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This 217-page Project Blue Book desk file on the 24 April 1964 Socorro, New Mexico sighting by policeman Lonnie Zamora comes from the Rob Mercer collection. It contains the Blue Book record card, which carries the case as unidentified pending more data, along with Foreign Technology Division messages and resumes and a narrative of the sighting. It also holds inquiries about lunar modules, helicopters and VTOL craft, soil and radiation findings, and a letter by J. Allen Hynek rejecting Donald Menzel's hoax hypothesis.
“Socorro, New Mexico”40 pages
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and a drawing of this marking will be attached at the end of the report.
Mr Zamora is firm in that the color was Red. At this point of altitude
{20 ft max) the flame was no longer visible and the craft hovered for
not more than a few seeonds and began to move laterally to his right
(S\-1) along the line of the gully just missing the dynamite shack by
not more than two or three feet and fading in the distance near a mill
about 6 miles away. Lonnie Zamoras description of the object is vague.
The only specific detail being the red marking. descr1ptions are
general in nature. At no time did the flight of the object rise above
the mountain background~ Disappearance of the object from time of
hovering took about 3 minutes. About 3 minutes later Sgt Chavez
arrived on the scene.
Area background. Photos have been obtained of the background. An
airfield (Private) is located about a mile to thecpposite side of the
gully where the object was located and Zamora's car was parked. There
is a large white signboard at the edge of the area. To the right about
200 ft is the dynamite shack, about 6ft tall, 4 ft square and silver in
color. Measurements of these factors can be made if deemed essential.
The sighting was made at least an hour before sunset. At 630 pm the
sun was still visible above the ~ains to the West.
Lt Holder was visited and the report made by the FBI agent (Mr Barnes)
and Capt Holder read by Major Conner. Capt Holder claimed no knowledge
of the red mark. Extensive diagrams of the holes had been made and
measurements taken. He indicated that the samples could be analyzed
at White Sands. Also a check had been made with the local Radar stations
and no U/I tracks carried at the time of the sighting. · Further check
indicated that no helo activity was in the area. White Sands has two
or three white helos, but at the time were located at the other end of
the range and were not in operation, the base activity being secured until
Monday morning. A copy of the FBI report and Capt Holder's report and
measurements to be forwarded to Major Conner, along with analysis of the
charred specimen.
No conclusion as to cause could be reached by myself or Major Conner.
Coral Lorenzen and husband were in Socorro at the time and had inter-
viewed both Lonnie Zamora and Sgt Chavez, and also Capt Holder prior to
the arrival of Major Conner and myself.
Included in Major Conner's IR as attachments will be the FBI report,
Capt Holder's report, Photos of ~he area, and specific slides taken
that evening by a state Trooper accompanying Sgt Chavez to the scene.
Specific statements as to radar activity, (none) Helo activity (all known
helos not in area) and inquiry into the red marking should be made.
Copies of the local news releases have been forwarded to Capt Q and the
basic investigative efforts have been completed. I called Capt Q upon
return from Socorro at 1930, Sunday 26 April and ad?} him of the _above
information. 1 J(
' :- 1{'1~-_.,~ /
DAVID H ~
TSGT, USAF .3Rob Mercer Document, cited by the archive. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 217 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.