Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Report — Sandia Base, 24 March 1950

This document is a formal report from the Headquarters Fourth Army, Office of the AC of S, G-2, dated 25 April 1950, regarding unidentified aerial phenomena observed at Sandia Base, New Mexico, on 24 March 1950. The report forwards individual sighting accounts from four members of the 8450th Military Police Group: Pfc William B. Gault, Cpl William Schmidt, Cpl Davis M. Gear, and Pvt Henry D. McMinn, Jr. The witnesses, all military police personnel, reported observing one or more bright, silver objects in the sky between 1500 and 1547 MST. The descriptions of the objects varied slightly among the observers, with shapes described as round, square, or indeterminate, and sizes compared to a softball or the moon. The objects were reported to exhibit rapid, erratic movements, including looping motions, upward arcs, and significant increases in speed, with estimates ranging from 100 to 700 MPH. The sightings occurred under clear weather conditions with good visibility. The observers noted no sound or trail, though one witness reported a small trail. The reports were compiled as part of an investigation into unidentified aerial objects and were forwarded to the Air Materiel Command at Wright Patterson Air Force Base for further evaluation. The document includes individual 'Guide to Investigation' forms for each witness, detailing their specific observations, the time of the sighting, and their location at the time of the event. The reports emphasize that the observers were military personnel, with one witness, Cpl Schmidt, specifically noted as a 'Reliable MP' with 'Q' clearance. The document is marked as unclassified and includes a declassification notice indicating it was downgraded after 12 years per DOD Directive 5200.10.