1941 - Cape Girardeau, Missouri Crash

By Billy Booth

Summary:

I have often commented on the validity of UFO crash cases, as there is an inherent problem with almost all of them. The problem is that if there was at one time physical proof, as in the often discussed alien bodies, that evidence was either quickly scooped up by the military or carted off by some other governmental agency.

One case that reads like a great Sci-Fi script allegedly occurred in 1941 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The case was originally brought to public information by investigator Leo Stringfield in his book, "UFO Crash/Retrievals: The Inner Sanctum."

Death Bed Confession:

The crash details of this case are very much like the Aztec, New Mexico Crash of 1948 and were sent to Stringfield by Charlette Mann, who had received a confession from her grandmother on her death bed.

Her grandfather was Reverend William Huffman, who was pastor of the Red Star Baptist Church. Huffman claimed that he was summoned to pray over crash victims outside of Cape Girardeau, Missouri in 1941.

Pray Over Three Dead Bodies:

Huffman was driven to the woods outside of town, which he recalls as being a 10-15 mile trip. The scene was surreal-policemen, fire department personnel, FBI agents, and photographers. The mass of emergency crewmen were all viewing what appeared to be a crash site.

He was soon asked to come and pray over the dead bodies. As he moved through the scene, his attention was drawn to a strange craft.

Disc-Shaped Craft:

Huffman was shocked-he was looking at a disc-shaped object. He quickly took a look inside, and first noticed what appeared to be hieroglyphic-like writings. He could not understand the meaning of the strange writing.

Even more strange were the bodies, not human as he expected, but small alien-looking bodies with large heads, big eyes, only a hint of mouth or ears, and totally without hair. He was sworn to secrecy by military personnel after performing his Christian duties.

Family Discussion:

As much as he tried, Huffman was not able to keep the details of what he had seen from his wife, Floy, and his sons. This family secret would be kept for quite some time until Charlette heard the story from her grandmother in 1984. The details were given as her grandmother lay dying of cancer at Charlette's home.

Full Details Revealed on Death Bed:

Charlette had heard parts of this family secret before, but never had gotten the whole story until her grandmother related the account to her over a period of a couple of days.

Charlette was intent on getting all of the details of the cases, it being her last chance to do so. Her grandmother was undergoing radiation therapy and was living her last few days.

Photograph of an Alien:

Charlette would be surprised when more details of the crash were given to her from a member of her grandfather's congregation. The gentleman, thought to be Garland D. Fronabarger, had given Reverend Huffman a photograph taken on the night of the crash.

The photograph showed one dead alien being held up by two men, as they posed it for the shot.

Charlette's Own Words:

"I saw the picture originally from my dad who had gotten it from my grandfather who was a Baptist minister in Cape Girardeau Missouri in the Spring of '41. I saw that [picture] and asked my grandmother at a later time when she was at my home fatally ill with cancer so we had a frank discussion.

She said that grandfather was called out in the spring of 1941 in the evening around 9:00-9:30, that someone had been called out to a plane crash outside of town."

Appears to be Authentic:

The case of the Cape Girardeau, Missouri crash is certainly interesting enough. If the validation of the crash rested solely on the shoulders of Charlette Mann, the case could be called authentic, as Charlette is well respected by all who know her, and she has sought no financial gain.

Yet, more details and corroborating testimony would be extremely important to finally put the crash case in the "authentic" category. I personally feel that the crash occurred.