Report Af Roswell

REPORTOFAIRFORCERESEARCHREGARDINGTHE "ROSWELLINCIDENT" EXECUTIVESUMMARY The"RoswellIncident"referstoaneventthat supposedlyhappenedinJuly,1947,whereintheArmyAir Forces(AAF)allegedlyrecoveredremainsofacrashed "flyingdisc"nearRoswell,NewMexico.InFebruary, 1994,theGeneralAccountingOffice(GAO),actingonthe requestofaNewMexicoCongressman,initiatedanaudit toattempttolocaterecordsofsuchanincidentandto determineifrecordsregardingitwereproperlyhandled. AlthoughtheGAOeffortwastolookatanumberof governmentagencies,theapparentfocuswasontheAir Force.SAF/AAZ,astheCentralPointofContactforthe GAOinthismatter,initiatedasystematicsearchof currentAirForceofficesaswellasnumerousarchives andrecordscentersthatmighthelpexplainthismatter. Researchrevealedthatthe"RoswellIncident"wasnot evenconsideredaUFOeventuntilthe1978-1980time frame.Priortothat,theincidentwasdismissedbecause theAAForiginallyidentifiedthedebrisrecoveredas beingthatofaweatherballoon.Subsequently,various authorswroteanumberofbooksclaimingthat,notonly wasdebrisfromanalienspacecraftrecovered,butalso thebodiesofthecraft'salienoccupants.Theseclaims continuetoevolvetodayandtheAirForceisnow routinelyaccusedofengagingina"cover-up"ofthis supposedevent. TheresearchlocatednorecordsatexistingAirForce officesthatindicatedany"cover-up"bytheUSAForany indicationofsucharecovery.Consequently,efforts wereintensifiedbyAirForceresearchersatnumerous locationswhererecordsfortheperiodinquestionwere stored.Therecordsrevieweddidnotrevealanyincrease inoperations,security,oranyotheractivityinJuly, 1947,thatindicatedanysuchunusualeventmayhave occurred.Recordswerelocatedandthoroughlyexplored concerningathen-TOPSECRETballoonproject,designed toattempttomonitorSovietnucleartests,knownas ProjectMogul.Additionally,severalsurvivingproject personnelwerelocatedandinterviewed,aswastheonly survivingpersonwhorecovereddebrisfromtheoriginal Roswellsitein1947,andtheformerofficerwho initiallyidentifiedthewreckageasaballoon. Comparisonofallinformat~ondevelopedorobtained indicatedthatthematerialrecoverednearRoswellwas consistentwithaballoondeviceandmostlikelyfrom oneoftheMogulballoonsthathadnotbeenpreviously recovered.AirForceresearcheffortsdidnotdisclose anyrecordsoftherecoveryofany"alien"bodiesor extraterrestrialmaterials. INTRODUCTION AirForceinvolvementintheallegedUFO-related incidentpopularlyknownasthe"RoswellIncident"began astheresultofaJanuary14,1994,WashingtonPost article(Atch1)whichannouncedCongressmanSteven Schiff'sintenttoinitiateaGeneralAccountingOffice (GAO)efforttoresolvethiscontroversialmatter. HavingpreviouslybeeninvolvedinnumerousFreedomof InformationAct(FOIA)andCongressionalrequestson "unusualaircraft,"toincludeUnidentifiedFlying Objects(UFOs),TheDirector,SecurityandSpecial ProgramOversight,OfficeoftheSecretaryoftheAir Force,(SAF/AAZ)believedtheAirForcewouldbecome involvedinanyGAOeffortinvolvingthissubject. Thus,inlateJanuary,1994,SAF/AAZdirectedits research/declassificationteam,SAF/AAZD,toattemptto locateanyofficialrecordsrelativetothismatter. Theseinitialresearcheffortsfocusedonrecordsatthe AirForceHistoricalResearchAgency(AFHRA),Maxwell AFB,AL,theAirForceSafetyAgency(AFSA)atKirtland AFB,NM,andtheNationalArchivesandRecords Administration(NARA). OnFebruary15,1994,theGAOofficiallynotified SecretaryofDefenseWilliamJ.Perrythat,itwas