 1954, but retracted the story two minutes later. Laura Magdalene Eisenhower, Ike’s great-granddaughter, has publicly stated that she believes that Ike met with extraterrestrials.^[26]

3 Kirtland Air Force Base

A declassified government report revealed that guards at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico saw UFOs in the Coyote Canyon area in 1980. During the same period of time, radar was jammed by an unknown source for six hours in the same area.^[27] Paul Bennewitz, a physicist, inventor, and UFO researcher, had begun to see odd lights in the sky a year earlier. These lights, which flew towards Coyote Canyon and the base, could be seen nearly every evening. Bennewitz filmed the lights as well as objects he saw on the ground and in the air. Over time, he collected more than 2600 feet of film. Bennewitz also taped low-frequency radio transmissions that he said were transmitted by the aliens, and he created a computer program to translate these transmissions.^[28] In addition, he claimed to have evidence that aliens were controlling people through electromagnetic devices.^[29]

2 Holloman Air Force Base

Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico is at the center of several UFO encounters. Project 1947, an ongoing gathering of articles and documents about UFOs seen between 1900 and 1965, presents one of these incidents.^[30] In 1950, electronics engineer Cliff Booth reported that he and another man had used an Askania theodolite to get photographs of a cigar-shaped UFO. While both men were convinced they had seen a ‘vehicle from outer space,’ photographs were blurry.^[31] Years later, filmmaker Robert Emenegger was prompted by the US Air Force to produce a UFO documentary. In 1974, UFOs: Past, Present and Future was released without its most sensational story. The Air Force reneged on its promise to give Emenegger footage of a UFO landing at Holloman Air Force Base in 1971.^[32] The footage showed three UFOs. One UFO landed and three aliens emerged.^[33]

1 Dobbins Air Force Base

‘Georgia’s Aerial Phenomenon 1947-1987,’ written by Roswell, Georgia, police officer Michael Hitt, presents 234 UFO sightings in the state. Many reports come from civilian and military pilots like the airmen from Dobbins Air Force Base who told their story in 1952. They saw an object streak overhead before it disappeared. This same object was seen on radar scopes as it traveled at 1,200 miles an hour, twice the speed of an airplane.^[34] Control tower operator Bruce Beach relates that there were so many UFO sightings at Dobbins Air Force Base in the 1950s that the tower had a 3D camera, which was unusual at that time.^[35] Sightings continued throughout the years. Recently, a square, black UFO the size of a Boeing 727 was spotted near the base and reported to MUFON in January, 2019.^[36]

The spaceship-shaped McDonald’s in Roswell, New Mexico, reminds residents and tourists that we may not be alone in the universe. Right now, the majority of the evidence comes in the form of stories told by military men, pilots, law enforcement officers, and others. The government has finally admitted that UFOs are a real phenomenon. Who knows what secrets may be revealed in the future.

10 Times We Thought We Had Found Proof Of Aliens

The American Civil War was fought between 1861 and 1865, and it holds the distinction of being the first modern war, but there’s more to it than that. The conflict saw more American casualties than any other in the nation’s history, and it tore the country apart.

When the Democratic southern states seceded from the Union to form the Confederate States of America, a large number of military officers followed, and they formed the CSA’s military command.

More than 150 years after the conflict came to an end, ten bases throughout the American south still bear the names of some of the Confederacy’s greatest military leaders.

10 Monuments More Controversial Than The Confederate Statues

10 Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia – Ambrose Powell Hill Jr.

Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, was founded in 1941 outside the town of Bowling Green, Virginia. The post was established as an Army training facility, and it remains one to this day. The Fort is primarily used as an arms training center, and it is used by all branches of the military, as well as members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, federal, state, and local law enforcement for weapons training.

The Fort was named in honor of Ambrose Powell Hill, a Confederate General from Virginia, who fought for the United States Army in the Mexican-American and Seminole Wars. He joined the Confederacy when the Civil War began and went on to serve in some of the war’s greatest conflicts. Hill was the commander of the “Light Division,” and one of Stonewall Jackson’s most proficient subordinates.

When Jackson died at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Hill was promoted to Lieutenant General to take command of General Lee’s Third Corps, which he led during the Gettysburg Campaign. He was killed in combat during the Union Army’s push during the Third Battle of Petersburg in 1865, shortly before the war came to a close.^[1]

9 Fort Benning, Georgia – Henry Benning

Fort Benning, Georgia, is the home of the U.S. Army Infantry School, the Maneuver Center of Excellence, Armor School, and more. Ft. Benning supports more than 120,000 personnel, their family members, veterans, and support staff, making it a significant Georgian base. The Fort was established to provide Basic Training to Soldiers in 1918.

