Documents / FOIA release

roswell

Office of the Secretary of Defense · 993 pages · text from the file's own layer

The Roswell Report: Fact versus Fiction in the New Mexico Desert was published in 1995 by Headquarters United States Air Force. It was written in response to Representative Steven H. Schiff's request and a General Accounting Office audit, and it contains Col. Richard L. Weaver's report and 1st Lt. James McAndrew's synopsis, along with attachments, appendices and photographs. The report says researchers found no evidence of an extraterrestrial craft or crew. It concludes that the 1947 debris came from a Project MOGUL balloon train.

  • p. 13 …Alamogordo News, "Fantasy of 'Flying Disc' Is Exlained Here: News Men Watch Army Radar Crew Launch…
  • p. 25 …AAF) allegedly recovered remains of a crashed "flying disc" near Roswell, New Mexico. In February, 1994…
  • p. 28 …Marcel, had recovered a "flying disc" from the range lands of an unidentified rancher in the…
  • p. 36 …during the month answering inquiries on the 'flying disc,' which was reported to be in possession…
  • p. 37 …July 7, he was busy with a "flying disc" incident; however this particular incident involved Ellington…
  • p. 38 …and sticks." Additionally, the description of the "flying disc" was consistent with a document routinely used…
  • p. 43 …balloon." Concerning the initial announcement, "RAAF Captures Flying Disc," research failed to locate any documented evidence…
  • p. 44 …Pflock concluded from his research that the Brazel Ranch debris originally reported as a "flying disc…
  • p. 46 …Major Marcel in originally reporting that a "flying disc" had been recovered when, at that time…
  • p. 75 …material recovered near Corona was from a "flying disc," a weather balloon, or something else. Please…
  • p. 99 …mentioning the Office of Public Affairs and "flying disc" activities in GP-509-Hl, July 1947…
  • p. 100 …search produced no documents concerned with a flying disc and/or weather balloon crash at Roswell…
  • p. 105 …kept quite busy during the monti1 answering inquiries on the "flying disc", which.was reported to…
  • p. 144 …fro~ the Houston Chronicle saying that a flying disc had landed there v:ith his (Colonel…
  • p. 166 …now famous newspaper says they found a "flying disc" in RosweU? That was actually the Roswell…
  • p. 254 …Here's the morning paper, "Report flying disc found." Down here is about Colonel J.D…
  • p. 318 …this debris may be part of a "flying disc."1 The sheriff conta<;ted Roswell (Army…
  • p. 325 …rancher and was subsequently identified as a "flying disc" by personnel from Roswell AAF was, with…
  • p. 326 …It should also be understood that the term "flying disc" was not at this time synonymous…
  • p. 329 …floor of the office was a crashed "flying disc." Newton, having seen many weather balloons and…
  • p. 331 …subsequent rumors that the "capture" of a "flying disc" occurred, ultimately left many people with unanswered…
  • p. 373 11 Alamogordo News "Fantasy of 'Flying Disc' Is Explained Here: News Men Watch Army Raqar Crew…
INTRODUCTION
Throughout the latter half of the twentieth century the subject of Unidentified Flying
Objects (UFOs) has evoked strong opinions and emotions. For some, the belief in or study
of UFOs has assumed the dimensions of a religious quest. Others remain nonbelievers or
at least skeptical of the existence of alien beings and elusive vehicles which never quite
seem to manifest themselves. Regardless of one's conviction, nowhere has the debate
about UFOs been more spirited than over the events that unfolded near the small New
Mexico city of Roswell in the summer of 1947. Popularly known as the Roswell Incident,
this event has become the most celebrated UFO encounter of all time and has stimulated
enthusiasts like none other. Numerous witnesses, including former military personnel and
respectable members of the local community, have come forward with tales of humanoid
beings, alien technologies, and government cover-ups that have caused even the most
skeptical observer to pause and take notice. Inevitably these stories coming from the
desert have spawned countless articles, books, films, and even museums claiming to have
proof that visitors had come from outer space.
In February 1994, the Air Force was informed that the General Accounting Office (GAO),
an investigative agency of Congress, planned a formal audit to ascertain "the facts
regarding the reported crash of an UFO in 1949 [1947] at Roswell, New Mexico." 1 This
task was delegated to numerous agencies, but the focus was on the U.S. Air Force, the
agency most often accused of hiding information and records on Roswell. The Presidential
Science Advisor had also expressed an interest in the investigation. Thereupon, the
Secretary of the Air Force directed that a complete records search identify, locate, and
examine any and all information available on this subject. From the outset there was no
predisposition to refute or overlook any information. Moreover, if any of the information
discovered was under security classification, it was to be declassified, and if active or
former Air Force officials had been sworn to a secrecy oath, they were to be freed from
it. In short, the objective was to tell the Congress, and the American people, everything
the Air Force knew about the Roswell claims.
Subsequently, researchers conducted an extensive search of Air Force archives, record
centers, and scientific facilities. Seeking information that might help to explain peculiar
tales of odd wreckage and alien bodies, the researchers reviewed a monumental number
1. Memo, Marcia J. Van Note, DOD/IG, for Distribution, subj: General Accounting Office (GAO)
Letter Dated February 9, 1944 ..., Feb 23, 1994.
1

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About this file

FOIA release, from the osd collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. 993 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.