Anomalous Luminous Phenomena: Fireball of 1949, March 6, 1949

This document is a compilation of reports and correspondence regarding 'Anomalous Luminous Phenomena' (specifically green fireballs) observed in New Mexico and Texas in early 1949. The primary investigation was conducted by the 17th District Office of Special Investigations (OSI) at Kirtland Air Force Base, following reports of a peculiar light observed near Walker Air Force Base on January 30, 1949. Witnesses, including military personnel from the 1900-4 AACS Detachment, described a blue-green light resembling a flare, moving horizontally from North to South at an estimated altitude of 2,000 feet. Some observers reported the object disintegrated into a shower of sparks, and one witness, Sgt. McCrary, described a high-pitched whining sound similar to a blowtorch. The OSI, in collaboration with Dr. Lincoln La Paz of the University of New Mexico, conducted extensive ground and aerial searches throughout southeast New Mexico and West Texas to locate potential impact sites or physical evidence. Despite these efforts, no physical evidence was recovered. The reports consistently link these sightings to meteoritic activity. Dr. La Paz, a recognized expert on meteorites, provided technical guidance and analysis, suggesting that photographic coverage of the impact areas would be beneficial for scientific study. The document includes various incident reports, summaries of information, and correspondence between military headquarters and the OSI, all of which maintain a consistent narrative that these phenomena were meteoritic in nature. The reports emphasize the lack of physical evidence and the difficulty in locating specific impact points due to the vast, sparsely populated terrain. The investigation concluded that the phenomena were meteorites, and the OSI eventually ceased active search operations, noting that the military value of such searches was far exceeded by their scientific importance.