Fort Benning was named in honor of Henry Benning, the commander of “Benning’s Brigade” during the Civil War. Benning was an opponent of abolition and the emancipation of slaves, which put him strongly in favor of secession following the election of 1860. He served in the U.S. Congress for the Democratic Party in 1851 and remained in politics up to succession, but opted not to serve as a cabinet member in the Confederacy. He instead joined the Confederate Army as a Colonel of the 17th Georgia Infantry in 1861.

Benning attained the rank of Brigadier General, and he led his forces against General Grant during the Overland Campaign. He remained in the fight up to the bitter end. Benning was heartbroken when Confederacy was defeated, and he was one of the last officers to lead his men to the surrender ceremony in April 1865.^[2]

8 Fort Bragg, North Carolina – Braxton Bragg

Fort Bragg, North Carolina, is known as being the largest military installation in the world by population, as it supports 50,000 active-duty personnel at any given time. The Fort is located outside Fayetteville and is the home of the Army’s XVIII Airborne Corps, US Special Operation Command, and many more units.

The Fort was established in 1918 to train artillery personnel, and it was named in honor of North Carolina native Braxton Bragg. Bragg served as an officer in the U.S. Army during the Second Seminole and Mexican-American Wars before joining the Confederacy despite being opposed to secession. He was serving as a Colonel in the Louisiana Militia in 1860, and the following year, he was commissioned as a Brigadier General of the Confederate States Army and given command of forces in Pensacola, Florida.

He served in numerous campaigns throughout the war, including the Battles for Chattanooga, the Battle of Chickamauga, and many more. He became an advisor to President Davis and was one of the people credited with finally convincing him that the Confederacy’s cause was lost, which ultimately led to the surrender of the CSA and the end of the war.^[3]

7 Fort Gordon, Georgia – John Brown Gordon

Fort Gordon, Georgia, was established as Camp Gordon in 1917 as the training grounds for the 82nd Division. It was upgraded to a Fort in 1941 and has since become home of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, the Cyber Corps, and more.

Camp Gordon was named in honor of John Brown Gordon, a Confederate officer who joined the CSA without any prior military experience. Though he lacked the knowledge of many of his peers, he was elected Captain of the 6th Alamaba Infantry Regiment. By 1862, he was serving as a Colonel, having seen combat at Seven Pines. Gordon had a knack for being wounded, and during the Battle of Antietam, he was hit multiple times in his arm and leg, but he continued to fight while refusing to go to the read. General Lee was impressed by his fortitude, and after he recovered, he was promoted to Brigadier General.

Gordon continued to lead his men up to the end of the war, having charged the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House. He officially surrendered his troops soon after, on April 12, 1865. Following the war, he entered politics in strict opposition to Reconstruction. He served as a U.S. Senator for the Democratic Party and served as the 53rd Governor of Georgia.^[4]

6 Fort Hood, Texas – John Bell Hood

Fort Hood, Texas, was founded in January 1942, so the Army could take advantage of the open terrain to test tank destroyers during World War II. Fort Hood is the most populous military base in the world, and it’s also one of the largest by area, as it encompasses 214,000 acres of land. It’s primarily used as an HQ for the III Corps, the 1st Cavalry Division, and other cavalry units.

Fort Hood gets its name from John Bell Hood, a notoriously brave and aggressive officer who was trained at the United States Military Academy. He served only briefly in the U.S. Army before resigning his commission immediately following the Battle of Fort Sumpter, which kicked off the Civil War. The native Kentuckian’s home state was neutral at the time, so he opted to serve in Texas.

Hood was promoted to Colonel in September 1860 and was given command of the 4th Texas Infantry Regiment. He served in numerous battles, including the Battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Chicamauga, and many more. He was promoted to General temporarily in July 1864 and eventually returned to the rank of Lieutenant General for the duration of the conflict.^[5]

Top 10 Surprising Confederates

5 Fort Pickett, Virginia – George Pickett

Fort Pickett, Virginia, is a Virginia Army National Guard post situated outside the town of Blackstone. It is the home of the Army National Guard Maneuver Training Center, and it was established in 1941 for the purpose of simultaneously training more than one Infantry Division at a time.

