The 1947 Roswell incident, where unidentified materials were collected, sparked rumors of a UFO crash. The US government denied this, but interest in the event grew, leading to a boom in tourism for Roswell.
For many people around the world, hearing the name Roswell immediately conjures up images of extraterrestrial activity. Known internationally as the site of one of the most talked about incidents in the field of ufology, Roswell has been at the center of a controversy that has its origins in the mid-20th century. Even today, there are many people who believe that there is a carefully planned cover-up about what really happened near Roswell, New Mexico all those years ago.
The incident that brought Roswell world fame occurred on July 7, 1947. It was on that date that reports of the discovery and collection of unidentified materials about seventy to seventy-five miles outside the city were announced. The US Army managed the collection process, working in tandem with Roswell Army Air Field and the local Walker Air Force Base.
Local news reports noted that William Brazel first discovered the strange materials on June 14, 1947, while working as a foreman on Foster’s ranch near the town of Corona. New reports indicated that the materials included thin sections of what appeared to be aluminum foil, but were much sturdier. Subsequent reports placed the initial discovery as occurring during early July rather than June. Some media outlets have openly speculated on the possibility that the materials collected were the wreckage of an unidentified flying object, or UFO.
This was especially true after a press release issued on July 8, 1947 identified the materials as the remains of a flying saucer. A subsequent press announcement waived the earlier press release, correcting the information to state that the remains of a weather research balloon had been recovered. Although it was a hot topic for a short period of time, the public soon lost interest in the subject and the matter faded into obscurity.
However, the late 1970s saw renewed interest in the events that occurred near Roswell in 1947. Evidence began to circulate of a government cover-up to prevent widespread panic. During the decade of the 1980s, numerous accounts surfaced of various people either living in the Roswell area or being in the military at the time. Many of these new reports included claims of a recovered spacecraft, dead bodies of alien visitors, and autopsies allegedly conducted under high-level safety conditions.
As public interest in Roswell continued to grow, the US General Accounting Office conducted an investigation into the matter. The findings were published in 1995, with a second report released in 1997. According to reports, the recovered materials were linked to highly classified government projects, including one involving the use of mannequins in flight simulations. There was again the announcement that all recovered materials were of terrestrial origin, and had nothing to do with alien craft or the recovery of any evidence of UFO activity.
However, the Roswell UFO crash meant a boom for the city of Roswell. After Walker Air Force Base closed in 1967, Roswell sought to redefine itself as an ideal retirement community. The renewed interest in the 1947 crash quickly spawned a tourist trade which rapidly led to the development of a significant amount of income and source of employment for local citizens. Today, many people who argue for extraterrestrial activity on earth consider Roswell a mecca. The city attracts a steady stream of visitors from all over the world, making the alleged UFO incident a major source of income for the city.
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