UAP Reported at Sandia Base, 1948-1950

This U.S. Department of War release compiles 1949 records tied to Sandia Base, New Mexico. It includes a Sandia Base security inspection reply and a W. D. Crozier letter to Lincoln LaPaz. It also contains Crozier and Seely's report on collecting airborne copper particles after the July 24, 1949 fireball near Socorro, which they judged negative or inconclusive. LaPaz's sixth report on green fireballs disputes parts of that finding, and a Fourth Army report describes unusual lights around the Q Area at Camp Hood, Texas, in March 1949.

From the source:Release of 2026-05-22 Incident: 1948-1950, New Mexico. This file contains 116 pages of documentation from the Armed Forces Special Weapons Program (AFSWP) – the direct, post-World War II successor to the Manhattan Project – and from the U.S. Air Force – relating to a series of sightings and investigations in Sandia, New Mexico, from 1948-1950. This file contains 209 sightings of “green orbs,” “discs,” and “fireballs” reported near the military base. Witnesses reported unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) maneuvering, flying out of sight, disappearing, or exploding. The documents also include the results of contemporary investigations into residual copper powder found in some areas where sightings were reported. A few of these investigations became the basis for Project Grudge, which collected reports of unidentified flying objects from various other military installations – also included in this collection.

Summary of Sightings of Unknown Aerial Phenomena, 17th District OSI (cont)

Number	Date	Time	Number of Observers	*Reliability of Observers	General Area of Occurrence	Apparent Direction of Flight	Apparent Altitude	Course Horizontal to Vertical	Color	Train or Trail	Duration of Observation	Sound	Shape	Apparent Size	Apparent Speed	Manner of Disappearance	**Evaluation
80	1949/28 Jul	2045	1	Unk	Killeen Base, Texas	N to S	30° above horizon White w/tint of blue green	Yes	3-5 secs	None	Round w/tail	Size of evening star	Unable to estimate	Faded out	(1)
81	28 Jul	2259	1	Unk	Killeen, Texas	S to N	30° above horizon 2 predominately white. I had orange glow to tail	Yes	#1 at 2-3 secs #2 at 10-12 secs	None	Round w/tail	Tennis ball Faded out	(1)
82	28 Jul	2258	1	Unk	Killeen, Texas	N to NW	30° above horizon Initially blue turning white	None	15-20 secs	None	Round	3 times size evening star Went out like light	(1)(3)
83	30 Jul	2135	1	R	Camp Hood, Texas	SE to NW	35° to horizon	Climbed in arc	Blue-white	Yes	2-21/2 secs	None	Like rocket tail 2-21/2 secs to cover arc of about 15°	Faded out	(1)
84	30 Jul	2204	1	Unk	Camp Hood, Texas	SE to SW	App 30° above horizon	Straight flight losing altitude	Predominately white w/blue tint	Yes	2-3 secs	None	Round w/tail	Evening star or planet	Very fast	Gradually faded out	(3)

CONFIDENTIAL