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. 14 …New York University, Constant Level Balloons, Final Report, March 1, 1951 11. New York University, Constant…
  • p. 18 …Developed partly under contract with leading scientific institutions-such as New York University (NYU), Woods Hole…
  • p. 19 …New York Times, "Balloon Staggers Down to Brooklyn Tavern, Hooks Itself to Roof and Upsets Decorum…
  • p. 41 …testing "constant level balloons" and a New York University (NYU)/Watson Labs effort that used" ... meteorological…
  • p. 72 …Foundation then on 23rd Street in New York City. The pathological examination disclosed a human with…
  • p. 148 …i.L?...D"- Erun_2 o:f New York - Gm. ~ advised he would let hi!:: know…
  • p. 183 …There was a project run by New York University, out ofHoDoman at that time. It was…
  • p. 206 …When we heard the news back in New York, w.e joked that they probably found…
  • p. 213 …early July 1947, to observe the New York University balloon group. The "Roswell Incident" occurred after…
  • p. 217 …he was Director of Research at New York University at that time. Q: We have gone…
  • p. 220 …But anyway, Istvan initially went to New York hunting for a source of supply and came…
  • p. 222 …I've reviewed the New York University documents and there's a very clear depiction in…
  • p. 233 …you to join the staff at New York University, or to continue your studies there? A…
  • p. 234 …So you went to New York University when? A: Right after had already started. a copy…
  • p. 237 …You went on board at New York University, and you immediately set out, as documented in…
  • p. 240 …So at this time in New York University you were cleared but you had no need…
  • p. 243 …In the New York University report it says that you were provided two Japanese balloons. A…
  • p. 244 …they have reward tags, "Return to New York University," or "Return to Roswell Army Air Field…
  • p. 247 …so you made your plan in New York to fly •.• Your primary research was the acoustical…
  • p. 261 …The New York University reports are very voluminous. There are three big bound volumes. I have…
  • p. 275 …Charlie Moore and his crew from New York University. Q: You said you went in July…
  • p. 319 …W28-099-ac-82) for the acoustical equipment, and to New York University (NYU) for the…
  • p. 320 …NEW YORK UNIVERSITY "BALLOON GROUP" From September 30, 1946, until December 31, 1950, the Research Division…
  • p. 322 New York University, in accordance with contractual requirements, produced monthly progress reports, technical reports, and final…
  • p. 326 …worlk and preparing to return to New York City, a train of events began to unfold…
  • p. 327 …Kevin Randall and Donald Schmitt, UFO Crash at Roswell (New York, 1991), p. 103. 39. Intvw…
  • p. 331 …Drawing-New York University Flight No. 2 4. 2 Depictions of AN I CRT-1 Sonabuoy…
  • p. 419 10 New York University Constant Level Balloons Final Report March 1, 1951
  • p. 421 …93.03 CJNSTANT LEVEL BALLOONS FINAL REPORT Constant Level Balloon Project New York University Prepared in…
  • p. 424 …of the Department of Meteorology of New York University. A. Introduction and Statement of Problem Contract…
  • p. 426 …Essentially the system as developed at New York University con- sists of a constant volume balloon…
  • p. 430 …balloons as developed and tested at New York University. c. Telemetering From Balloon Systems The second…
  • p. 436 …Service fiights were carried out by New York UniTersit7 personnel in conjunction with technical personnel from…
  • p. 442 …Meteorological Analysis As one phase of this project, New York University agreed to prepare analyses of…
  • p. 444 …b~1sh recorders for analysis at New York University. A total of 22 flights (two of…
  • p. 445 …It is this latter method which was used by the New York University gro,p in…
  • p. 450 …Research Division, College of Engineering, New York University, Teclmical Re§ert 93 .02, Constant Level Balloons…
  • p. 451 New York University Constant Level Balloons Section 1, General November 15, 1949 11
  • p. 453 …93.02 CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOONS Section l GENERAL Constant Level Balloon Project New.York University Prepared…
  • p. 455 …Further extensions are under consideration whereby New York Uni- versity will supply standardized flight gear and…
  • p. 456 …office and storage space was pro- vided by New York University (Figures 1 and 2). Field…
  • p. 461 …Smith, Inc., lfame.roneck, lrew York. In these balloons, 4 and 8 mil sheets were heat…
  • p. 468 …Colle~e of Engineering, New York University, New York. N.Y •• 1948.) There are three undesirable…
  • p. 475 …A drawing of the temperature chamber designed and built at New York University is shown in…
  • p. 514 …the Electrical Eng- ineering Department of New York University was adapted to re- place or supplement…
