Paul Bennewitz
Paul Bennewitz was an electronics engineer and businessman who became a central figure in the UFO and UAP research community in the 1980s. Born in 1927 in Michigan, Bennewitz was educated at the University of Denver and worked in the electronics industry for many years, eventually founding his own company, Thunder Scientific Corporation, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In the early 1980s, Bennewitz became convinced that he had discovered evidence of extraterrestrial activity near Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. He claimed to have captured video footage of UFOs and to have intercepted radio transmissions from alien beings. He also reported seeing strange lights and objects in the sky, and claimed to have been the victim of a campaign of harassment and intimidation by government agents.
Bennewitz’s claims attracted the attention of prominent figures in the UFO research community, including William Moore and Richard Doty, both of whom were associated with the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Moore and Doty reportedly fed Bennewitz misinformation and disinformation about the supposed government cover-up of extraterrestrial activity, which may have exacerbated his mental state and contributed to his eventual hospitalization.
Despite the controversy surrounding Bennewitz’s claims and the role of certain individuals in the UFO research community in promoting them, his case remains a subject of interest and discussion among researchers and enthusiasts. Some experts have suggested that Bennewitz’s experiences may have been the result of a complex psychological phenomenon known as “anomalous experience” or “high strangeness,” which can involve hallucinations, delusions, and other unusual perceptions.
Facts about Paul Bennewitz include:
- Bennewitz’s claims about UFO activity near Kirtland Air Force Base attracted the attention of Senator Harrison Schmitt, who was a former astronaut and member of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation.
- Bennewitz’s story was featured in the 1984 documentary film “UFOs: The Best Evidence,” which included interviews with prominent UFO researchers and eyewitnesses.
- Bennewitz was the subject of a book by journalist Greg Bishop, “Project Beta: The Story of Paul Bennewitz, National Security, and the Creation of a Modern UFO Myth,” which explores the controversies surrounding Bennewitz’s claims and their impact on the UFO research community.
While some researchers and enthusiasts continue to debate the validity of Bennewitz’s claims and the role of certain individuals in promoting them, the case remains a cautionary tale about the potential risks and pitfalls of investigating and researching the unexplained. As with many other aspects of the UFO and UAP phenomenon, the truth about Paul Bennewitz’s experiences may never be fully known or understood.
