An FBI memo from March 22, 1950, recently released on a new Web site established by the agency dubbed "The Vault," has UFO researchers in a major stir.
The document, written by Guy Hottel, a special agent in the FBI's Washington Field Office, appears to lend credence to the fact disc-like objects from outer space landed in Roswell, N.M. in 1947. While UFO researchers have long held the object was an alien spacecraft, the military's account of the incident has always been that it was a surveillance balloon.
|
Other Recent Science Stories on OnlineJournal: Mythbusters' Engineer Jamie Hyneman Assisting U.S. Military John Titor, Alleged Time Traveler From 2036 El Chupacabra Legend Eliminated, Expert Claims Baltic Sea Letter In a Bottle Found, 24 Years Later |
In the memo, addressed to the director of the FBI, Hottel relayed information that was provided to him at the time by an Air Force informant.
It reads as follows:
"An investigator for the Air Force stated that three so-called flying saucers had been recovered in New Mexico. They were described as being circular in shape with raised centers, approximately 50 feet in diameter. Each one was occupied by three bodies of human shape but only three feet tall, dressed in metallic cloth of a very fine texture. Each body was bandaged in a manner similar to the blackout suits used by speed flyers and test pilots.
"According to Mr. (censored) informant, the saucers were found in New Mexico due to the fact that the Government has a very high-powered radar set-up in that area and it is believed the radar interferes with the controlling mechanism of the saucers. No further evaluation was attempted by SA (censored) concerning the above."
The Washington Post notes Hottel never followed up on the memo or stated if the information was true.
LiveScience further debunks the memo by noting the description of there being three flying saucers contradicts eyewitnesses at the time, who said they found lightweight metallic debris scattered across a field and not three intact flying saucers.