Walter Haut

In 1947, a UFO allegedly crashed in Roswell, New Mexico, and this event has been the subject of much speculation and controversy ever since. Lt. Walter Haut, a public relations officer at Roswell Army Air Field at the time, left a sworn affidavit detailing his experience with the crash. The affidavit was to remain sealed until after his death, which occurred in 2005. The text was released in 2007, and in it, Haut describes seeing the UFO and its occupants, which he claims were alien bodies. He also mentions a meeting with Col. William Blanchard and General Roger Ramey, both high-ranking military officials.

The document is an affidavit sworn by Walter G. Haut on December 26, 2002. The main points in the affidavit are as follows:

1. Walter G. Haut identifies himself.
2. He states his date of birth and address.
3. Haut confirms that he is retired.
4. In July 1947, Haut was stationed at the Roswell Army Air Base as the base Public Information Officer.
5. He had spent the 4th of July weekend away from the base at his private residence about 10 miles north of Roswell.
6. Upon returning to duty on July 7, he learned that someone had reported the remains of a downed vehicle, and Major Jesse A. Marcel was sent to investigate.
7. Additional civilian reports came in on the same day, mentioning a second site north of Roswell. The second crash site separate from the initial one is commonly referred to as the “Brazel Ranch site” or the “Foster Ranch site.” It was the location where debris and wreckage were allegedly found by rancher William “Mac” Brazel on the Foster Ranch, situated north of Roswell, New Mexico.
8. On July 8, a staff meeting was held where they discussed the extensive debris field in Lincoln County and a second site north of town. Samples of wreckage were shown, but they could not identify the material.
9. The meeting also discussed whether to go public with the discovery, and a plan was proposed to divert attention from the more important site by acknowledging the other location.
10. Col. Blanchard dictated a press release stating they had a flying disc in their possession, and Marcel would fly the material to higher headquarters.
11. The news generated global media attention, and Haut’s office received numerous phone calls.
12. Before leaving the base, Col. Blanchard took Haut to Building 84, where Haut observed an object that had been recovered north of town. It was about 12 to 15 feet in length, metallic in appearance, and shaped like an egg.
13. Haut also saw a couple of bodies covered by a canvas tarpaulin. The heads appeared larger than normal, and the canvas suggested the size of a 10-year-old child.
14. He was informed of a temporary morgue set up for the recovered bodies.
15. He was told that the wreckage was not radioactive.
16. Major Marcel described to Haut how the wreckage he brought to Gen. Ramey’s office was later switched with remains of a weather balloon and radar kite, which upset Marcel.
17. Haut was allowed to visit one of the recovery sites during the military cleanup and returned to the base with some wreckage displayed in his office.
18. He knew that separate teams would return to each site for periodic searches for remaining evidence.
19. Haut states that he is convinced what he observed was some type of craft and crew from outer space.
20. He declares that he has not been paid or given anything of value to make this statement, and it is the truth to the best of his recollection.
21. The affidavit is to remain sealed and secured until Haut’s death, at which time his surviving family will determine its disposition.

This document is a significant piece of testimony in relation to the Roswell UFO incident, as it provides an account of the events from someone with firsthand knowledge and involvement.

Facts:

1. The US military initially announced that they had recovered a crashed “flying disc,” but then later stated that it was a weather balloon. (Source: History.com, “Roswell”, https://www.history.com/topics/paranormal/roswell)
2. Despite the military’s official explanation, many people believe that the government covered up evidence of extraterrestrial life at Roswell. (Source: Smithsonian Magazine, “The Roswell Incident: How ‘UFO Sightings’ Put Area 51 on the Map”, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-roswell-incident-what-government-said-versus-what-evidence-showed-180972410/)
3. The Roswell incident has inspired countless books, movies, and TV shows, making it one of the most famous alleged UFO sightings in history. (Source: The New York Times, “The Mystery of the 1950s ‘Flying Saucers'”, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/14/books/review/the-mystery-of-the-1950s-flying-saucers.html)

According to the Center for UFO Studies, the Roswell incident was likely the result of a top-secret government project called Project Mogul, which involved high-altitude balloons equipped with sophisticated listening devices to detect Soviet nuclear tests. However, this explanation has been contested by many UFO enthusiasts who argue that the physical evidence found at the scene, such as the alleged alien bodies, cannot be explained by Project Mogul.

Some books about the Roswell incident include “The Day After Roswell” by Col. Philip J. Corso, which claims that the US government used the technology recovered from the crash to advance its own technology. Another book, “Witness to Roswell” by Thomas J. Carey and Donald R. Schmitt, presents eyewitness accounts that support the idea that extraterrestrial life was involved in the incident.

In 1947, the Roswell Daily Record famously reported that the military had recovered a “flying saucer” and published photos of the wreckage. Later that same day, the military retracted the statement and claimed that it was just a weather balloon. In recent years, some newspapers have reported on alleged new evidence related to the incident, such as a photograph that purports to show an extraterrestrial being.