Fort Pickett was named in honor of George Pickett, a career U.S. Army officer who served during the Mexican-American War. He continued to serve until he was compelled to resign his commission following the Battle of Fort Sumter. Within a month, he was a Colonel in the Confederate States Army, and by 1862, he was a Brigadier General.

Pickett served in numerous campaigns but is likely best known for the ill-fated “Pickett’s Charge” during the Battle of Gettysburg. He stepped across the line to charge nearly a mile to Cemetery Ridge, shouting, “Up, Men, and to your posts! Let no man forget today that you are from Old Virginia!”^[6] The assault was a bloodbath, and Pickett was all but inconsolable. His division was mostly lost, as well as his subordinate commanders. He remained active in the war and was a member of General Lee’s party during the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse.^[7]

4 Fort Rucker, Alabama – Edmund Winchester Rucker

Fort Rucker, Alabama, was opened during World War II to train aviators. These days, it’s home to Army Aviation and is the post where all Army Warrant Officers (Including the writer of this article) train at Warrant Officer Candidate School. The base was named in honor of Confederate General Edmund Rucker when it was officially opened in 1942.^[8]

Edmund Rucker enlisted in the Confederate States Army as a Private soon after the Civil War broke out in 1861. He belonged to Pickett’s Tennessee Company of Sappers and Miners, and he was promoted to Lieutenant by 1862. As he progressed through the ranks, he moved to the Cavalry Batallion and was given command of the 1st East Tennessee Legion, known as Rucker’s Legion,^[9] with the rank of Colonel in 1863.

He eventually gained the rank of Brigadier General, though it was never confirmed by the Confederate Congress. Rucker was wounded in action on several occasions and lost his left arm soon after he was captured. His release was secured through an exchange managed by General Nathon Bedford Forrest, the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

3 Fort Polk, Louisiana – Leonidas Polk

Fort Polk, Louisiana, was originally established as a Camp in 1941 for the Louisiana Maneuvers in anticipation of the U.S. joining World War II. Today, it is home to the Joint Readiness Training Center and various combat units, including the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.

The Camp was named in honor of the Right Reverend Leonidas Polk, the first Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Louisiana. He resigned his position with the church to become a Major General in the Confederate Army after personally offering his services to Jefferson Davis, a classmate of his from his time at West Point. Polk committed a significant blunder early in the conflict when he sent troops to Columbus, Kentucky. The state had attempted to remain neutral but ended up requesting federal aid to deal with the occupation. This resulted in Kentucky being effectively ceded to the United States.

Polk commanded troops in the Army of Mississippi and Tennessee, managing to fight in numerous battles. He brought 20,000 men to Georgia while serving as the confederate States Army’s second in command. While scouting outside of Marietta, Georgia, in June 1864, he was spotted by Union Troops, who directed artillery fire at the General, killing him with the third shot.^[0]

2 Camp Beauregard, Louisiana – Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard

Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, was established in 1918 as a training base for the 17th Division in preparation for the United States’ entry into World War I. The Camp is currently operated by the Louisiana Army National Guard, which uses it primarily as one of its main training areas.

Camp Beauregard was named after Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard, a United States Military Academy graduate who served during the Mexican-American War. General Beauregard was the first Brigadier General in the Confederate States Army, and one of the most prominent to arise early in the conflict. He was given the rank of General five months after joining the Confederacy, making him the fifth highest-ranking officer in the CSA. Beauregard commanded his troops to fire the first shots of the Civil War, after his demand that the command at Ft. Sumter surrender to the CSA. For his action, he was known as “The Hero of Fort Sumter,” and he remained popular throughout the war.

General Beauregard survived the war and even though he remained a member of the Democratic Party for the rest of his life, he paradoxically went on to become an advocate for black civil rights and suffrage by supporting the Republican Party. He worked as a railroad executive and was an early promoter of the Louisiana Lottery, which, at the time, was the only legal lottery in the United States.^[11]

1 Fort Lee, Virginia – Robert Edward Lee

Fort Lee, Virginia, was established early in the Civil War as a training camp west of Richmond. It was originally known as Camp Lee, and it grew into a Fort as World War I began intensifying. Today, it is the home of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command, the Army Quartermaster, Ordnance, and Transportation schools.

The Camp was named in honor of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Lee was a prominent U.S. military officer who served during the Mexican-American War. He also worked as the superintendent of the Military Academy at West Point, and though he was initially reluctant, as he opposed secession (despite remaining a staunch supporter of the Democratic Party), he resigned his commission to join the Confederate States Army.

General Lee was one of the first to be given the rank of full General, and he was given command of the forces in Western Virginia.