initiatinganauditoftheDepartmentofDefense(DoD) policiesandproceduresforacquiring,classifying, retaining,anddisposingofofficialgovernment documentsdealingwithweatherballoon,aircraft,and similarcrashincidents(Atch2).Thisnotificationwas sub-sequentlypassedtotheDepartmentofDefense InspectorGeneralwhointurnofficiallynotifiedthe SecretariesoftheServicesandotheraffectedparties oftheauditinaFebruary23,1994,memo(Atch3).This memorandumindicatedthatthe"GAOisanxioustorespond toRepresentativeSchiff'srequestandtodispelany concernsthattheDoDisbeingunresponsive."Thesewere thefirstofficialUSGovernmentdocumentsthat indicatedthatthepurposeoftheGAOwastoreview "crashincidentsinvolvingweatherballoonsandunknown aircraft,suchasUFOsandforeignaircraft,and(2)the factsinvolvingthereportedcrashofanUFOin1949 (sic,1947)atRoswell,NewMexico..(andan)alleged DoDcover-up." Anentrancemeetingofpotentiallyconcernedpartieswas heldintheofficesoftheDoDInspectorGeneralon February28,1994.Duringthismeetingitwaslearned that,whiletheauditofficiallywouldbereviewingthe recordsofanumberofDoD(andpossiblyotherExecutive Branchentities),thebulkoftheeffortwouldbe focusedonAirForcerecordsandsystems.Theauditwas officiallygiventheGAOcode701034,andentitled "RecordsManagementProceduresDealingWithWeather Balloon,UnknownAircraft,andSimilarCrashIncidents." Althoughthisofficialtitleappearedratherbroad, therewas nomisunderstandingthattherealpurposewas toattempttolocaterecordsand/orinformationonthe "RoswellIncident."Thisincident,explainedlaterin moredetail,generallydealtwiththeclaimthatinJuly of1947,theUSArmyAirForces(USAAF)recovereda flyingsaucerandloritsalienoccupantswhich supposedlycrashednearRoswell,NewMexico.Whenthe USAAFultimatelybecametheUnitedStatesAirForce (USAF)inSeptember,1947,theUSAFinheritedequipment, personnel,records,policies,andproceduresfromthe AAF.Inthisparticularcase,theAirForcealso inheritedtheallegationthatithad"coveredup"the "RoswellIncident"andhascontinuedtodosoforthe next47years. WithintheAirForce,theOfficeoftheAdministrative AssistanttotheSecretaryoftheAirForce(SAF/AA)is responsiblebothforinformationmanaqementprocedures (SAF/AAI)andsecuritypolicyandoversiqht(SAF/AAZ). Becauseofthisorqanization,SAF/AAwastheloqical entitytoassisttheGAOinitsauditandSAF/AAZwas officiallynamedastheCentralPointofContactfor thisendeavor(Atch4).Subsequently,thethen AdministrativeAssistant,Mr.RobertJ.McCormick, issuedataskinqmemorandumdatedMarch1,199~(Atch 5),toanumberofcurrentAirStaffandSecretariat officesthatmiqhtpossiblyhaverecordsrelatedtosuch anincidentif,indeed,somethinqhadactuallyoccurred. ThissearchforrecordswaspurposelylimitedtoAir Forcerecordsandsystemssince: (a) TheAirForcehadnoauthoritytocompelother aqenciestoreviewtheirrecords; (b) TheAirForcewouldhaveno waytomonitorthe completenessoftheireffortsiftheydid;and (c)theoveralleffortwasthetaskandresponsibility oftheGAO--nottheAirForce. Durinqthein-briefinqprocesswithGAO,itwaslearned thatthisauditwas,indeed,qeneratedatthespecific requestofConqressmanStevenSchiffofNewMexico. Earlier,ConqressmanSchiffhadwrittentothe DepartmentofDefenseLeqislativeLiaisonOfficefor informationonthe"RoswellIncident"andhadbeen advisedthatitwaspartoftheformerUFO"Project Bluebook"thathadpreviouslybeenturnedovertoNARA bytheAirForce.ConqressmanSchiffsubsequently learnedfromNARAthat,althouqhtheydid,indeed,have