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Project Blue Book Socorro file (direct PDF)

Wikimedia Commons (USAF Project Blue Book) · 168 pages · text by OCR

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.

Open the PDF at page 129 Original source ↗

“Socorro”60+ pages

  • p. 1 …LOCATION Socorro, New Mexico 12. CONCLUSIONS □ Was Balloon □ Probably Balloon □ Possibly Balloon □ Was Aircraft □ Probably Aircraft…
  • p. 2 …the Air Force and night be attributed to the Socorro, New Mexico sighting. FOR THE COMMANDER
  • p. 3 …85,.17 miles north of Socorro. "I wasn't going to report it because I didn…
  • p. 4 …He told police Gallegos' report came on the heels of a similar report from a Socorro…
  • p. 5 # Mysterious Object Pays SOCORRO (UPI) - It was shiny and stood on four gird- round, stood on…
  • p. 6 …Last April 24, Officer Lonnie Zamora, on highway patrol, sighted an oval-shaped craft near Socorro…
  • p. 7 # Astronomer Hunts Clue To 'Saucer' SOCORRO, N. M., April 29 (AP). An astronomer from the Dearborn…
  • p. 8 …Sam Chavez said he was told by Socorro policeman Lonnie Zamora that the UFO he saw…
  • p. 10 …the desert about a mile south of Socorro. He denied seeing any signs of life around…
  • p. 11 …Policeman By CHARLES RICHARDS United Press International SOCORRO, N.M. (UPI)—It's a good place…
  • p. 12 …No less than six "authentic" spottings have been reported since Friday when Socorro Policeman L onn…
  • p. 14 …Gallegos' report came on the heels of a similar report from a Socorro policeman, Lonnie Zamora…
  • p. 15 …The reports came from Socorro and the Espanola area. State Police Capt. Martin Vigil said investigators…
  • p. 17 SOCORRO POLICEMAN Lonnie Zamora tells how, he spotted an egg-shaped flying object near Socorro, N…
  • p. 18 # Air Force UFO 4129 Expert to Check 'Saucer' Reports SOCORRO (P) Dr. J. Allen Hynek, special…
  • p. 19 April 25, 1964, when on the previous day at Socorro, New Mexico a policeman, Mr. Lonnie…
  • p. 20 Landing area at Socorro, New Mexico, taken April 25.
  • p. 21 …When it flew away, Socorro, N.M., policeman Lonnie Zamora said he ran from it. Since…
  • p. 22 # "ELPASO TIMES" Film On UFCs To Include Socorro Officer Secorro, N.M. (AP)—A Hollywood, Calif…
  • p. 23 …No less than six "authentic" spotings have been reported since Friday when Socorro Policeman Lonnie Zamora…
  • p. 24 UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT REPORT SOCORRO, NEW MEXICO, 24 APRIL 1964 On April 24, 1964, a Socorro…
  • p. 26 # Air Force Uru Expert to Check 'Saucer' Reports SOCORRO Dr. J. Allen Hynek, special unidentified flying…
  • p. 27 …85 two miles south of Socorro between 7:30 and 8 p.m. The unidentified tourist…
  • p. 28 …The flap started, as most know, when Socorro, N.M., policeman Lonnie Zamora (note incorrect spelling…
  • p. 29 # El Defensor SOCORRO: Inhabited Since 1540 Home of the Famed New Mexico VOL. 98 NO.34…
  • p. 30 Published Tuesdays & Thursdays in Socorro, N. M. 87801 TUESDAY, APRIL 28. # Of UFO Landing Here Observe…
  • p. 31 …Holder of Socorro, U.S. Army up-range commander with headquarters at Stallion Range Center on…
  • p. 35 # UFO Sighting, Socorro, New Mexico, 24 Apr 64 Hq USAF SAF0I PB (Mrs Gaiser) Wash D…
  • p. 46 …On Tuesday, 28 April 1964, Capt Quintanilla directed Doctor J Allen Hynek to Socorro to obtain…
  • p. 57 …produce markings such as those found at Socorro. One known experimental model, constructed by Bell Aircraft…
  • p. 73 …on the April 24, 1964 sighting at Socorro, New Mexico, made by Lt. Zamora. I would…
  • p. 74 …As I recall, the man was driving into Socorro at the time. Unfortunately, I no longer…
  • p. 75 …As a recall, the man was driving into Socorro at the time. Unfortunately, no longer have…
  • p. 76 ## Four Years Old # $100 Reward Offered In Saucer Mystery SOCORRO The mystery of a reported unidentified…
  • p. 78 ## NARRATIVE OF SOCORRO, NEW MEXICO SIGHTING, 24 APRIL 1964 Shortly after 5:30 pm on Friday…
  • p. 84 TDEW/UFO UFO Sighting Socorro, New Mexico 14 May 1964 Test Support Officer (Col K. Young…
  • p. 85 …On 18 May 1964 TSgt Moody called Mr Opal Grinder at 835-9916 in Socorro New…
  • p. 86 …Capt Quintanilla contacted the FTD liaison office at Holloman AFB regarding the Socorro sighting and requested…
  • p. 90 …Cloud Gap operations were conducted in an area about a hundred miles north of Socorro, New…
  • p. 91 …5 CASES of sightings in 1963 or early 1964 reported subsequent to Socorro Sightings ## ALBUQUERQUE, NEW…
  • p. 93 THE FOLLOWING SIGHTINGS WERE REPORTED TO THE AIR FORCE AND MIGHT BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE SOCORRO…
  • p. 96 …In my visit to Socorro I determined that Zamora had been urged by the Mayor to…
  • p. 100 …Coming back to the Socorro case: I'm sorry that I couldn't have been of…
  • p. 102 Report on the Trip to Socorro - Albuquerque - Socorro, March 12-13, 1965 Left Las Cruces 7…
  • p. 103 …CONCLUSIONS 24 April 1964 Socorro, New Mexico □ Was Balloon □ Probably Balloon □ Possibly Balloon □ Was Aircraft □ Probably…
  • p. 104 it on a global basis and the UFO phenomenon apart from the Socorro case is certainly…
  • p. 105 …His principal reason for selecting Socorro seems to be the following: "The main one can be…
  • p. 106 …Ted Raynor, Editor, Socorro El Defensor Chieftan, Socorro, New Mexico, and he can send one of…
  • p. 109 …Apparently the Socorro teenagers are much more direct in their methods of reprisal for the "fuzz…
  • p. 111 …I do not believe that the Socorro high school students could have kept a secret this…
  • p. 112 …There is also the opinion expressed in Socorro, and expressed to me a number of times…
  • p. 124 # UFO REPORT Lonnie Zamora, 606 Resevoir Street, Socorro, New Mexico, 835-1134, Officer Socorro Police Force…
  • p. 126 …Radioed to sheriff's office Socorro 2, possibly 10-44 (accident). I'll be 10-6…
  • p. 127 …State Police at Socorro) calling me on radio for my location, and I returned to my…
  • p. 128 ## INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THE SOCORRO SIGHTING OF UFO BY LONNIE ZAMORA At 0530, Sunday 26 April…
  • p. 130 …Coral Lorenzen and husband were in Socorro at the time and had interviewed both Lonnie Zamora…
  • p. 131 ## REPORT ON SOCORRO NEW MEXICO TRIP On Tuesday, April 28, 1964, in response to a call…
  • p. 134 …No 9 shows the town of Socorro in the distance, looking down longitudinally through the gulley…
  • p. 136 …NUMEROUS INQUIRES CONCERNING AIR FORCE INVESTIGATION AND EVALUATION OF THE RECENT UFO SIGHTING AT SOCORRO, NEW…
  • p. 137 …In about a month, I shall have occassion to return to the Socorro area, at which…
Zamora and explained that he had taken the wrong road as was, IN fact looking in the opposite direction for a part of the time. Therefore, had the object been visible he would not have been in a position to see it. Sgt Chavez took polaroid pictures of the holes and area. These are available to us.

