A Quiet Morning Turns Cosmic
Imagine this: It's mid-morning in early May 1940. The world is on the brink of World War II, but in the rugged wilds of Montana, life moves at the pace of pickaxe swings and panning for gold. Udo Andree Wartena, a 36-year-old Dutch immigrant with a quiet demeanor and a Mormon faith, is prospecting alone on his remote mining claim near the base of Boulder Mountain. The spot is isolated, just a short hike from Canyon Ferry Lake, southeast of Helena, in Broadwater County. No cell phones, no roads nearby, just the whisper of pine trees and the distant rush of the creek.
Wartena, born July 22, 1903, in the Netherlands, had emigrated to the U.S. as a young man seeking fortune in the American West. He worked odd jobs, married, and settled into a simple life of mining and family. That day, he's thrilled: he's just uncovered a promising new vein of gold ore in a glacier deposit. As he pauses to catch his breath and admire his find, a low humming fills the air, like the steady drone of a distant engine. He looks up, and his world flips upside down.
The Silver Disc Descends
A massive object hovers silently above a nearby meadow, about 100 feet across and 35 feet high, gleaming like polished stainless steel. It looks like two giant soup bowls clamped rim-to-rim, with no visible seams or rivets. No wings, no propellers, just a smooth, seamless hull. Wartena freezes, heart pounding. The craft descends slowly, settling onto the grass without a sound or puff of dust. A door slides open on the underside, and a staircase unfolds like a mechanical tongue, extending to the ground.
Out steps a man, dressed in a one-piece coverall suit that hugs his frame like a jumpsuit. He's about 6 feet tall, with long white hair tied back and a neatly trimmed beard. His skin is pale, almost translucent, and his eyes are a piercing blue. He approaches Wartena calmly, hands open in a gesture of peace. Wartena, expecting hostility, is stunned when the man speaks perfect English with a slight, unplaceable accent: "We are very sorry. We did not know you were here."
The Invitation Aboard
The man explains they need water from the nearby lake for their craft's systems. Wartena, still dazed, nods and leads him to the creek, watching as the stranger fills a small, metallic container. Satisfied, the being turns and asks, "Would you like to come aboard and see our ship?" Wartena hesitates but curiosity wins out. He follows up the staircase into the craft.
Inside, the air is cool and odorless, humming faintly with energy. The interior is spacious, lit by a soft, diffuse glow from panels that seem to pulse like living walls. Wartena meets a second occupant, identical in appearance to the first: tall, white-haired, bearded, dressed in the same coverall. This one introduces himself as the captain, though no names are exchanged. They guide Wartena through the ship, explaining its wonders with a mix of demonstration and telepathic insight.
The control room is a circular chamber with two large, comfortable chairs facing a curved viewscreen. No dials or buttons, just smooth panels that respond to touch and thought. Wartena learns the craft is powered by hydrogen extracted from water, creating its own gravitational field for propulsion. "We focus on a distant star and skip upon the light waves," the captain says, describing faster-than-light travel that bends space like a stone skipping on a pond. The ship draws energy from the sun and stars, with an auxiliary source they don't elaborate on. Wartena marvels at the simplicity: no fuel tanks, no engines roaring, just elegant harmony with the cosmos.
Scans, Secrets, and a Cosmic Offer
The beings reveal they are 609 years old, from a distant planet where longevity is the norm. They live among humans periodically, mingling undetected to "gather information, leave instructions, or give help where needed." Wartena senses a deeper purpose: monitoring humanity's "progression and retrogression," guiding us subtly toward enlightenment or averting self-destruction.
The younger being (though both appear middle-aged) offers to scan Wartena for "impurities" using a small device like a medical scanner. Wartena agrees, feeling a warm tingle as it hums over his body. "You are healthy," they assure him. They discuss religion, science, and the universe, sharing insights that echo Bob Lazar's later claims about alien tech: counter-rotating magnets to nullify gravity, stellar energy for propulsion.
Then the offer: "Would you like to come with us?" The captain gestures to the stars, promising a life free from Earth's troubles, a journey to their world. Wartena pauses, heart racing. For a moment, the allure of the unknown tugs at him. But thoughts of his wife, his mining claim, his simple life flood back. "No," he says softly, "I must stay." The beings nod understandingly, warning him to keep the encounter secret: "No one would believe you now, but in time, they will."
