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Project Blue Book Socorro file

Internet Archive · 168 pages · text by OCR

This Project Blue Book file on the Socorro, New Mexico sighting, held by the Internet Archive, collects Air Force records and 1964 press clippings. It covers policeman Lonnie Zamora's April 24, 1964 report of an egg-shaped object with four legs, the scorched brush and ground depressions, and Dr. J. Allen Hynek's investigation. An Air Force summary says soil and brush analysis found no radiation or propellant and the case stayed open. Later New Mexico reports were judged known objects or hoaxes.

  • p. 4 …UPI) - New Mexico's perennial addiction to flying saucers has taken hold of the state again…
  • p. 5 …Sam Chavez of the New Mexico State Police. They took six other men to the spot…
  • p. 7 …sent to New Mexico after a rash of reports of sightings in the state. He planned…
  • p. 8 …shots at one of New Mexico's unidentified flying objects. State Policeman Tommy Richardson of Moriarty…
  • p. 12 …of unidentified flying object sightings had New Mexico State Police, local law enforcement agencies and military…
  • p. 14 …UPI) - New Mexico's perennial addiction to flying saucers has taken hold of the state again…
  • p. 16 …New Mexico's perennial addiction to flying saucers took hold of thae state again Monday. More…
  • p. 23 …Around State A rash of unidentified flying object sightings had New Mexico State Police, local law…
  • p. 24 …Within moments afterward, Sgt Chavez of the New Mexico State Police arrived on the scene in…
  • p. 27 …in a state loaded with radar installations. "It is my understanding that New Mexico has more…
  • p. 29 …Inhabited Since 1540 Home of the Famed New Mexico VOL. 98 NO. 34 Published Tuesdays & Thursdays…
  • p. 31 …State Police Sgt. Sam Chavez, State Policeman Ted Jordan, and Undersheriff James Luckie responded. Chavez and…
  • p. 35 …The sighting was reported to Sgt Chavez of the New Mexico State Police. The object sighted…
  • p. 46 …April 1964 Sgt Chavez of the New Mexico State Police accompanied by Agent Burns of the…
  • p. 57 …Socorro, New Mexico. The object or vehicle displayed flight characteristics well within the State-of-the…
  • p. 78 …his call was monitored by Sgt Chavez of the New Mexico State Police. Sgt Zamora attempted
  • p. 80 …The FBI was informed of the sighting by the New Mexico State Police. The New Mexico…
  • p. 82 Sgt Sam Charez of the New Mexico State Police was interviewed by Major Connor and Sgt…
  • p. 83 …Sawde Damore interviewed by Sgt Chavez, New Mexico State Police Kes
  • p. 154 …New Mexico after a rash of reports of sightings of unidentified flying objects in the state…
  • p. 157 …A rash of unidentified flying object sightings had New Mexico State Police, local law enforcement agencies…
  • p. 159 …85 and New Mexico 180 and the object appeared to be about a quarter of a…
  • p. 164 …Lincoln LaPaz of the University of New Mexico who has an international reputation in running down…
  • p. 165 …Hynek said he had not been told by the government whether sending him to New Mexico…
  • p. 168 …UPI) - New Mexico's perennial addiction to flying saucers has taken hold of the state again…
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 seconds and began to move laterally to his right (BW) 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. All descriptions 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 the opposite 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 mountains 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 interviewed 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 the 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 advised him of the above information.

DAVID N MOODY TSGT, USAF

About this file

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.