Deseret News archives: First saucer sighting reported at Roswell. Or was it a balloon?

A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.

It began in 1947.

The Deseret News reported on events out of New Mexico that remain unsolved.

Or is it a cover-up?

On July 8, 1947, a New Mexico newspaper, the Roswell Daily Record, quoted officials at Roswell Army Air Field as saying they had recovered a “flying saucer” that crashed onto a ranch; officials then said it was actually a weather balloon.

“—FLASH—

“ROSWELL, N.M. — The Army Air Force here today announced a flying disc has been on a ranch near Roswell and is in Army possession.

“Lt. Warren Haught, public information officer of the Roswell Army Air Field, announced the find had been made ‘sometime last week,’ and had been turned over to the air field through cooperation of the sheriff’s office.

“’It was inspected at the Roswell Army Air Field and subsequently loaned’ by Maj. Jesse A. Marcel, of the 409th Bomb Group intelligence office at Roswell, ‘to higher headquarters.’

“The Army gave no other details.”

Remember that last line in the news flash.

Like any good story that captures our imagination, here were the headlines the very next day in the Deseret News:

“Army says ‘disc’ mere weather balloon”

“Two more states report observing mystery discs”

“Ball of fire reported in Salt Lake sky”

We share stories from Deseret News and KSL archives from colleague about our favorite UFO spot in southwestern New Mexico:

“ UFO buffs mark 50 years since Roswell `landing’ ”

“ A.F. took much too long to come clean on Roswell incident ”

“ Roswell mural has many answers, many NM voices ”

“ Roswell plans 60th anniversary UFO festival ”

“ Air Force report says Roswell `aliens’ were just dummies ”

“ Roswell officials hoping to cash in on UFO-themed amusement park ”

“ Happy World UFO Day! Here are the 21 best alien movies ”

“ Utah’s most infamous UFO sightings will have you believing in the unexplained ”

“ ‘We’re definitely not alone’: Intelligence official says government is hiding ‘intact’ alien crafts ”

“ Witness says U.S. government may have nonhuman bodies during congressional hearing on UFOs ”

“ Is the truth out there? NASA’s UFO investigation moving forward at ‘full force’ ”

“ Are UFOs real? Here’s why Congress wants to hear about your sightings ”