USAF: Roswell Report Case Closed released
On June 24, 1997, the USAF released 'The Roswell Report: Case Closed,' explaining Roswell 'alien bodies' as test dummies from high-altitude balloons and linking other claims to later accidents.
Background
Background
On June 24, 1997 the US Air Force published the report The Roswell Report: Case Closed, prepared under Capt. James McAndrew. It addresses the continuing speculation about the 1947 incident near Roswell, New Mexico.
Explanation of the 'Alien Bodies'
Reports of alien bodies were identified as anthropomorphic test dummies carried aloft in high-altitude balloons for research. Military activity corresponded to recovery operations for these balloons. According to the report, witness accounts conflated dates, since the tests took place years after 1947.
Linked Incidents
Alleged bodies at the Roswell Army Air Field hospital were attributed to two accidents: the crash of a Boeing KC-97G on June 26, 1956 at Roswell-Walker AFB with 11 dead, and a balloon accident on May 21, 1959 near Holloman AFB in which Capt. Joseph Kittinger was injured. This occurred in the framework of Project Excelsior.
Debris Field
The debris field near Corona, New Mexico continued to be attributed to the Project Mogul balloon programme.
Significance
The report sets out to refute UFO conspiracy theories through official documents, photographs, and interviews, emphasises displacements of dates in witnesses' memories, and closed a wide-ranging search.