the"Bluebook"materials,the"RoswellIncident"wasnot partofthatreport.ConqressmanSchiff,apparently perceivinqthathehadbeen"stonewalled"bytheDoD, thenqeneratedtherequestfortheaforementionedaUdit. Itiswithinthiscontextthatthefollowinqresearch andassistanceeffortswereconductedinsupportofthe GAO.Thisreportisintendedtostandasthefinal officialAirForceresponsereqardinqthismatter. THE"ROSWELLINCIDENT"--WHATWASORIGINALLYREPORTED Themodernpreoccupationwithwhatultimatelycametobe calledUnidentifiedFlyinqObjects(UFOs)actually.beqan inJune,1947.Althouqhsomepro-UFOresearchersarque thatsiqhtinqsofUFOsqobacktoBiblicaltimes,most researcherswil~notdisputethatanythinqinUFO historycancomparewiththephenomenonthatbeqanin 1947.Whatwaslatercharacterizedas"theUFOWaveof 1947"beqanwith16alleqedsiqhtinqsthatoccurred betweenMay 17andJuly12,1947,(a1thouqhsome researchersclaimtherewereasmanyas800siqhtinqs durinqthatperiod).Interestinqly,the"Roswell Incident"wasnotconsideredoneofthese1947events untilthe1978-1980timeframe.Thereisnodispute, however,thatsomethinqhappenednearRoswellinJuly, 1947,sinceitwasreportedinanumberofcontemporary newspaperarticles;themostfamousofwhichwerethe July8andJuly9editionsoftheRoswellDailyRecord. TheJuly8editionreported"RAAFCapturesFlyingSaucer OnRanchInRoswellRegion,"whilethenextday's editionreported,"RameyEmptiesRoswellSaucer"and "HarassedRancherWhoLocated'Saucer'SorryHeTold ThefirststoryreportedthattheIntelligenceOfficer oftheS09thBombGroup,stationedatRoswellAAF,Major JesseA.Marcel,hadrecovereda"flyingdisc"fromthe rangelandsofanunidentifiedrancherinthevicinity ofRoswellandthatthedischadbeen"flowntohigher headquarters."Thatsamestoryalsoreportedthata Roswellcoupleclaimedtohaveseenalargeunidentified objectflybytheirhome onJuly2,1947. TheJuly9editionofthepapernotedthatBrigadier GeneralRogerRamey, CommanderoftheEighthAirForce atForthWorth,Texas,statedthatuponexaminationthe debrisrecoveredbyMarcelwasdeterminedtobea weatherballoon.Thewreckagewasdescribedasa .bundleoftinfoil,brokenwoodbeams,andrubber remnantsofaballoon..Theadditionalstoryofthe "harassedrancher"identifiedhimasW.W.Brazelof LincolnCounty,NewMexico.Heclaimedthatheandhis son,Vernon,foundthematerialonJune14,1947,when they"cameuponalargeareaofbrightwreckagemade up ofrubberstrips,tinfoil,arathertoughpaper,and sticks."Hepickedup someofthedebrisonJuly4and ."..thenextdayhefirstheardabouttheflyingdiscs andwonderedifwhathehadfoundmighthavebeenthe remnantsofoneofthese."Brazelsubsequentlywentto RoswellonJuly7andcontactedtheSheriff,who apparentlynotifiedMajorMarcel.MajorMarceland"a maninplainclothes"thenaccompaniedBrazelhometo pickuptherestofthepieces.Thearticlefurther relatedthatBrazelthoughtthatthematerial: "..mighthavebeenaslargeasatabletop.The balloonwhichhelditup,ifthatishowitworked, musthavebeenabout12feetlong,hefelt, measuringthedistancebythesizeoftheroomin whichhesat.Therubberwas smokygrayincolorand scatteredoveranareaabout200yardsindiameter. Whenthedebriswasgatheredupthetinfoil,paper, tape,andsticksmade abundleaboutthreefeetlong and7or8inchesthick,whiletherubbermade a bundleabout18or20incheslongandabout8inches thick.Inall,heestimated,theentirelotwould haveweighedmaybefivepounds.Therewas nosignof anymetalintheareawhichnighthavebeenusedfor anengineandnosignofanypropellersofanykind. Althoughatleastonepaperfinhadbeengluedonto