In this short interview, legendary test pilot and astronaut Colonel Gordon Cooper recounts his experience of UFOs during his career.

Given the ultra-rigorous requirements of the times, and the horrendous batteries of tests to which men like Cooper were subjected during their selection process, Col. Cooper (along with his six colleagues) was deemed a man amongst men -- certainly, the crème de la' crème amongst aviators in America.

Cooper, a superb fighter pilot (brilliant on F-104Gs), flew the longest spaceflight of the Mercury project; he was the first American to sleep in orbit; and the last American to launch alone into Earth orbit and conduct an entire solo orbital mission

The problem was that he was also a man who refused to tow the party line, and -- unlike his more 'compliant' colleagues -- a chap who always insisted on telling it like it was, and damn the orders. (continued...)

The interview with Cooper leaves us with the choice of determining whether Col. Cooper was:

a) A nutjob;

b) a poor lout suffering from "cognitive dissonance";

c) a government disinformationist programmed to thoroughly obfuscate and discredit the (escalating) public awareness relating to ETVs; or,

d) a consummately skilled aviator/astronaut speaking the truth about his personal experiences.

You decide.

But do keep this in mind: If Cooper were lying, would not such a legendary over-achiever of this caliber - one who unflinchingly gave his heart and soul to this country-- have more to lose than gain through these sorts of 'ridiculous' utterances? Here's a human being who, based upon his extraordinary achievements, could have sailed into the records of human history as an uber-hero; he certainly didn't need any of *this *kind of baggage.

I've had the singular privilege of meeting, briefly, with 'Gordo' over a dozen years ago (truly a high-point in my life). My personal opinion? Colonel Gordon Cooper was neither delusional, deranged, nor a disinformationsist. Nor was he suffering from 'cognitive dissonance'.