Lee invaded Maryland and was primarily responsible for the push into Gettysburg, which resulted in one of the most significant CSA defeats of the war. From that point, he commanded forces up to the end of the American Civil War, having lost the vast majority of his Army by April 1865.^[12]

10 Ways Things Would Be Different If The Confederate States Had Won

Thanks to human conflict, there is no shortage of forts, bases, and shelters. Those that are abandoned have a certain attraction, a sense of mystery that calls to urban explorers and researchers alike. This list looks at deserted places with interesting backgrounds or current situations. From the station in Antarctica that scientists keep abandoning to the bunker mania that almost ruined a country, here is the best collection of strange stories!

10 From Conflict Lookouts to Bat Hotels

In 1994, Jordan and Israel put aside their differences and signed a peace treaty. As a result, army bunkers along the Jordan River were vacated, and they’ve been empty ever since. Well, empty of humans anyway. Over time, 12 indigenous species of bats moved into the ghost bunkers. From an environmental point of view, this was a good move on the animals’ part. Five of the species were listed as either endangered or critically threatened. The bunkers became a much-needed sanctuary for them.

No interference from people and living in a closed military zone stretching 60 miles (96 kilometers) allowed the bats to thrive. Their numbers, now in the thousands, help the environment because their appetite for bugs reduces the need for pesticides in the surrounding areas. Great for the environment, but definitely not someplace I want to add to my “must-visit” list.^[1]

9 A Unique Gallery of Ships

The Old Fort in Zanzibar has long since been retired as an active fort. These days, the castle-like building is a cultural center. But recently, carved graffiti of ships on the walls came to light. Likely created during the late nineteenth century, researchers believe that the pictures were inspired by boredom. In other words, the “artists” were guards on duty who had time on their hands and a clear view of the ships that docked outside the fort.

This sounds mundane. But the engravings provide a rare snapshot of which vessels were a part of the trans-oceanic trade network that used the western Indian Ocean during this time.

If the soldiers truly did doodle ships they saw in real life, then a rich variety lowered their anchors near the Old Fort. These included a rare ship called an East African mtepe (a vessel that was sewn together instead of using nails), European-style frigates, and dhows (settee-rigged deep-sea ships). Some carvings also had transom sterns which hinted at ships like the kotia, ghanja, baghla, and more.^[2]

8 A Bizarre Ant Colony

In the west of Poland sits a dismantled nuclear base. Originally built by the Soviets, the design includes two underground bunkers. In recent times, bats decided to turn the bunkers into overwintering caves, and this gave bat fans the opportunity to study them.

In 2013, someone noticed the ants. A huge number of wood ants were trapped inside one of the bunkers, and the prognosis for them was slim. They had no queen, food, light, heat, or way to escape. And yet, as the years passed, their numbers never dwindled.

The mystery was solved when researchers looked at clusters of dead ants and discovered that nearly 90% of them had been nibbled on by their nestmates. The colony also had a nest above the bunker, and some ants kept falling through a hole (replenishing their numbers). They survived by eating their dead. The scientists were kind enough to install a ramp leading back to the nest, and after years of being trapped, almost all the ants quickly abandoned the bunker.^[3]

7 The Location of Sapling Fort

During the early nineteenth century, the Tlingit people resisted Russia’s goal of establishing a fur trading post in Alaska. They built the “Sapling Fort,” also known as Shís’gi Noow, which was the final barrier against advancing Russian soldiers. In 1804, the Tlingit engaged in a battle at the fort, but five days later, they were defeated.

Despite their commendable last stand, the location of Sapling Fort slowly disappeared from local memory. In 2021, researchers decided to hunt for the historical fort by using radar scans.

The idea was to look for underground ruins and compare the shape of their perimeter with the known design of Sapling Fort. The project became one of the biggest radar surveys in Alaska. After buzzing 42 acres (17 hectares), they found subsurface signatures that matched the fort’s design as well as details given in both Russian and Tlingit accounts.

So, where was it? After a century of being missing, Sapling Fort was found in Sitka National Historical Park near the mouth of the Kasda Heen river.^[4]

6 A Ghost Station in Antarctica

The Halley VI Research Station sits on the Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica. It’s been gathering Earth and space weather information since the 1950s. For decades, scientists enjoyed the fully equipped living quarters that were designed to keep humans comfy all year round. But a couple of years ago, the shelf started to crack. Fearing for their safety, the researchers abandoned Halley VI.

