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Project Blue Book Socorro file

The Black Vault · 167 pages · text by OCR

This Black Vault release compiles 1964 newspaper and wire service clippings plus a Project Blue Book summary on the Socorro, New Mexico sighting by policeman Lonnie Zamora on April 24, 1964, when an egg-shaped object left four depressions and burned brush. It covers J. Allen Hynek's site visit, APRO and NICAP comment, and related New Mexico reports at La Madera, Edgewood and Albuquerque. The Air Force summary reports that soil and brush analysis found no radiation or propellant, and the case remained open.

  • p. 1 …yesterday as they were driving toward Albuquerque on U. S. 85,.17 miles north of Socorro…
  • p. 3 …Similar reports came from a Socorro teenager, an Albuquerque motorist, and two men driving in the…
  • p. 9 …TWO INVESTIGATING officers were at the scene yesterday from Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. Maj…
  • p. 10 …Two investigating officers were at the scene Sunday from Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. Maj…
  • p. 11 …Edgewood is about 30 miles east of Albuquerque. A few hours earlier, a motorist in the…
  • p. 13 …Similar reports came from a Socorro teenager, an Albuquerque motorist, and two men driving in the…
  • p. 14 …Martin Vigil said investigators from Kirtland Air Force Base at Albuquerque were to arrive in Espanola…
  • p. 16 …William Connor of Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. Zamora is described as a "reliable witness…
  • p. 20 …Seen by Several Persons in New Mexico ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (UPI) In New Mexico, first test…
  • p. 22 …Edgewood is about 30 miles east of Albuquerque. A few hours earlier, a motorist in the…
  • p. 24 …The apparent low bid came from Case Thompson of Albuquerque. The firm asked $21.78 per…
  • p. 26 …The Air Force said low-flying jets have been taking pictures day and night from Albuquerque…
  • p. 30 …William Conner of Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, was also here Sunday afternoon to interview Zamora…
  • p. 34 …UPI representative Charles Richard, carried in the Albuquerque Journal, 27 April 1964, are essentially correct. As…
  • p. 79 …The UFO report had been received by the 1005th from Lt Col King, CID, of Albuquerque…
  • p. 82 …It is suggested that Lt Col King, Albuquerque 268-2107 be contacted for proper questioning of…
  • p. 89 …I have talked to Major Casper who was the Cloud Gap Field Operations Officer at Albuquerque…
  • p. 90 …5 CASES of sightings in 1963 or early 1964 reported subsequent to Socorro Sightings ## ALBUQUERQUE, NEW…
  • p. 101 Report on the Trip to Socorro - Albuquerque - Socorro, March 12-13, 1965 Left Las Cruces 7…
  • p. 103 …That was the next day in Albuquerque. I purchased five newspapers which had various stories about…
  • p. 105 …and the following day." I left for Albuquerque about 2:30 P. M., arriving at the…
  • p. 110 …I left Albuquerque in the late morning on Saturday and arrived in Socorro abbut 1:00…
  • p. 130 …This proved totally unnecessary since, when the plane from Denver arrived in Albuquerque, I heard some…
  • p. 137 …We had a late lunch enroute to Albuquerque. In Albuquerque, I had the opportunity to talk…
  • p. 145 …William Connor of Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. Zamora is described as a "reliable witness…
  • p. 154 …He quit during his first year at Albuquerque High School. Since then, he served in the…
  • p. 155 …An Albuquerque couple, Mr. and Mrs. Napoleon Green, 1805 Walter SE, told the Journal Tuesday nigh…
  • p. 156 …Edgewood is about 30 miles east of Albuquerque. A few hours earlier, a motorist in the…
  • p. 158 …The motorist, who identified himself to Pyland as George Mitropolis of Albuquerque, said that while driving…
  • p. 159 …yesterday as they were driving toward Albuquerque on U. S. 85, 17 miles north of Socorro…
  • p. 162 4th Year Volume 340 Number 27 Second-class postage paid at Albuquerque and at additional mailing…
  • p. 163 …A 10-year-old Albuquerque girl was treated Tuesday night for what her mother told police…
  • p. 164 …Hynek returned to Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque and indicated he will comment on his…
  • p. 167 …Similar reports came from a Socorro teenager, an Albuquerque motorist, and two men driving in the…
Memo, from Capt Quintanilla, 27 April 1964

TO: Colonel de Jonckheere

At 0715, 26 April, when I reported for duty as OD, I was informed by Major Sameshima, 25 April OD, that he had received a UFO report via telephone at 2130 EST, 25 April, from the 1005th Special Investigation Group, Washington, D.C. The UFO report had been received by the 1005th from Lt Col King, CID, of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Lt Col King had read about the sighting in the local newspaper and had also been provided data by the FBI. The FBI was informed of the sighting by the New Mexico State Police. The New Mexico State Police arrived at the scene at approximately 1728 MST and three minutes after the object took off with a roar and disappeared to the West. The witness claims that he saw a ball shaped object approximately 15 feet long and two white objects which resembled white coveralls. When the Army at White Sands heard of the incident, they roped off the area and the FBI in Albuquerque proceeded to the area. They confirmed that "something" had been there and the army took soil samples of 4" x 5" impressions which were found where the alleged vehicle had landed. The impressions appeared to be burned and the surround area was clean.

At 0330, 26 April, Col Cole from the Air Force Command Post called to see if any follow up action had been taken. At 0430 26 April, Col Harris from the Emergency Action Group, JCB communications Center called and wanted additional details, especially names. At 0530 26 April, Col Perkins from the Air Force Command Post called and suggested we get in touch with Capt Holden from White Sands, at 0728 26 April, I placed a call to the OD at Kirkland and asked him to locate Sgt Moody for me. Sgt Moody is presently on TDY at Kirkland on Project Cloud Gap. At 0945 Sgt Moody called and I asked him to get together with the UFO reporting officer at Kirkland and investigate the sighting. At 1125 Major Connor, Kirkland UFO reporting officer, and Sgt Moody called and I suggested the manner in which they should conduct the investigation and the people whom they should contact. Major Connor and Sgt Moody left for White Sands after my phone call equipped with a Geiger Counter.

At 2135 I received a telephone call from Sgt Moody who was now back at Kirkland. Major Connor and Sgt Moody had talked with the witness Lonnie Zamora. Mr Zamora is the Boccorro, New Mexico Deputy Marshall. He uses the same radio frequency as the New Mexico State Police and that is the reason the New Mexico State Police arrived at the scene as fast as they did. Mr Zamora called the New Mexico State Police over his radio when he was scared by the vehicle. At his closest observation, he was 103 feet from the object. Major Connor and Sgt Moody measured the area of alleged landing for radiation - no radiation was present. Photos of the area were taken and will be on the way 27 April.

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Document, cited by the archive. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. The text was read from the page images by an OCR model; expect the odd misread word. 167 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.