The Roswell Report: Fact vs. Fiction in the New Mexico Desert

figures on the sticks, lavender or pink in color, appeared to be weather faded markings, with no rhyme or reason [sic]. He did not convince me that these were alien writings." Newton concluded his statement by relating that "... During the ensuing years I have been interviewed by many authors, I have been quoted and misquoted. The facts remain as indicated above. I was not influenced during the original interview, nor today, to provide anything but what I know to be true, that is, the material I saw in General Ramey's office was the remains of a balloon and a RAWIN target."

## Balloon Research

The original tasking from GAO noted that the search for information included "weather balloons." Comments about balloons and safety reports have already been made; however the SAF/AAZ research efforts also focused on reviewing historical records involving balloons, since, among other reasons, that was what was officially claimed by the AAF to have been found and recovered in 1947.

As early as February 28, 1994, the AAZD research team found references to balloon tests taking place at Alamogordo Army Air Field (now Holloman AFB) and White Sands during June and July 1947, testing "constant level balloons" and a New York University (NYU)/Watson Labs effort that used "... meteorological devices . . . suspected for detecting shock waves generated by Soviet nuclear explosions"—a possible indication of a cover story associated with the NYU balloon project. Subsequently, a 1946 HQ AMC memorandum surfaced, describing the constant altitude balloon project and specified that the scientific data be classified Top Secret Priority 1A. Its name was Project MOGUL (Atch 19).

Project MOGUL was a then-sensitive, classified project, whose purpose was to determine the state of Soviet nuclear weapons research. This was the early Cold War period and there was serious concern within the US government about the Soviets' developing a weaponized atomic device. Because the Soviet Union's borders were closed, the US Government sought to develop a long range nuclear explosion detection capability. Long range, balloon-borne, low frequency acoustic detection was posed to General Spaatz in 1945 by Dr. Maurice Ewing of Columbia University as a potential solution (atmospheric ducting of low frequency pressure waves had been studied as early as 1900).

As part of the research into this matter, AAZD personnel located and obtained the original study papers and reports of the New York University project. Their efforts also revealed that some of the individuals involved in Project MOGUL were still living. These persons included the NYU constant altitude balloon Director of Research, Dr. Athelstan F. Spilhaus; the Project Engineer, Professor Charles B. Moore; and the military Project Officer, Colonel Albert C. Trakowski.

All of these persons were subsequently interviewed and signed sworn statements about their activities. A copy of theses statements are appended at Atchs 20-22. Additionally, transcripts of the interview with Moore and Trakowski are also included (equipment malfunctioned during the interview of Spilhaus) (Atchs