Unidentified Object - Frenchman's Bayou, Arkansas

This collection of documents details the recovery and subsequent loss of an unidentified object found in a field near Frenchman's Bayou, Arkansas, on May 21, 1958. The object, described as a rock-like item weighing approximately 40 pounds, was discovered in gumbo-type soil by a local landowner. The landowner, believing the object might be material that had re-entered from outer space, turned it over to Air Force representatives. The object was forwarded to the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for evaluation. Due to an administrative error and inadequate addressing, the object was not routed to the proper office at ATIC and was inadvertently disposed of in a routine manner before a formal analysis could be conducted. Before its disposal, it was noted that the object was non-magnetic. In November 1958, the Memphis Air Force Depot inquired about the status of the object, prompting an investigation into its whereabouts. By December 1958, ATIC confirmed the administrative oversight and stated that preliminary analysis had determined the object to be of meteoric origin. The correspondence notes that the low priority of that specific phase of scientific research at the time contributed to the error. Efforts were initiated to recover the item for further analysis, with a promise to advise the Memphis Air Force Depot of any future findings.