someofthetinfoil.Therewerenowordstobefound anywhereont~einstrumentalthoughtherewere letterson someoftheparts.Considerablescotch tapeandsometapewithflowersprinteduponithad beenusedintheconstruction.Nostringorwire weretobefoundbutthereweresomeeyeletsinthe papertoindicatethatsomesortofattachmentmay havebeenused.Brazelsaidthathehadpreviously foundtwoweatherballoonsontheranch,butthat whathefoundthistimedidnotinanywayresemble eitherofthese." EVOLUTIONOFTHEEVENTFROM1947TOTHEPRESENT GeneralRamey'spressconferenceandrancherBrazel's statementeffectivelyendedthisasaUFO-relatedmatter until1978,althoughsomeUFOresearchersarguethat therewereseveralobtusereferencestoitin1950'sera literature.Roswell,forexample,isnotreferredtoin theofficialUSAFinvestigationofUFOsreportedin ProjectBluebookoritspredecessors,ProjectSignand ProjectGrudge,whichranfrom1948-1969(which CongressmanSchiffsubsequentlylearnedwhenhemadehis originalinquiry). In1978,anarticleappearedinatabloidnewspaper,the NationalInquirer,whichreportedtheformer intelligenceofficer,Marcel,claimedthathehad recoveredUFOdebrisnearRoswellin1947.Alsoin1978, aUFOresearcher,StantonFriedman,metwithMarceland beganinvestigatingtheclaimsthatthematerialMarcel handledwasfromacrashedUFO.Similarly,twoauthors, WilliamL.MooreandCharlesBerlitz,alsoengagedin researchwhichledthemtopublishabook,TheRoswell Incident,in1980.Inthisbooktheyreportedthey interviewedanumberofpersonswhoclaimedtohavebeen presentatRoswellin1947andprofessedtobeeither firstorsecondhandwitnessestostrangeeventsthat supposedlyoccurred.Since1978-1980,otherUFO researchers,mostnotablyDonaldSchmittandKevin Randle,claimtohavelocatedandinterviewedevenmore personswithsupposedknowledgeofunusualhappeningsat Roswell.Theseincludedbothcivilianandformer militarypersons. Additionally,theRobertStack-hostedtelevisionshow "UnsolvedMysteries"devotedalargeportionofoneshow toa"re-creation"ofthesupposedRoswellevents. Numerousothertelevisionshowshavedonelikewise, particularlyduringthelastseveralyearsanda made-for-TVmovieonthesubjectisduetobereleased thissummer.Theoverallthrustofthesearticles,boOks andshowsisthatthe"RoswellIncident"wasactually thecrashofacraftfromanotherworld,theUS Governmentrecoveredit,andhasbeen"coveringup"this factfromtheAmericanpublicsince1947,usinga combinationofdisinformation,ridicule,andthreatsof bodilyharm,todoso.Generally,theUSAirForcebears thebruntoftheseaccusations. Fromtheratherbenigndescriptionofthe"event"and therecoveryofsomematerialasdescribedinthe originalnewspaperaccounts,the"RoswellIncident"has sincegrowntomythical(ifnotmystical)proportionsin theeyesandmindsofsomeresearchers,portionsofthe mediaandatleastpartoftheAmericanpublic.There arealsonowseveralmajorvariationsofthe"Roswell story."Forexample,itwasoriginallyreportedthat therewasonlyrecoveryofdebrisfromonesite.This hassincegrownfromaminimalamountofdebris recoveredfromasmallareatoairplaneloadsofdebris frommUltiplehuge"debrisfields."Likewise,the relativelysimpledescriptionofsticks,paper,tapeand tinfoilhassincegrowntoexoticmetalswith hieroglyphicsandfiberoptic-likematerials.Most versionsnowclaimthatthereweretwocrashsiteswhere debriswasrecovered:andatthesecondsite,alleged bodiesofextraterrestrialaliensweresupposedly retrieved.Thenumberofthese"alienbodies"recovered alsovaried.Theseclaimsarefurthercomplicatedbythe