In the summer of 1945, amidst the backdrop of World War II’s closing days and the dawn of the atomic age, a young boy in New Mexico experienced something extraordinary—an encounter with a mysterious, avocado-shaped spacecraft and strange “humanoid beings” that still baffles researchers today.

A Childhood Amid Atomic Secrets

José Padilla, now 87, grew up just miles from the infamous Trinity site where the world’s first atomic bomb was detonated in July 1945. As a child living in San Antonio, New Mexico, he vividly remembers the mushroom cloud glowing on the horizon, a sight visible from 150 miles away. It left a lasting impression on him—but it was what happened a month after that detonation, deep on his father’s ranch, that would haunt his memories and spark decades of intrigue.

The Unforgettable Encounter

José and a friend were out riding horseback when they heard an unusual boom, distinct from anything related to atomic tests. Approaching the source cautiously, the boys spotted a strange, avocado-shaped aircraft partially embedded in the ground, emitting smoke unlike anything they had seen before. Out of the craft emerged three small, odd figures—creatures José describes as resembling fire ants standing upright, humanoid in shape but surreal in appearance.

Despite the eerie nature of the event, José recalls no fear. Instead, he felt a sense of responsibility as if the beings needed help. Over the following ten days, military personnel arrived and began cleaning the crash site, reconstructing and removing wreckage. From a nearby ridge, José and his friend observed the operation but were warned to keep their distance.

A Mysterious Artifact and Unexplained Truths

Curiosity prompted José to sneak a peek inside the abandoned craft during a break in military activity. There, he found a strange dial-like object. Risking attention, he pried it out and hid it in his garage for years. It wasn’t until 2015 that this artifact was chemically analyzed by Frontier Analysis, revealing a mix of aluminum, silicon, and copper—metals common in engine components but with isotopic ratios that didn’t conclusively rule out extraterrestrial origins.

Despite inconclusive scientific results, the mysterious artifact remains José’s tangible connection to that baffling event, a fragment hinting at something beyond ordinary explanation.

The Crowd of Skeptics and the Role of the Witness

Naturally, such astounding claims attracted skeptics. José admits that many dismissed his story as imaginary or fantastical. However, experts like Professor Jeffrey Kripal of Rice University regard José as an “experiencer”—someone who has undergone a truly remarkable and extraordinary event. Kripal points out that such encounters have persisted throughout human history, often intertwined with religious or mystical accounts, such as those found in the Bible’s Book of Ezekiel, which describes strange beings and “wheels within wheels.”

Moreover, José’s experience fits a curious and repeated pattern: UFO sightings and strange encounters coinciding closely with nuclear weapons development or environmental crises. This pattern has intrigued researchers who speculate that these phenomena may symbolize warnings—perhaps humanity’s subconscious way of cautioning itself about its destructive paths.

Official Interest and an Expanded Historical Scope

Remarkably, José’s story gained enough traction that the federal government has taken an official interest in investigating UFO reports from 1945 onward. Previously, official investigations generally began with the famous 1947 Roswell incident. However, under the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress expanded the investigation to include earlier unexplained sightings such as José’s.

Investigative reporter Paula Harris, who first interviewed José and his friend in 2012, has documented compelling evidence supporting the reality of the event, including the unusual circular barren patch of ground at the alleged crash location. Her co-investigator, French astronomer Dr. Jock Valet, concurs that the evidence merits serious study beyond mere folklore.

A Lifelong Quest for Understanding

Even after nearly eight decades, José Padilla remains firm in his conviction that the beings he saw, and the object they arrived in, were real and not of this world. His story is more than just an isolated childhood memory; it is part of a larger narrative bridging human history, government secrecy, and the unresolved mystery of unidentified flying objects.

José’s tale challenges us to consider what lies beyond our current understanding and to approach such encounters not with outright dismissal, but with curiosity and an open mind. Whether these are warnings, communications, or phenomena from another dimension, stories like José’s enrich the complex tapestry of humanity’s quest to unveil the unknown.

In a world still grappling with the enigma of UFOs, José Padilla’s 1945 experience stands as a haunting reminder that some mysteries are woven into our history—and perhaps into our future.