  • p. 531 New York University Constant Level Balloons Section 3, Summary of Flights July 15, 1949 12
  • p. 533 …93.02 CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOONS Section 3 SUMMARY OF FLIGHTS Constant Level Balloon Project New York…
  • p. 535 Introcluction In November, 1946 the Research Division of the College of Eng.1neer1ng of New York…
  • p. 559 …o£ graduate studenta o£ meteorology at New York University. By conatructing constant-pressure maps £ram the…
  • p. 568 …A New York University AM-1 transmitter was used to send out pressure data. An automatic…
  • p. 594 …Assuming gao- strophic tlaw, members or a graduate class in meteorology at New York
  • p. 597 …graduate ola.ss ot meteorology at New York University (Figure 67). Using an airplane tix FLIGHT…
  • p. 601 New York University Technical Report No. 1 Constant Level Balloon April 1, 1948 13
  • p. 603 …April 1, 1948 New York 63, New York
  • p. 609 …the Re.search Division of the College of Engineering of New York University entered into Contract…
  • p. 640 …At a meeting in New York an 20 .March 1947, the New York Air Space Sub…
  • p. 671 …in the Electrical Engineering Laboratories at New York University. ln previous tests, this has provided clearer…
  • p. 707 …Air Coordinating Committee, New York Sub- committee on Airspace, Rules of the Air and Air Traffic…
  • p. 708 …AIR COORDINATING COMMITTEE NEW YORK SUBCOMMITTEE ON AIRSPACE RULES OF 'ffiE AIR AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL…
  • p. 709 …A period of six hours will be the maximum duration of flight. (4) New York University…
figures on the sticks, lavender or pink in color, appeared to be weather faded
markings, with no rhyme or reason [sic]. He did not convince me that these were
alien writings." Newton concluded his statement by relating that" ... During the
ensuing years I have been interviewed by many authors, I have been quoted and
misquoted. The facts remain as indicated above. I was not influenced during the
original interview, nor today, to provide anything but what I know to be true,
that is, the material I saw in General Ramey's office was the remains of a balloon
and a RAWIN target."
Balloon Research
The original tasking from GAO noted that the search for information included
"weather balloons." Comments about balloons and safety reports have already
been made; however the SAF I AAZ research efforts also focused on reviewing
historical records involving balloons, since, among other reasons, that was what
was officially claimed by the AAF to have been found and recovered in 1947.
As early as February 28, 1994, the AAZD research team found references to
balloon tests taking place at Alamogordo Army Air Field (now Holloman AFB)
and White Sands during June and July 1947, testing "constant level balloons" and
a New York University (NYU)/Watson Labs effort that used" ... meteorological
devices . . . suspected for detecting shock waves generated by Soviet nuclear
explosions"-a possible indication of a cover story associated with the NYU
balloon project. Subsequently, a 1946 HQ AMC memorandum surfaced, describ-
ing the constant altitude balloon project and specified that the scientific data be
classified Top Secret Priority 1A. Its name was Project MOGUL (Atch 19).
Project MOGUL was a then-sensitive, classified project, whose purpose was to
determine the state of Soviet nuclear weapons research. This was the early Cold
War period and there was serious concern within the US government about the
Soviets' developing a weaponized atomic device. Because the Soviet Union's
borders were closed, the US Government sought to develop a long range nuclear
explosion detection capability. Long range, balloon-borne, low frequency acoustic
detection was posed to General Spaatz in 1945 by Dr. Maurice Ewing of Columbia
University as a potential solution (atmospheric ducting of low frequency pressure
waves had been studied as early as 1900).
As part of the research into this matter, AAZD personnel located and obtained
the original study papers and reports of the New York University project. Their
efforts also revealed that some of the individuals involved in Project MOGUL were
still living. These persons included the NYU constant altitude balloon Director of
Research, Dr. Athelstan F. Spilhaus; the Project Engineer, Professor Charles B.
Moore; and the military Project Officer, Colonel Albert C. Trakowski.
All of these persons were subsequently interviewed and signed sworn statements
about their activities. A copy of theses statements are appended at Atchs 20-22.
Additionally, transcripts of the interview with Moore and Trakowski are also
included (equipment malfunctioned during the interview of Spilhaus) (Atchs
25

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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.