Report of Unidentified Flying Objects - 22 February 1952, El Paso, Texas

This document details an investigation into a report of unidentified flying objects in El Paso, Texas, on 22 February 1952. The witness, Captain John D. Musick of the 1st Strategic Support Squadron, reported that while attempting to photograph a circle observed near a rainbow, two round objects appeared in the resulting 35mm film prints. Captain Musick, an amateur photographer, had developed the film himself in a home darkroom. Upon discovery of the images, he submitted the negatives to the 97th Bombardment Wing Intelligence personnel and subsequently to the Base Photo Laboratory for enlargement. The report triggered an investigation by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) to determine if the images were a hoax or a genuine phenomenon. Correspondence between military officials, including Lt. Col. L. L. Shaw, Jr. and personnel at ATIC, emphasized the need to determine if the film was developed by the witness or a professional lab, as disciplinary action would be considered if the report were a hoax. A formal evaluation by Captain William F. Willner, a photo interpreter, concluded that the negative contained two flaws in the emulsion. These flaws, described as small burned spots, were consistent with damage caused by the film sticking during processing or bending. The final assessment was that the images were not unidentified aerial phenomena but rather accidental photographic defects. The document includes various internal memos, a formal statement from Captain Musick detailing his development process, and the final technical evaluation confirming the nature of the flaws.