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
96	1949/10 Aug	2035	1	R	Camp Hood, Texas	N to S Level flight	Yellow to orange	Yes	1-2 secs	None Like head-light of old car	60° in 2 secs	Cut out	(3)
97	10 Aug	2035220722202240	1	Unk	Camp Hood, Texas	W to E	30°-45° above horizon	Level flight	White	Yes	3-4 secs	None	Round w/tail	Large flare	Greater speed than plane	Burned out	(3)
98	10 Aug	2040	1	Unk	Camp Hood, Texas	N to S	30° above horizon	Horizontal w/slight arc	Orange w/white tail	Yes	3-5 secs	None	Rocket	20 mm. tracer ammo.	Very great similar to falling star	Light gradually diminished	(3)
99	10 Aug	2100	1	Unk	Killeen Base, Texas	S	30° above horizon going up	Continued climbing at 30° angle until disappearance	Bright orange	Yes	5 secs	None	Reddish ball with long firey tail	Head size Disappeared	(3)
100	10 Aug	2100212022152250	1	R	Camp Hood, Texas 40°-70° above horizon	#1, 3 & 4 almost horizontal #2 almost vertical	White with orange	Yes	1 sec for each one	None	Round with trail	Large star	Great speed	Went out like a light	(3)