Reinhold Schmidt at Giant Rock. (Photo credit: Joe Fex/APE-X Research)

On November 5^th, 1957, Reinhold Schmidt was cruising through the rural landscape of Kearney, Nebraska, when he came across a cigar-shaped object that had landed in a field. Driving toward the craft, Schmidt’s car engine suddenly stalled as two humanoids appeared, who then led him aboard their startling ship from the Saturn. The crew inside consisted of four muscalar men and two curvaceous women from who spoke “high German.” (As opposed to “low German”). After a brief conversation about the U.S. space program, the crew bid Schmidt a fond farewell and presumably returned to their home planet.

Schmidt subsequently reported his encounter to local newspapers and, soon after, Kearney law enforcement officers responded to the scene of the supposed saucer landing where they discovered three sets of footprints and a “mysterious green residue.” When the cops learned that Schmidt had previously served time for embezzlement, they grew suspicious of his claims. During a follow-up investigation, an empty can of green motor oil was discovered near the “landing site” and some of this same oil was found in the bed of Schmidt’s pickup truck.

The following day, a psychiatrist examined Schmidt’s head and concluded that he’d been suffering from delusions. Afterwards, Schmidt was committed to Hastings State Hospital, only to be released a few days later.  Schmidt later claimed that his confinement at the facility was an attempt by the Silence Control Group to discredit his Saturnian saucer encounter.

Reinhold Schmidt (center) with famed contactees Gloria Lee and Rev. Frank Stranges (Credit: Joe Fex/APE-X Research)

In the years to come, Schmidt enjoyed many more visits from the crew of the Saturnian starship and was treated to several trips into outer space. The Saturnians—it was revealed—enjoyed a damn good cup of Joe, their preferred brand being MJB. To ensure coffee supplies never fell to perilously low levels, the crew kept a Volkswagen Bug stored in the cargo hold of their ship in case they needed to travel incognito to the nearest town to resupply their caffeine fix during Earthside visits.

On May 28^th, 1961, a cinematic rendition of Schmidt’s encounters entitled Edge of Tomorrow premiered at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, a film produced by Ron Ormond (of The Little Green Man fame.) The June 1961 edition of Saucer News described the film as “hopelessly boring, technically inadequate, poorly photographed hodge podge of inanities.”

Schmidt (far left) on the set of Edge of Tomorrow

Around this time, Schmidt partnered with Major Wayne Aho and John Otto, and the three men rolled out a tripleheader UFO show they took on the road. This partnership eventually ground to a halt when Schmidt was convicted of swindling little old ladies (who attended his lectures) out of their life savings.

Schmidt’s scam included the fanciful yarn that—during one of his many spaceship flights—he observed a unique form of quartz crystal (while flying over Earth) which could cure cancer, but to be able to extract these miraculous mining deposits he’d need investors, of course, and that’s how the little old ladies got roped into the caper. When all was said and done, Schmidt bilked his marks to the tune $30,000. On October 26^th, 1961, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Read the complete amazing story of Reinhold Schmidt here!

For additional UFO contactee fun and frivolity be sure to pick up a copy of A is for Adamski: The Golden Age of the UFO Contactees available from you finer internet book sellers.