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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.
“New Mexico State Police”25 pages
MAY 6 1964 # New Sights Of Saucers ## Strange Objects Seen by Several Persons in New Mexico ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (UPI) In New Mexico, first test site of the atomic bomb and now a space-age military bastion, citizens in the last two weeks say they have seen, shot at and run from "flying saucers" in shapes from bananas to bathtubs. The unidentified Flying Object craze is a periodic epidemic in the state. The latest flurry of reports started April 24 when a Rio Grande Valley policeman said he saw a bathtub-shaped object standing on four girder-like legs at dusk. When it flew away, Socorro, N.M., policeman Lonnie Zamora said he ran from it. Since then, reports of strange objects have gained speed throughout New Mexico, Wyoming and into Montana in the high Rockies ## Some Explanations The Air Force sent its top flying saucer chaser to New Mexico and there have been many scientific and military explanations for the sightings, but citizens keep looking. The scientist, Dr. Lincoln Lapaz, Institute of Meteoritics director at the University of New Mexico, said there is no danger of outer-space invasion because "anyone living outside this troubled giobe would be displaying absolute nonsense to come here." One scientist said a "SuperPogo" military craft may be causing the scare. The Air Force said low-flying jets taking pictures with bright strobe lights might be the answer. Dr. J. Allen Hynek, head of the astronomy department at Northwestern University and the Air Force's top consultant on unidentified flying objects, came to the state to investigate but soon left, saying he believes radar would have picked up anything that human eyes saw. ## Plenty of Radar "It is my understanding that New Mexico has more than its share of radar installations." Dr. Hynek said. "It seems strange to me that radar did not pick up anything." White Sands Missile Range, Holloman Air Force Base and Kirtland Air Force Base are among the many military installations in New Mexico with elaborate radar gear. Zamora started it all when he said he saw the shiny, bathtub-shaped object in a field at Socorro, about 50 miles from where the first atomic bomb was exploded at White Sands. When he approached it, he said it flew away. Air Force officials confirmed that grass and bushes around the area were burned and that there were four indentations in the ground. Dr. Hynek took soil samples to be analyzed. ## Peculiar Aircraft Lapaz said he believes Zamora saw a vertical short-takeoff and landing aircraft. He said the craft behaves much like the object Zamora said he saw. Lapaz said he saw a picture of the craft in the March issue of the U.S. Naval Institute proceedings. He said the picture is several years old and that some military agency probably is secretly testing a "Super-Pogo" type craft with different markings. "The newer models probably are highly classified." Lapaz said.
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