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This Project Blue Book file on the Socorro, New Mexico sighting of 24 April 1964 compiles an Air Force record card and a large set of press clippings. The clippings cover policeman Lonnie Zamora's report of an egg-shaped object with four landing marks and scorched brush, plus J. Allen Hynek's investigation and follow-up reports from La Madera, Edgewood and elsewhere. An Air Force summary says soil and brush analysis found no foreign material, radiation or propellant, that the case remains open, and that later related sightings were explained or found to be hoaxes.
“Socorro, New Mexico”54 pages
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# UFO REPORT
Lonnie Zamora, 606 Resevoir Street, Socorro, New Mexico, 835-1134, Officer Socorro Police Force for about 5 years, office phone 835-0941, now on 2-10pm shift.
About 5:45 pm, 4-24-64, while in Socorro 2 Police Car ('64 white Pontiac), he started to chase a car due south from west side of Court House. Car was apparently speeding and was about 3 blocks in front of police car. At point on Old Rodeo Street (extension of Park Street south) near George Morillo residence (about 1/2 mile south of Spring Street) the chased car was going straight ahead toward rodeo grounds. Car chased was a new black Chevrolet (it might have been Floyd Reynold's boy, Vivian, about 17). Chased car still about 3 blocks ahead. Lonnie alone.
At this time, heard a roar and saw a flame in the sky to the southwest, some distance away possibly a 1/2 mile or a mile. Came to mind that a dynamite shack in that area had blown up, decided to leave chased car go.
Flame was bluish and sort of orange too. Could not tell size of flame. Sort of motionless flame, slowly descending. Was still driving car and couldn't pay too much attention to the flame. It was a narrow type of flame. It was like a "stream down" a funnel type-narrower at top than at bottom. Flame possibly 3 degrees or so in width not wide.
Flame about twice as wide at bottom as top and about four times as high as top was wide. Did not notice any object at top, did not notice if top of flame was level. Sun was to west and did not help vision. Had green sun glasses over prescription glasses. Could not see bottom of flame because it was behind hill. No smoke noted. Noted some "commotion" at bottom-dust? Possibly from windy day-wind was blowing hard. Clear sunny sky otherwise-just a few clouds scattered over area.
Noise was a roar, not a blast, not like a jet. Changed from high frequency to low frequency and then stopped. Roar lasted possibly 10 seconds--was going towards it at that time on the rough gravel road. Saw flame about as long as heard the sound. Flame same color, as best as recall. Sound distinctly from high to low until it disappeared. Windows were both down. No other spectators noted--no traffic except the car in front--and the car in front might have heard it but possibly did not see it because car in front was too close to hill in front to see the flame.
After the roar and flame, did not note anything while going up the somewhat steep rough hill had to beck up and try again, two more times. Got up about half way first time, the wheels started skidding, roar still going on, had to back down and try again before making the hill. Hill about 60ft. long, fairly steep and with loose gravel and rock. While beginning third time, noise and flame not noted.
After got to top, traveled slowly on the gravel road westward. Noted nothing for a while. for possibly 15 or 20 seconds, went slowly, looking around for the shack did not recall exactly where the dynamite shack was.
Suddenly noted a shiny type object to south about 150-200 yards. It was off the road. At first glance, stopped. It looked, at first, like a car turned upside down. Thought some kids might have turned over. Saw two people in white coveralls very close to the object. One of these persons seemed to turn and look straight at my car and seemed startled-seemed to quickly jump somewhat.
At this time, I started moving my car towards them quickly, with idea to help. Had stopped about only a couple seconds. Object was like aluminium - it was whitish against the moss background, but not chrome. Seemed like ___ in shape and I at first glance took it to be overturned white car. Car appeared turned up like standing Document, cited by the archive. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. The text was read from the page images by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word. 168 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.