It’s been nearly 51 years since Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker claimed they were abducted by aliens while fishing along the Pascagoula River, and a new Netflix series is making more believers by the day.
Episode one of Files of the Unexplained takes a deep dive into what happened to Hickson and Parker on the night of Oct. 11, 1973. Including chilling interviews with the now-late Parker, Parker’s wife, Hickson’s son, Pascagoula residents, and a journalist who covered the incident, the true crime show works to piece together what is believed to be one of the closest encounters with extraterrestrial life on record.
Philip Mantle, who published two of Parker’s books and recently released his own on the Pascagoula Abduction, said the exposure from Netflix and other platforms and publications continuing to share the story has only furthered credence among the general public.
“The world has changed. Back in 1973, people ridiculed Charlie and Calvin and made fun of them. However, today, a lot of that is gone,” Mantle said. “Charlie and Calvin were telling the truth in experiencing something really bizarre that night.”
What was the Pascagoula Abduction?
Parker, then 19, and Hickson, then 42, had just gotten off work when they decided to go fishing at an abandoned shipyard on the west bank of the Pascagoula River. At about 9 p.m., they claimed to have seen a long, football-shaped craft with three aliens or robots levitating in front of them. Suddenly, both felt paralyzed, and the creatures were said to have grabbed them with possibly mitten-shaped or crab-like claws. Some of the creatures were described as having bullet-shaped heads, carrot-like noses and ears, and slits for mouths. Once inside the craft, both men were allegedly examined by a large, robotic eye before being returned to the riverbank.
The two men decided to report what happened to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Amid initial skepticism from deputies, a secret recording device was hidden in the room with Hickson and Parker. Both maintained their story even when alone, which along with passing polygraphs, led police to believe something did happen that night. Media then came in droves to the then-sleepy fishing town to cover Hickson and Parker’s story.
What was the impact of the Pascagoula Abduction?
The Pascagoula Abduction immediately had an impact on newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and TV channels across the globe wanting a piece of Hickson and Parker’s story. While Parker was hesitant to share and moved into life as a recluse, Hickson wanted people to know what happened to him and his fishing partner that night. With the influx of media, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department didn’t have enough people on staff to answer all the calls they were receiving. After Hickson did interviews with publications such as Rolling Stone and the Los Angeles Times while going on different national talk shows, the Pascagoula Abduction found its way into pop culture. Movies were made, music was written about it, and soon enough, the event was being talked about in almost every country.
In terms of what impact the Pascagoula Abduction had on UFO believers, the passing of lie detectors by Hickson and Parker allowed them to point to the instance as credible proof that humans have been taken on board by aliens. The Pascagoula Abduction has also helped erase the negative stigma surrounding belief in aliens as former government officials – including Pentagon intelligence officer David Grusch – have since come forward in asserting that the U.S. has knowledge of extraterrestrial life and could even be in possession of alien spacecraft.
What can be learned from Files of the Unexplained?
While a lot of information is already available on the Pascagoula Abduction through articles, interviews, and books later written by Hickson and Parker, Files of the Unexplained provides never-discussed insight into what happened.
In addition to the show being one of Parker’s final interviews before passing away last year, Parker’s wife Waynette discusses the toll the abduction took on her husband and how long it took for him to finally want to talk about it. Hickson’s son Eddie sheds light on how his father went from being a happy-go-lucky personality to being haunted by what happened. Eddie even hints at his father being contacted by the aliens in the years following.
How can you watch the Files of the Unexplained?
Files of the Unexplained can be watched on Netflix here. The streaming service’s monthly subscription can be purchased for as low as $6.99 a month, but we won’t tell anyone if you borrow a friend’s password.
