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DoD-B11-011 · 1964-04-24

Socorro Investigation Lonnie Zamora 1964

DoD◎ Socorro, New Mexico◌ North America#1964◈ Ellipsoid↑ Ground to 200 feet⏱ 5 minutes
EVIDENCE GALLERY

Visual reconstruction and recovered media extracted from the incident dossier. This case includes still evidence and analytical reconstruction.

Representative official gallery image traced to an official public-source archive

MEDIA STATUS
Official gallery media is shown as representative archive context for this case.
SOURCE TYPE
Photo evidence plus archival field-report analysis.
VIEW MODE
Still view highlights silhouette, environment, and encounter geometry.
AT A GLANCE

The Socorro incident is considered the gold standard of physical trace evidence cases. Officer Zamora witnessed a craft take off, leaving burn marks and physical depressions USAF investigators were unable to explain. Project Blue Book ranked it as one of its best-documented unknowns.

PRIMARY WITNESSES
Officer Lonnie Zamora, USAF investigator Hector Quintanilla
EVIDENCE PROFILE
STILL EVIDENCEELLIPSOID
FILE ID
DoD-B11-011
DATE
1964-04-24
AGENCY
DoD
REGION
North America
SHAPE
Ellipsoid
ALTITUDE
Ground to 200 feet
OBSERVED BEHAVIORS
Stationary HoverRapid Acceleration
DECLASSIFIED DETAILS

On April 24, 1964, New Mexico State Police Officer Lonnie Zamora observed a bluish-orange flame descend into an arroyo outside Socorro. Investigating, he encountered an egg-shaped metallic craft on leg-like supports attended by two small figures in white coveralls. As Zamora approached, the figures entered the craft and it lifted off with a loud roar and flame, then departed silently. USAF investigators including Major Hector Quintanilla and civilian scientist Dr. J. Allen Hynek arrived within hours. They documented four precise burn marks and two physical depressions from the craft's landing gear with no explanation for their formation. The craft had also scorched a geasewood bush. A red insignia was observed on the hull. Project Blue Book ranked the Socorro case as one of the most significant 'unknown' cases in the program's 17-year history. Hynek, a career Blue Book skeptic, stated he found Zamora's account completely credible and that the physical evidence was inexplicable by any known aircraft or technology. The case remains unresolved in the USAF official files.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS
  • ›Physical landing gear depressions
  • ›Scorched vegetation evidence
  • ›Red insignia on hull observed
  • ›Hynek credibility endorsement
  • ›Gold standard physical trace case
ORIGINAL SOURCE

This incident is indexed as file DoD-B11-011inside Now Declassified's research layer. The nearest official source trail for this agency points to NARA RG 615 / OSD, where archive records, imagery, or supporting context are published for public review.

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EVIDENCE STRENGTH
MODERATE
Video Record
0
Still Imagery
15
Witness Credibility
5
Sensor Corroboration
0
Physical Evidence
20
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ARCHIVE EXPORT
RESEARCH GUIDES
›How AARO Publishes UAP Cases›NARA Record Group 615ALL GUIDES →
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Patrolman Lonnie Zamora observed a white egg-shaped craft land in the Socorro desert, observed two small figures near it, and watched it depart vertically. The physical evidence — four circular landing impressions, burned brush at four locations, and a rock with blue flame residue — was documented by USAF Project Blue Book investigators. Dr. J. Allen Hynek considered it his single best case. The landing impressions were formally measured and preserved. Classified CIA and USAF documents reference this case specifically.

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◈ MEDIA
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◎Location Classified

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DISAPPEARED INSTANTLYRAPID ACCELERATION
STRONG
◈ MEDIA
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DoD⬭ Ellipsoid
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Chiles-Whitted Eastern Airlines Rocket Object

◎Montgomery, Alabama, USA

Two experienced Eastern Airlines captains reported a cigar-shaped, double-decked object with a blazing exhaust that passed within 700 feet of their DC-3 at 700 mph over Montgomery, Alabama. Project Sign analysts concluded it was the 'most credible' UAP report of 1948 and drafted a classified estimate attributing it to extraterrestrial origin.

RAPID ACCELERATIONDISAPPEARED INSTANTLY
INSUFFICIENT
◈ MEDIA
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RESEARCHER DISCUSSION

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