Archive · 19 Jan 2026
US Sergeant Claims Cryptic UFO Message from Future
In 1980, a US Army sergeant named Jim Penniston said he saw a UFO land in a forest in Britain.
He claims he got a secret code message from the UFO, which was like a bunch of ones and zeros.
When he decoded it, it talked about exploring humanity and warned that people need to make good choices to survive.
Other soldiers also saw strange lights, but Penniston said he touched the UFO and described it as a big, triangular, shiny object.
The forest is near two old US air bases, and some people think the UFO might have been connected to secret weapons stored there.
The message said things like 'WE RETURNED TO WARN' and 'ADVANCE OR PERISH THE CHOICE IS NOW.'
US military personnel reported seeing a UFO land in Rendlesham Forest, Britain, in December 1980.
Staff Sergeant Jim Penniston claims he received a cryptic binary message from the UFO, which was decoded to include warnings about humanity's future.
The UFO was described as triangular, metallic, and about 9 feet tall and wide, with a black glass-like surface.
Other soldiers saw strange lights and recorded their observations, but Penniston claimed he physically examined the UFO.
The incident occurred near two US Air Force bases, RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge, which were used during the Cold War.
- Who
- Staff Sergeant Jim Penniston and other US military personnel
- What
- Claim of receiving a cryptic message from a UFO
- When
- December 1980
- Where
- Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, Britain
- Why
- Penniston claims the message was a warning about humanity's future
- Location
- Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, Britain
- Date
- December 1980
- Primary Witness
- Staff Sergeant Jim Penniston
- UFO Description
- Triangular, metallic, black glass-like surface, about 9 feet tall and wide, stood on fixed legs
- Message Content
- EXPLORATION [OF] HUMANITY CONTINUOUS BEYOND 8100, WE RETURNED TO WARN, ADVANCE OR PERISH THE CHOICE IS NOW
- Air Bases Involved
- RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge
- Message Transmission
- Binary code received mentally and decoded