Army Air Forces announce, then retract, recovery of a 'flying disc' near Roswell
July 8, 1947 · Roswell, New Mexico · Government report · Primary document linked
Officials at Roswell Army Air Field announced they had recovered wreckage of a 'flying disc'. The statement was quickly withdrawn and the debris described as a weather balloon. Decades later the Air Force attributed the material to a classified balloon project, Project Mogul.
Why it matters (4/5)
Founding episode of the most enduring UFO legend; it prompted two official reports decades later.
Caveats
The Air Force explanation (Mogul balloon train; later 'alien body' accounts traced to unrelated accidents and test dummies) has not satisfied everyone. The 1994 and 1997 reports were issued to answer persistent suspicion.
Video and images
- Brig. Gen. Ramey and Col. DuBose with weather-balloon debris, 8 Jul 1947 (Photo, UT Arlington Libraries (Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection))
- Ramey with foil debris in his office, 8 Jul 1947 (Photo, UT Arlington Libraries (Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection))
Sources
- The Roswell Report: Case Closed (U.S. Air Force), primary
- Air Force reports on Roswell (HISTORY), context