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.

REPORT OF TRIP TO LOS ALAMOS, NEW MEXICO, 16 FEBRUARY 1949, BY COMMANDER RICHARD S. MANDELKORN, U.S.N., RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION, SANDIA BASE.

Subject: Project "Grudge".

1. On 16 February, a conference was held at Los Alamos to consider the so-called green fireball phenomena which commenced about 5 December 1948. The following were present:

For Los Alamos:

Mr. N. E. Bradbury

Mr. Marshall Holloway

Mr. Fred Reines

Mr. John Manley

Mr. Edward Teller

Mr. Elmo Morgan (AEC)

Mr. Sidney Neuberger (Security)

Mr. Maxwell (AESS)

Mr. Hoyt

For the Fourth Army:

Major William A. Godsoe Major Wynn

For the U. S. Air Force:

Captain Neef

For the University of New Mexico:

Dr. Lincoln LaPaz

For Sandia Base:

Commander Richard Mandelkorn

2. Captain Neef opened the meeting by saying that the problem was being presented to Los Alamos scientists in hopes that they would be able to indicate some mode of attack on the problem and offer some explanations for the phenomena observed. He stated that this question had been classified military SECRET under the name, Project "Grudge", and that the investigation was now the primary responsibility of USAF, Air Materiel Command, T-2. He then turned over the discussion to Dr. LaPaz.