Following the interview with Sgt Chavez, Sgt Zamora was interviewed and a trip to the location made. All persons interviewing Zamora are impressed with his sincerity and are of the belief that if a hoax has been perpetrated Lonnie Zamora is definitely not a part to it. The object was described as white or "light in color and egg shaped." During the interview it was apparent that a visit to location was necessary to determine the time sequence of the event and the related motion of the object, as well as to obtain speeds and distance of flight. At approximately 4 pm we proceeded to the site, accompanied by two reporters from the local press. The sequence of events was repeated and total duration from the initial contact with the event to time of it's disappearance did not exceed 10 minutes. A gieger counter check for background radiation was made in the presence of the press and Sgt Zamora and no radioactivity count was present. The counter was checked with Major Conner's watch and found to be in good working order.

The following is a sequence of the event as reported by Lonnie Zamora. Shortly after 5 pm he was on patrol when he heard a noise that he thought to be an explosion of the Mayor's dynamite shack known to be in that direction. He turned off the road and proceeded to a point up a hill where he could see what looked like a car turned upside down with two white things he assumed to be the occupants of the car and he radioed this information to Police headquarters. He went down a hill where the object was not visible and had to make two tries to get up this hill in his car. As he came over the tope of the hill (about 300 yds from the object) it appeared to be a thing on four pronged legs and the two white things (described as coveralls) were no longer visible. Continuing to a point about 150 yds from the object he parked the car and got out and approached the object to a point about 100 ft. At this time the object made a rumbling noise or rattling noise and a blue flame like an arc welder turning to yellow or orange at the end came from the center of the bottom. The object was about the size of an auto and light colored, not reflective, but white or silver or just light colored. From this position the base of the craft was in the bottom of the gully and not visible to Lonnie Zamora. He thought the thing was going to explode and became frightened. He ran to a point behind his car, dropping his glasses on the way. He hid behind the car using his arm to shield his eyes. He remained in this position for not more than 10 seconds, at which time the noise stopped and his initial fear of the object lessened. He looked up and the object rose to a point of 15-20 ft altitude, with the legs still not visible. A Red marking was evident

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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. 168 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.