FOIA: Holloman AFB NM Sighting 14JUL52 - (Unidentified) !!

NM_JULY_14_1952.pdf
Holloman AFB NM Sighting 14JUL52 (Unidentified)
This is a very interesting record of an object sighted, film taken, observed from more than one location.
Document date: 1952-07-14
Department: Unknown
Author: Various
Document type: Investigative report
pages: 12


Archivist's Notes: Document is mostly legible, this is the investigation of a sighting of UFO's in the skies over Holloman AFB which has a little bit of everything. Witnesses were observing aircraft from two ground locations, when an object passed by that was unidentified, it even triggered a radar hit. Test baloon was in the air as well and discounted as the object. 200 feet of film was also recorded.

Again New Mexico and Holloman AFB

The document says that sightings were considered as weather balloons or aircrafts that were flying even thought the investigations makes it clear that the objects were flying to fast (so can't be a weather balloon which by the way was launched about an hour earlier than the time when sightings took place. Here I'm referring to the second sighting and the first one took place few minutes before the balloon was launched). Also the fact that was seen in the radar screen for an instant makes me think that the object either was flying to fast or 'cloaked". The second fact that dismisses the explanation from the military is that B-29 and F-86 were flying in the opposite direction where the objects were seen to come from.

There was a recording of 200 feet of movie in 35 mm where can be seen the objects caught in few frames (unfortunately in the document those can't be seen due to the poor quality). To this prove adds up the testimony of a very reliable observers such as captain J. J. Hinkley who at the time was following the flight pattern of the planes through very powerful binoculars and with great weather conditions (visibility 40 miles). He identified the objects as oval shaped.

For this report on Unidentified Flying Objects dated 29 April 1952 in Holloman AFB NW no actions were taken and the report was filed and stored as the rest. We're talking about early fifties and especially NW known to be a ufo hotbed at the time.

In my pc the document looked very bad and I might have read something in a wrong way. I hope other archivists are reviewing this document too.

reply to post by Telos


I think you got the data correct here, good job.

This case is noteworthy for what was done with it. Nothing at all. Because the Air Force couldn't stop these objects, or even say what they were, they were brushed under the rug as misidentified craft.

This early mindset became the SOP in later years. It is the reason that the UFO phenomenon has always been considered fringe material. This was the only way the military could save face. Otherwise, they would have to admit that they were failing to do their job.