Betty and Barney Hill Abduction
The first widely publicized alien abduction case. Betty and Barney Hill lost two hours on a New Hampshire highway. Under hypnosis, they recalled being taken aboard a craft and examined by grey beings. Betty's star map proved impossible to debunk.
The First Abduction
Betty and Barney Hill’s 1961 encounter became the template for alien abduction. The interracial couple lost two hours on a New Hampshire highway and later recalled, under hypnosis, being examined by grey beings aboard a craft.
The Couple
Who they were:
- Betty Hill (social worker)
- Barney Hill (postal worker)
- Interracial couple
- Respected citizens
- New Hampshire
The Drive
September 19, 1961:
- Returning from Canada
- Vacation trip
- Late night drive
- Route 3
- Through mountains
The Light
What they saw:
- Bright moving light
- Following them
- Getting closer
- Stopped car
- Barney looked
The Craft
Through binoculars:
- Disc-shaped
- Windows visible
- Beings inside
- Looking at him
- Terrified
The Missing Time
What happened:
- Continued driving
- Suddenly miles away
- Two hours missing
- No memory
- How?
Physical Evidence
After the event:
- Barney’s shoes scuffed
- Betty’s dress torn
- Pink powder on dress
- Watch stopped
- Unexplained marks
Betty’s Dreams
Weeks later:
- Vivid nightmares
- Being taken
- Medical examinations
- Star map shown
- Detailed memories
The Hypnosis
Dr. Benjamin Simon:
- Boston psychiatrist
- Hypnotic regression
- Both separately
- Similar accounts
- Detailed memories
The Examination
What they recalled:
- Taken aboard craft
- Grey beings
- Large eyes
- Medical procedures
- Sample taken
The Star Map
Betty’s memory:
- Shown navigation map
- Drew it later
- Specific pattern
- Zeta Reticuli?
- Later correlation
Marjorie Fish
The analysis:
- School teacher
- Built model
- Matched Hill’s map
- Zeta Reticuli system
- Remarkable match
The Grey Aliens
Description:
- Short stature
- Grey skin
- Large eyes
- Small nose/mouth
- First description
The Book
“The Interrupted Journey”:
- 1966 publication
- John Fuller
- Bestseller
- First abduction book
- Started phenomenon
Skeptical Explanations
Alternative theories:
- False memories
- Dream confusion
- Stress hallucination
- Never satisfactory
- Hills believed
Their Lives After
Impact:
- Betty became researcher
- Both spoke publicly
- Barney died 1969
- Betty continued until 2004
- Never recanted
Significance
First widely documented alien abduction with hypnotic regression, missing time, and physical evidence.
Legacy
Betty and Barney Hill defined alien abduction—grey beings, medical examination, missing time, and a star map that still can’t be explained away.