But this research station is fascinating for two reasons. First, it’s constantly being abandoned. Every winter, when living on a cracking shelf becomes too risky, the scientists leave. However, they were losing a lot of data this way and eventually rigged Halley VI so that it now runs itself. In the long months when it’s basically a ghost base, the station continues to gather important weather and climate measurements—with no help from humans.^[5]

5 Thousands of Concrete Mushrooms

It’s hard to imagine that the building of bunkers can bring a country to its knees. But that is what happened to Albania. From 1941 to 1985, the country was ruled by a dictator named Enver Hoxha, who was convinced that Yugoslavia, Greece, and even his Soviet allies wanted to invade Albania. While the chances of this were zero, Hoxha was so paranoid that he built about 750,000 bunkers all over the country. Their construction practically enslaved his people and drained the country’s coffers.

Most of the concrete fortresses were domed and stocky. This earned them the local nickname of “mushrooms.” These days, hundreds of them still exist all over Albania and range from large underground shelters to two-person igloos. People now use these relics for more practical matters like animal sheds, shops, changing rooms, art galleries, or discreet meeting places for couples.^[6]

4 Remains of a Fake Airfield

During World War II, battles weren’t always won with brute force. Sometimes, all you needed was a clever trick. Late in 1942, the decision was made to create a fake airport to give enemy pilots the impression of a strong military presence in Virginia. However, the base also served as a decoy during air raids to spare the nearby city of Richmond. At night, when Richmond went dark, the airfield lit up to draw German planes away from the city (and the real airfield).

The dummy airfield was created by the 936th Camouflage Battalion, who made fake hangars, vehicles, aircraft, and taxiways. After the war, the site was used for bombing practice, and later, there was a failed attempt to turn the site into a psychiatric facility. These days, when viewed from the air, some ruins of the now-abandoned airport still peek through the trees. These include a water tower and roads leading to nowhere.^[7]

3 A Secret Japanese Camp

In 2004, Robert Muckle received a tip about an interesting site in the North Shore mountains of British Columbia. The archaeologist expected to walk into a historic logging camp. But upon arrival, the truth emerged. Once upon a time, deep in the Canadian forest, there was a thriving Japanese village.

This surprising discovery consisted of 14 houses, a water reservoir, a bathhouse, a garden, and a shrine. Muckle suspects that the site started out as a logging camp but then turned into a secret village as more Japanese sought refuge from the racism of the day, made worse by the Second World War when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and Hong Kong, where many Canadian soldiers were killed.

The base was abruptly abandoned. Muckle’s theory is a sad one. During this war, up to 90% of Japanese Canadians were forcibly relocated. This policy separated families because the men were forced to work on road gangs, and women and children were dropped off in ghost towns in the wilderness. Muckle suspects that the secret village was discovered and that the inhabitants were packed off to different camps.^[8]

2 The Monster Nazi Bunker

During World War II, the German military occupied Bordeaux in France. They established a fleet of submarines in the area that needed a safe place to dock while being repaired. The result? A massive bunker that was designed to withstand the worst aerial attacks. The domed structure spread over 130,000 square feet (over 12,000 square meters) and consumed enough reinforced concrete to fill 240 Olympic swimming pools today.

The submarine base was abandoned two years after it was built. Not because it didn’t work—the bunker withstood several air attacks with almost no damage. However, when German forces withdrew from Bordeaux in 1944, they couldn’t exactly take the massive building along.

The base remained empty for decades. Then, it caught the eye of creative minds who turned the cavernous interior into the world’s biggest digital art gallery. These days, visitors can walk through different sections of the bunker and enjoy floor-to-ceiling art being digitally projected against the walls.^[9]

1 The Anderson Fallout Shelter

In 1991, a Fort Wayne resident was totally fed up. Tim Howey owned a home with a curious feature, one that kept luring strangers to his yard. The crowd-pleaser was an old bunker. Purchased by the previous owners of the home, the Andersons, the shelter had cost $1,800 and claimed to protect people against nuclear fallout. The Andersons lived during the Cold War when nuclear threats were always around the corner. So, in 1955, they had the bunker installed in their front lawn at a depth of 15 feet (4.5 meters).

By the time Tim Howey owned the property, the steel structure had risen to the surface and into public view. When the attention became too much, he offered the artifact to the National Museum of American History, which jumped at the chance to own the artifact. They exhumed the bunker and added it to their collection. Visitors were now free to gawk at the cramped quarters that included a chemical toilet, four beds, and a hand-cranked pump that could be used to pull fresh air into the shelter.^[10]