Robert Willingham

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Robert Willingham

Illustration of wreckage at a crash site — Illustration: wreckage at a crash site. An artist's impression drawn for this site, not a photograph of the event.

Type	Person
Also known as	Willingham
On the Timeline	2 events, 1979–2018

Robert Willingham was a man who claimed to be a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and fighter pilot, and said that in 1950 or 1955 he chased a UFO that crashed near the Texas–Mexico border near Del Rio, Texas, and saw its wreckage.

The claim

Illustration of official papers and files — Illustration: official papers and files. An artist's impression drawn for this site, not a photograph of the event.

Willingham's story, given in an affidavit and interviews from the late 1970s, supported the MJ-12 document's mention of a 1950 crash on the border. Researchers later found problems with his account, including questions about his military rank and service. Despite this, Eric Davis said in 2018 that he believed the Del Rio crash was a real retrieval. The story remains unconfirmed.

On the UAP Timeline

Skyline of Roswell, New Mexico, looking south along Main St — Skyline of Roswell, New Mexico, looking south along Main St Photo: Vasiliymeshko · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Del Rio crash claim (13 August 1979) — A retired airman says he learned of a 1950 crash near Del Rio, Texas.
Eric Davis on the Del Rio crash (28 October 2018) — Eric Davis says the 1950s Del Rio, Texas crash was a real retrieval.

Connected articles

References

Leonard H. Stringfield — Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · archived copy
Stringfield's 1978 report — Patrick Gross · ufology.patrickgross.org · archived copy
Eric Davis on Coast to Coast AM, June 2018 (transcript) — UFO Scans · ufoscans.com · archived copy
Dr. Davis confirms Del Rio UFO crash? — Kevin Randle · kevinrandle.blogspot.com · archived copy

Categories: Eric w davis | Leonard stringfield | Person | Unidentified flying object | Us air force

This page was last edited on 29 October 2026. Articles are written in our own words from the sources listed under References; disputed claims are attributed to the people who made them.

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