Daniel Fry, the author of the book The White Sands Incident was an instrument specialist working on missile-control systems at the White Sands Proving Ground in New Mexico, where the American military tests much of its new hardware. Fry stated that his encounter had been in 1950, although in later years he said this was a mistake, and that the incident had occurred in 1949. One day he saw a huge UFO land in an isolated area near White Sands. He cautiously approached the landed craft, and was reaching out towards it when he heard a voice (speaking in colloquial English) call out to him. But the first words from the aliens were not to be some momentous message from across the void of space, but something a little more practical: “Better not touch the hull, pal; it’s still hot!"
Fry was told that the voice belonged to an entity called A-lan, who was in fact in a much larger mothership, in orbit around Earth. The UFO that Fry could see was apparently a smaller craft used for carrying cargo. A-lan told Fry that they were descended from survivors of a calamitous war between the two legendary 'lost continents' of Atlantis and Lemuria, who had migrated out into space after the conflict. This is an inverted version of the so-called 'Ancient Astronaut' theory, which holds that extraterrestrial visitors came to Earth long ago, and were worshipped as gods. Variations on the theory – which was popularised by Erich von Daniken – state that these extraterrestrials interbred with primitive humans, or even seeded life here in the first place.
Fry was invited onto the saucer, told about the propulsion system, and then given a return trip to New York, which took only half an hour.
Fry’s aliens, like those of most of the contactees, were benevolent but concerned at some of our antisocial habits. They were particularly worried about the dangers of a nuclear war, and had apparently charged Fry with spreading word of this to the world. This Fry duly did, first through his book, and secondly through forming, in 1956, an organisation called Understanding, aimed at bringing about an enlightened attitude on Earth. Fry gave up his job, and devoted himself to lecturing on his experiences and running his new organisation.
Fry was repeatedly asked why, if the aliens wanted to effect change on Earth and deflect us from our nastier habits, they had not made more open contact with the authorities, so that the proof would be there for all to see. He replied that the aliens felt this would adversely affect the balance of power on Earth and undermine the authority of our institutions. The changes would have to be made gradually, through the actions of enlightened individuals. The aliens could not simply com and solve all our problems for us. This would be analogous to a well-meaning child breaking open a bird’s egg before it is ready to hatch, to save it the effort of breaking through the shell. In such a scenario the chick will not flourish, because all the time it is in the egg it continues to develop, and even breaking out of the shell serves to strengthen its muscles. It is apparently the same with humans: we have to take responsibility, and help ourselves.
