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

# REPORT

# GAO INVESTIGATION OF "THE ROSWELL INCIDENT": RELEVANT HOLDINGS AT THE AFHRA

8 March 1994

## Preface

On 1 March 1994 a facsimile transmission from the Secretary of the Air Force, Office of Administrative Assistant (SAF/AA) directed the Historical Research Agency to support the General Accounting Office's investigation of "the Roswell incident." Specifically, the Agency was directed to identify any records in its possession concerning the investigation and reporting of air vehicle and other crash incidents similar to the reported crash of a weather balloon near Roswell, New Mexico, in July 1947 ("the Roswell incident"). This report presents the search procedure and results and indicates some possible additional locations for Air Force files on the Roswell incident.

## Definition of a Search Strategy

The AFHRA/RSQ (Inquiries Branch) was assigned the task of responding to the SAF/AAZ directive. On 2 March 1994, Inquiries Branch staff developed a list of possible file locations which might contain relevant documents. Primary items on this list were Roswell AAFld installation histories, together with unit histories of the Air Force organizations stationed at Roswell in June-July 1947. In addition, the following rubrics were identified for insertion into the Agency's finding aids:

Roswell

Roswell Army Air Field

Unidentified Flying Objects

UFO(s)

Weather Balloon(s)

## Results of the Search - Unit Histories

In June/July 1947, the principal Air Force unit stationed at Roswell was the 509th Bomb Group (H). This group, its constituent squadrons, and support organizations were therefore indicated as the most likely locations for any reporting about the Roswell incident in Agency files. On 3 March 1994, the unit histories of Air Force organizations stationed at Roswell AAFld were retrieved and examined page-by-page for any entries