The Roswell Incident (1947) – The most famous UFO event in history
Short description of the event
In July 1947, a rancher near Roswell, New Mexico, discovered unusual debris on his land. The U.S. Army initially issued a press release confirming the recovery of a "flying saucer." A few hours later, this statement was revised, claiming the debris was merely from a weather balloon. Decades later, reports from former military personnel and leaked documents emerged, suggesting that an extraterrestrial object with passengers might indeed have been recovered. The case is still considered the most famous UFO incident in the world.
When and where did this all happen?
The incident occurred in July 1947 on a remote ranch about 120 km northwest of Roswell, New Mexico, USA. The debris was taken to Roswell Army Air Field (RAAF).
Main features of the event
Rancher Mac Brazel found strange materials on his property—extremely light, durable, non-flammable, and bearing unknown symbols. On July 8, 1947, the U.S. Army's 509th Bombardment Group publicly reported the recovery of a "flying saucer," but retracted the claim a few hours later. Instead, a weather balloon was presented as the explanation. The crash site was immediately cordoned off by the military, and witnesses later reported attempts at intimidation. In 1994, the U.S. government published the "Project Mogul" report, which concluded that the balloon was a secret spy balloon. Nevertheless, reports of recovered alien corpses continue to circulate—although the famous 1995 autopsy video was later exposed as a fake.
Investigation and clarification attempts
Officials claimed in the 1990s that the debris belonged to Project Mogul—a top-secret program to monitor Soviet nuclear tests. The government claimed there was no evidence of extraterrestrial technology. Nevertheless, the book The Roswell Incident (1980) revived public interest. In the years that followed, former military personnel came forward, claiming to have been involved in the removal of a non-human object. Skeptics argue that most of the statements were made decades later, and that Project Mogul offers a plausible explanation for the material.
List of the most credible witnesses
Major Jesse Marcel, a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer, was one of the first on the crash site and described the debris as "otherworldly." Rancher Mac Brazel discovered the wreckage and informed the military. Other former military personnel later claimed to have been involved in removing bodies or aircraft parts. Official documents also confirm that the initial speculation was that it was a flying saucer.
Conclusion on credibility
The military's initial communications, subsequent secrecy, and reports of unidentifiable material suggest an unusual occurrence. On the other hand, physical evidence of an alien spacecraft or occupants is still lacking. The Project Mogul theory offers a technically plausible explanation.
Credibility: Medium to high – Roswell remains the world's most famous UFO case. There are numerous credible witness accounts and indications of a cover-up, but no definitive evidence of extraterrestrial origin.