factthatUFOresearchersarenotinagreementamong themselvesastoexactlywheretheserecoverysiteswere locatedoreventhedatesoftheallegedcrash(es) Consistently,however,theAAFwasaccusedofsecuring thesesites,recoveringallthematerialtherefrom, keepinglocalsaway,andreturningtherecovered wreckage(andbodies)toRoswellunderextremelytight securityforfurtherprocessingandlaterexploitation. OncebackatRoswellAAF,itisgenerallyallegedthat specialmeasuresweretakentonotifyhigher headquartersandarrangementsmadetohaverecovered materialsshippedtootherlocationsforanalysis.These locationsincludeFt.Worth,Texas,thehomeofthe EighthAirForceHeadquarters;possiblySandiaBase(now KirtlandAFB),NewMexico;possiblyAndrewsAAF, Maryland,andalwaystoWrightField,now knownas WrightPattersonAFB,Ohio.Thelatterlocationwasthe homeof"T-2"whichlaterbecameknownastheAir TechnicalIntelligenceCenter(ATIC)andtheAir MaterielCommand(AMC),andwould,infact,bealogical locationtostudyunknownmaterialsfromwhatever origin.MostoftheRoswellstoriesthatcontainthe recoveryofalienbodiesalsoshowthembeingshippedto WrightField.Oncethematerialandbodieswere dispersedforfurtheranalysisand/orexploitation,the governmentingeneral,andtheArmyAirForcesin particular,thenengagedincoveringupallinformation relatingtotheallegedcrashandrecovery,including theuse,ofsecurityoathstomilitarypersonsandthe useofcoercion(includingallegeddeaththreats)to others.This,astheorizedbysomeUFOresearchers,has allowedthegovernmenttokeepthefactthatthereis intelligentextra-terrestriallifefromtheAmerican publicfor47years.ItalsosupposedlyallowedtheUS Governmenttoexploitrecoveredextraterrestrial materialsbyreverseengineeringthem,ultimately providingsuchthingsasfiberopticandstealth technoloqy.The"deaththreats,"oaths,andotherforms ofcoercionallegedtohavebeenmetedoutbytheArmy AirForcespersonneltokeeppeoplefromtalkinghave apparentlynotbeenveryeffective,asseveralhundred peopleareclaimedtohavecomeforward(withoutharm) withsome knOWledgeofthe"RoswellIncident"during interviewswithnon-governmentresearchersandthe Addingsomemeasureofcredibilitytotheclaimsthat havearisensince1978istheapparentdepthofresearch ofsomeoftheauthorsandtheextentoftheirefforts. Theirclaimsarelessenedsomewhat,however,bythefact thatalmostalltheirinformationcamefromverbal reportsmanyyearsaftertheallegedincident.occurred. Manyofthepersonsinterviewedwere,infact,stationed at,orlivednearRoswellduringthetimeinquestion, andanumberofthemclaimmilitaryservice.Most, however,relatedtheirstoriesintheirolderyears, wellafterthefact.Inothercases,theinformation providedissecondorthirdhand,havingbeenpassed throughafriendorrelativeaftertheprincipalhad died.Whatisuniquelylackingintheentireexploration andexploitationofthe"RoswellIncident"isofficial positivedocumentaryorphysicalevidenceofanykind thatsupportstheclaimsofthosewhoallegethat somethinqunusualhappened.Conversely,therehasnever beenanypreviousdocumentaryevidenceproducedbythose whowoulddebunktheincidenttoshowthatsomethingdid nothappen;althoughlogicdictatesthatbureaucracies donotspendtimedocumentingnon-events. SEARCHSTRATEGYANDMETHODOLOGY ToinsureseniorAirForceleadershipthattherewereno hiddenoroverlookedfilesthatmightrelatetothe "RoswellIncident;"andtoprovidetheGAOwiththebest andmostcompleteinformationavailable,SAF/AAZ constructedastrategybasedondirecttaskingfromthe