FOIA: Round bright white craft observed by two people

NM_FEB_17_1949.pdf
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A report of an object sighting that took place on 49-07-02 in Albuquerque New Mexico. Two Witness accounts a professor and a truck driver.
Document date: 1949-03-17
Department: un-named
Author: either un-named or blacked out
Document type: report
pages: 11


Archivist's Notes: What appears to be two different sighting of similar objects.

Professor Marvin May, a civil engineering professor specializing in meteorites observed a round bright white craft ("too large for a plane")that shifted to bright peach and also became eliptical until "length was ten times it's width" before accelerating rapidly and away.

Un-named Person who took report made note that professor was very credible because of his background.

Second observor at different location was Mr. Herman Wilcox a truck driver and former police officer who observed (at approx 1800 hours) something very similar to the proffesor though wilcox mentions a smoke trail while the professor doesn't.

Wilcox interview took place on 16 march, professor, 17 March 1949
Part of the document is illegible other very good.

Referred to as incident 255 makes references to see incident 258 which took place on the same day.



Not a lot of info but the mystery man who took the reports found them credible witnesses.

spiderj

I shall start this in a singular fashion, as a summery of what I took from reading the documents. This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive delving into this case, as I leave that to further researchers. The views expressed are either my own, formed from perusing these items, or the expressed written views of those involved.

*****************Unexpected New Mexico Lights********************

On the 17th of February, 1949, a light was spotted in the skies above Albuquerque, New Mexico. An eyewitness, name lost to history now, described it as "too big for a plane". The unknown witness said that around 6:00PM he saw the light, which was oval, though it later changed shape "near the end of the observation". It began as a bright white light, later changing to a "peach" color.

At first it was round, but later changed to an "elipse" as time progressed. it continued to change until it's length was "ten times it's width". The self luminous object was observed for something like six minutes, during which it changed directions, and elevation. Some of the turns were described as "sharp". the witness was impressed by the fact that the object "enlongated" as it moved, as this seems stressed in the report.

There is a comment by a certain Marvin May of the University of New Mexico that the report was by a person that was a "very intelligent man" and mention that he had "meteorlogical" expertise, which made his report "more valuable".

On the same evening, in the same area near Albuquerque, yet seemingly from different location comes another report of what seems to be the same incident. Herman Wilcox, a truck driver for Green Oil Company described a light he saw at the same time, 6:00PM, in the same part of the sky, and almost identical in appearance.

Mr. Wilcox is described as a "sober, fairly intelligent" person, and a former police officer. The only difference between his description and the first witness is that Mr. Wilcox thought there was a vapor trail seen behind the object. Both witnesses were aware of the conditions as cloudless. Both saw a self luminous light that sped off while making turns and "climbing", in the same general part of the sky. There is little doubt, judging by the text, to think that these were separate anomalies.

Taken as a whole, while there can be nothing at this date to be investigated, this case seems to be quintessentially the profile of early lights in the sky type of report. It is remarkable only that the witnesses seem to be separated by some space, and yet report essentially the same thing. It shows that long before the YouTube craze, these things were being reported by sober upstanding citizens as matter - of- fact, as you or I would report seeing a car chase in L.A.

The premier thing that I noted was the description of the object as "enlongated" as it moved away. Considering that this long before the general understanding of relativity, there is a certain mystery as to how this might have been noticed and stressed.

[edit on 16-11-2007 by NGC2736]

[edit on 16-11-2007 by NGC2736]

When reading this document I am reminded of the Socorro case by Police Officer Sgt. Lonnie Zamora. He described a similar white egg shaped UFO and is one of the better known UFO cases from the 1960's.

Related Links:
TinWiki article: Soccoro, New Mexico close encounter of the third kind

Originally posted by NGC2736
The self luminous object was observed for something like six minutes, during which it changed directions, and elevation. Some of the turns were described as "sharp". the witness was impressed by the fact that the object "enlongated" as it moved, as this seems stressed in the report.

I don't understand why they would fly so erratically. That's one thing that puzzles me when sightings describe the craft as changing directions and making sharp turns to and fro. Are they showing off, or do they get drunk and come here to laugh at us? I just don't understand the point of evasive maneuvers when you're not being chased...

reply to post by NGC2736



Actually it was Marvin May a civil engineer professor at the university of New Mexico who made the report, the un-named person who took the report stated that Marvin was very credible due to his specialization in meteorites.

spider

This document looks like an internal memo from one department to another. At the very bottom of page 10 you can just about make out the author requesting further "assistance and/or advice".

Thing which intrigues me is that the incident occured on 17th Feb but the subjects weren't interviewed until a whole month later. Why the delay ?

And to whom did these subjects initially make their observations to ? You would have thought the first thing the author would have noted was ... who received the initial report of a UFO ? Where is their report ? Where is the referral asking this "department" to investigate ? If the police took the initial report, might there even today be a corresponding report tucked away in their files ?

And the fact that "the authorities" have a ready made stencil prepared just gives an indication of the sheer number of UFO reports they were receiving during this period.

reply to post by 27jd


Without knowing the objective of the UFO, it is impossible, IMO, to understand the reasons for flight characteristics. All we have is the reports of what took place, according to those in place at the time.

As I said before, this incident is not in and of itself worth, IMO, much investigation at this late date, It is, however, very indicative of the matter-of-fact acceptance of the military of these objects at that time. Before the phenomenon became widespread, the military seemed as eager as anyone to reach an answer about UFOs.

reply to post by Spiderj


I stand corrected. My bad on this. I would plead the fifth, but I must have drank it. (My only excuse.)

No problemo

I think we're both fully aware of how incredibly confusing these documents can be to read.

The hunt continues

Spiderj

Originally posted by Spiderj
reply to post by NGC2736

 

Actually it was Marvin May a civil engineer professor at the university of New Mexico who made the report, the un-named person who took the report stated that Marvin was very credible due to his specialization in meteorites.

spider

That's totally correct

I've noticed that too and I was about to u2u NGC2736 when I saw your answer. Nice observation