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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…
## MORE FROM NEW MEXICO

Soccoro . . . El Defensor - Chieftain (newspaper of the town) April 28 and 30 . . . published on Tuesdays and Thursdays, carried these details of the Zamora sighting (April 24, 1964). They were on top of this story almost immediately and the following is briefly what was reported.

He first saw the object from 150 yards. As he drove towards the top of the Mesa, Zamora said one of two persons at the UFO whose back was to him, turned his head and looked straight at him. The two persons appeared to be dressed in white coveralls, and at that distance, Zamora said they appeared to be approximately as tall as a 12-13 year old boy. He did not take notice of headgear worn by the two short "men."

Zamora continued driving up the hill to get a closer look. When he stopped the car on top of the Mesa and directly opposite the place where the UFO had landed, he saw it again; but the persons were not to be seen. He started towards the UFO on foot. Then he heard the roar or blast that had brought him to the scene. He saw flames, and dust was flying around the object. Thinking that the object was about to explode, he threw himself to the ground and covered his head and face. He was a mere 50 feet from the UFO at the time.

When no explosion occurred, he raised his head and saw the object rise straight up 20 feet. As it rose, the roar changed to a whine and quieted.

The object maintained this altitude and moved in a straight line for about 2 miles. Then the UFO gained altitude very rapidly, and soon became a speck in the sky, and disappeared. Four depressions were found where the object had been. They were 12 in. by 6 in. The two legs were probably 2-1/2 ft. long. On the west side, it was 12 feet between landing holes; on the east, the distance was 15 feet. The width was 9 or more feet. Two round impressions were 4 and 5 inches in diameter respectively.

The newspaper carried a picture taken at the site on the very next day (April 25). Thereafter, the evidence was practically destroyed by the curious, who came in great numbers.

The Lorenzens of APRO were there soon after and reported their findings in Fate Magazine, July, 1964. Pictures of the impressions were taken and shown in Fate.

Dr. J. Allen Hynek, who visited the site with Zamora said "It's a real pity, but no one's fault, that other witnesses did not see the object land or take off. A movie of this would have been price less. I feel in my own mind that hoax is ruled out . . . "

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.