OfficeoftheSecretary,toelicitinformationfrom thosefunctionalofficesandorganizationswheresuch informationmightlogicallybecontained.Thisincluded directingsearchesatcurrentofficeswherespecialor unusualprojectsmightbecarriedout,aswellas historicalorganizations,archives,andrecordscenters overwhichtheAirForceexertedsomedegreeofcontrol. Researchersdidnot,however,gototheUSArmyto reviewhistoricalrecordsinareassuchasmissile launchesfromWhiteSands,ortotheDepartmentof Energytodetermineifitsforerunner,theAtomicEnergy Commission,hadanyrecordsofnuclear-relatedincidents thatmighthaveoccurredatornearRoswellin1947.To sowouldhaveencroachedonGAO'scharterinthis matter.WhatAirForceresearchersdiddo,however,was tosearchforrecordsstillunderAirForcecontrol pertainingtothesesubjectareas. Inordertodetermineparametersforthemostproductive searchofrecords,areviewwasfirstconductedofthe majorworksregardingthe"RoswellIncident"available inthepopularliterature.Theseworksincluded:The RoswellIncident,(1980)byWilliamMooreandCharles Berlitz;"CrashedSaucers:EvidenceinSearchofProof," (1985)byMoore;TheUFOCrashatRoswell,(I99 1)by KevinRandleandDonaldSchmitt;TheTruthAbouttheUFO CrashatRoswell,(1994)alsobyRandleandSchmitt;The RoswellReport:AHistoricalPerspective,(1991),George M.Eberhart,Editor;"TheRoswellEvents,"(1993) compiledbyFredWhiting-CrashatCorona(1992)by StantonT.FriedmanandDonBerliner,aswellas numerousotherarticleswrittenbyacombinationofthe aboveandotherresearchers.Collectively,theabove representthe"pro"UFOwriterswhoallegethatthe governmentisengagedinaconspiracy.Thereareno specificbookswrittenentirelyonthethemethat nothinghappenedatRoswell.However,CurtisPeeblesin WatchtheSkies!(1994)discussedthedevelopmentofthe UFOstoryandgrowthofsubsequentclaimsasa phenomenon.Therehasalsobeenseriousresearchaswell asanumberofdetailedarticleswrittenbyso-called "debunkers"ofRoswellandotherincidents,mostnotably PhilipJ.KlasswhowritesTheSkepticalInquirer newsletter,andRobertTodd,aprivateresearcher.The concernsandclaimsofalltheaboveauthorsandothers wereconsideredinconductingtheUSAFrecordssearch. Itwasalsodecided,particularlyafterareviewofthe abovepopularliterature,thatnospecificattemptwould bemadetotrytorefute,pointbypoint,thenumerous claimsmadeinthevariouspublications.Manyofthese claimsappeartobehearsay,undocumented,takenoutof context,self-serving,orotherwisedubious. Additionally,manyoftheaboveauthorsarenotevenin agreementovervariousclaims.Mostnotableofthe confusingandnowever-changingclaimsisthe controversyoverthedate(s)oftheallegedincident, theexactlocation(s)ofthepurporteddebrisandthe extentofthewreckage.Suchdiscrepanciesinclaims madethesearchmuchmoredifficultbygreatlyexpanding thevolumeofrecordsthathadtobesearched. Anexampleoftryingtodealwithquestionableclaimsis illustratedbythefollowingexample:oneofthepopular booksmentionedthatwasreviewedclaimedthatthe writershadsubmittedthenamesandserialnumbersof "overtwodozen"personnelstationedatRoswellinJuly, 1947,totheVeteransAdministrationandtheDefense Departmenttoconfirmtheirmilitaryservice.Theythen listedelevenofthesepersonsbynameandaskedthe question"WhydoesneithertheDefenseDepartmentnor theVeteran'sAdministrationhaverecordsofanyof thesemen when wecandocumentthateachservedat RoswellArmyAirField."Thatclaimsoundedseriousso SAF/AAZDwastaskedtochecktheseelevennamesinthe PersonnelRecordsCent