The Jimmy Carter UFO Sighting

In October 1969, Jimmy Carter, then Governor of Georgia, observed an unidentified flying object before a Lions Club meeting in Leary, Georgia. He filed an official sighting report and later, during his presidential campaign, promised to release UFO information. His experience and unfulfilled promise became significant in UFO history.

The Witness

Jimmy Carter:

• Future President
• Governor of Georgia
• Lions Club member
• Navy veteran
• Credible observer

The Sighting

October 1969:

• Before Lions Club meeting
• In Leary, Georgia
• With other members
• Waiting outside
• Saw object

The Object

Carter described:

• Bright light
• Size of moon
• Changed colors
• Red, green, blue
• Then departed

The Other Witnesses

About 20 people:

• Lions Club members
• Also observed
• Same object
• Various descriptions
• Group sighting

His Report

Carter filed:

• Official sighting form
• With NICAP
• In September 1973
• Four years later
• Documented account

The Report Details

He described:

• Luminous, not solid
• Self-luminous
• About 30 degrees elevation
• Moved toward and away
• 10-12 minutes duration

Campaign Promise

1976 campaign:

• Carter promised
• UFO file release
• If elected president
• Public transparency
• Popular pledge

The Reality

Once president:

• Promise not kept
• CIA refused
• National security cited
• Files remained classified
• Disappointment followed

Why Not Released

Reportedly told:

• By CIA director
• Could not release
• Security implications
• Carter complied
• Mystery deepened

Skeptical Analysis

Some suggested:

• Venus
• Bright planet
• Misidentification
• But Carter disagreed
• Behavior unexplained

Carter’s Position

He maintained:

• Saw something unusual
• Not Venus
• Movement wrong
• Color changes
• Genuine unknown

The Significance

A president:

• Reported UFO
• Filed official report
• Promised disclosure
• Could not deliver
• Pattern revealed

Daniel Sheehan

Later claimed:

• Briefed Carter
• On UFO files
• Denied access
• Classification wall
• Institutional resistance

The Pattern

Carter’s experience showed:

• Even presidents
• Cannot access all information
• Deep classification
• Institutional barriers
• Secrecy prevails

Legacy for UFOs

The case demonstrated:

• Credible witnesses everywhere
• Even future presidents
• Disclosure difficult
• Promises hard to keep
• System resistant

Significance

Carter’s sighting is significant for:

• Presidential witness
• Official report filed
• Campaign promise
• Unfulfilled disclosure
• Revealing pattern

Legacy

Jimmy Carter’s UFO sighting and unfulfilled promise of disclosure revealed the depth of government UFO secrecy. If a president could not access or release the files, the classification system ran deeper than most realized.