Fort Dix/McGuire AFB Incident (1978)
The incident involving the shooting of an alien being in 1978, as claimed by retired Air Force Major George Filer III, reportedly occurred at what is now called the Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst, specifically at Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base, both located in New Jersey, United States.
In 1978, Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base functioned as distinct and separate installations. Fort Dix was an independent U.S. Army installation, primarily engaged in activities related to the training and mobilization of Army personnel. Meanwhile, McGuire Air Force Base operated independently under the U.S. Air Force, focusing mainly on Air Force-related operations and housing various Air Force units. It wasn’t until 2009, as part of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) program, that these installations, along with Lakehurst Naval Air Engineering Station, were consolidated into what is now known as Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst.
According to the accounts, UFOs were sighted over these adjacent military bases during the early morning hours of January 18, 1978. The story goes that an Army military police officer, while in the Fort Dix area, came into contact with the creature, described as about four feet tall with dull-colored skin, long arms, a large head, and big black eyes. This encounter reportedly led to the creature being shot and subsequently found on an abandoned runway at McGuire Air Force Base.
Air Force Major George Filer III claims that the creature, which he referred to as a “gray”, was shot by a military police officer who, possibly in a state of panic, fired five rounds from a .45 caliber gun at the alien. The creature then reportedly scrambled and either climbed over or crawled under a fence that separated two bases.
After the creature was found lying on the runway, the area was roped off as a crime scene by Sgt. Jeff Morse and his colleagues. Shortly thereafter, a specialized group referred to as “blue beret” forces took over the scene. Morse, who was relegated to a backup role, observed the subsequent actions from a distance.
Sgt. Jeff Morse was the primary eyewitness of the 1978 Fort Dix/McGuire AFB incident. He was serving as a security policeman at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey at the time of the event. On the night of January 18, 1978, Morse was on patrol when he was informed of UFO activity over Fort Dix army base. This led to the encounter and subsequent incident involving the alleged shooting of an alien entity.
Morse, a member of the 418th Police Squadron, played a significant role in the subsequent handling of the situation. He was involved in the discovery of the alien’s body on an abandoned runway at McGuire AFB.
Later that same day, a team from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base arrived in a C-141 cargo aircraft. They reportedly crated up the body, loaded it onto the aircraft, and departed. Morse and others present were warned not to speak of the incident, under threat of court-martial.
During the retrieval operation, the Blue Beret specialists were seen spraying the corpse with a substance from a portable tank and then covering it with a white sheet. The body was then placed onto a platform, encased in a wooden frame, and finally secured in a large square silver metal container, approximately 10 x 10 feet, with indistinct blue markings. This container was then loaded onto the C-141, which was identified by special markings and presumed to be heading to Dayton, Ohio. Morse and other witnesses observed these actions before concluding their duty shifts.
Jeff Morse, a key figure in the 1978 Fort Dix/McGuire AFB incident involving the alleged shooting of an alien, is widely recognized under this pseudonym. The use of a pseudonym in this case reflects a common practice among individuals involved in sensitive or controversial incidents, particularly those related to UFO sightings and encounters. Morse’s experiences following the incident, as he reported, involved significant harassment and intimidation. He claimed that these actions were attempts to silence him and dissuade him from sharing details about the incident. In 1986, Morse reported being detained under obscure circumstances while visiting his family in the United States, an event that led him to file a lawsuit against a California-based authority.
These claims are detailed in a book titled “Strange Craft: The True Story of an Air Force Intelligence Officer’s Life with UFOs”. The book was written by John L. Guerra. This book includes the accounts of retired Air Force Major George Filer III, who narrated the incident involving the alleged encounter with an alien being in 1978.