The Departure and Wartena's Silent Burden
Wartena steps out, watches as the staircase retracts and the door seals seamlessly. The craft rises straight up, silent and graceful, then accelerates into the blue sky, vanishing like a silver arrow. He stands there for what feels like hours, the humming echo fading in his ears. Overwhelmed, he stumbles back to his base camp, the gold vein forgotten.
For the next 49 years, Wartena tells no one, not even his wife. He moves to West Linn, Oregon, builds a quiet life, but the memory haunts him. In 1980, he writes a letter to astronaut-turned-Senator John Glenn, detailing the event and attaching sketches of the craft. Glenn never responds publicly, but Wartena's friends recall him confiding in them during his final days in 1989, dying at age 86 on December 15.
The Rediscovery: From Deathbed Confession to UFO Lore
Wartena's story surfaces posthumously through his handwritten and typewritten accounts, shared with a handful of trusted friends like Timothy Kirk Grossnickle. In 1997, UFO researcher Warren P. Aston compiles them into a detailed report for UFO Magazine (March/April 1998), calling it "an amazing alien encounter 7 years before Roswell." Aston interviews Wartena's daughter and others, verifying his character as an honest, no-nonsense miner who led a simple, faithful life.
The case gains traction in UFO circles: MUFON deems it "most significant" for its pre-1947 date and friendly contact. Skeptics note the late reporting, but Wartena's consistency across multiple accounts and his reluctance to publicize (he never sought fame or money) bolsters credibility. A 1998 Helena newspaper article revives local interest, and by the 2000s, it's featured in books like James L. Thompson's "Aliens and UFOs."
Theories and Likelihood
1. Genuine Early Contact (High Credibility)
Likelihood: 70%
Wartena's detailed tech descriptions predate similar claims (e.g., Bob Lazar in 1989). His secrecy and deathbed reveal suggest no hoax motive.
2. Hallucination or Hoax
Likelihood: 20%
Isolated location, no witnesses, late reporting. But Wartena's character and multiple written accounts argue against fabrication.
3. Government Psyop or Misremembered Event
Likelihood: 10%
1940 predates official UFO projects, but WWII secrecy could play a role.
"They were men just like us, and very nice chaps."
– Udo Wartena, recounting to his daughter in 1989
Detailed Timeline: From Ore Vein to Starship Tour
| Date/Event | Details |
|---|---|
| July 22, 1903 | Wartena born in Netherlands, emigrates to U.S. as young man |
| Early May 1940 (mid-morning) | Discovers gold vein near Boulder Mountain, hears humming |
| Same day | Silver disc lands; beings request water from creek |
| Same day (2 hours aboard) | Tours craft, learns propulsion secrets, offered journey |
| Same day | Craft departs vertically; Wartena returns to camp |
| 1940-1989 | Keeps secret for 49 years, confides only in close friends |
| 1980 | Writes letter to Sen. John Glenn with sketches |
| December 15, 1989 | Wartena dies at 86 in West Linn, Oregon |
| 1997-1998 | Warren Aston publishes full account in UFO Magazine |
| 2025 | Case revisited in MUFON as "most significant" pre-Roswell contact |
Sources: From Wartena's Pen to Modern UFO Files
- Warren P. Aston, "An Analysis of the 1940 Udo Wartena Case" (UFO Magazine, March/April 1998)
- Udo Wartena's 1980 letter to Sen. John Glenn (archived via Timothy Kirk Grossnickle)
- Handwritten and typewritten accounts by Wartena (compiled by Aston, 1997)
- Interviews with Wartena's daughter and friends (Aston, 1997; Linda Kent, Helena Independent-Record, 1998)
- James L. Thompson, "Aliens and UFOs" (Horizon Publishers, 1993) – early summary
- MUFON Case Files (classified as CE4, pre-Roswell contact)
- Joan Bird, "Montana UFO Sightings" (presentation, Western Heritage Center, 2024)
Final Verdict
ONE OF THE EARLIEST, MOST CREDIBLE UFO CONTACTS ON RECORD. In a world gearing up for war, a humble miner from Montana got a private tour of the stars and turned down a ticket home. Wartena's story, hidden for half a century, paints a picture of friendly explorers watching us from afar, offering wisdom but respecting our choice to stay grounded. Seven years before Roswell, the visitors were already here... and they were polite about it. What if he'd said yes?