On Dec. 29, 1980, Betty Cash, Vickie Landrum, and her grandson Colby encountered a blazing diamond-shaped UFO hovering over a Texas road, spewing flames and intense heat. Surrounded by 23 military helicopters, the object left after 15 minutes. All three suffered severe radiation-like burns, vomiting, hair loss, and long-term illness. They sued the U.S. government, alleging a secret craft, but lost in 1986 due to lack of evidence. The Cash-Landrum case remains one of ufology’s most compelling and physically damaging close encounters.

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