Thomas J. Carey
Thomas J. Carey is a prominent ufologist, researcher, and author who has dedicated his career to the study of unidentified aerial phenomena and unidentified flying objects. His work has played a noticeable role in shaping modern discussion around the topic, contributing to both public awareness and continued investigation into these events.
Carey holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Temple University and an M.A. in Anthropology from California State University, Sacramento; he also attended the University of Toronto’s Ph.D. program in Anthropology. His academic background gives him a slightly different angle compared to many others in the field, as he often looks at UFO encounters through cultural patterns, witness behavior, and historical continuity rather than only technical explanations.
A U.S. Air Force veteran who held a Top Secret/Crypto security clearance, Carey is a retired Philadelphia-area businessman. A native Philadelphian, he resides in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, with his wife Doreen and their family. Over the years, he has built a varied professional background in ufology. He served as a special investigator for J. Allen Hynek’s Center for UFO Studies from 1991 to 2001 and as a member of its board of directors from 1997 to 2001, and as Mutual UFO Network State Section Director for southeastern Pennsylvania from 1986 to 2002. He began investigating the Roswell Incident in 1991 with Kevin Randle and Donald R. Schmitt and has partnered exclusively with Schmitt since 1998.
He is most closely associated with extensive research into the Roswell Incident of 1947. This case, centered around the crash of a non-human craft near Roswell, New Mexico, and the reported recovery of materials and bodies, remains one of the most debated events in UFO history. Carey’s work focuses heavily on witness testimony, long-term patterns of intimidation, and inconsistencies in official explanations. He has authored or co-authored more than 35 articles on the subject.
Alongside Donald R. Schmitt, Carey co-authored the book Witness to Roswell: Unmasking the 60-Year Cover-Up in 2007, with later editions using the subtitle Unmasking the Government’s Biggest Cover-up. The book compiles numerous firsthand accounts from individuals connected to the event, including military personnel and civilians. It became the number one best-selling UFO book worldwide in 2007–2008 and has been widely recognized within the research community as one of the most detailed collections of Roswell-related testimony. A 75th-anniversary edition was released in 2022 with additional material.
In 2013, Carey and Schmitt released Inside the Real Area 51: The Secret History of Wright-Patterson, which explores claims that materials recovered from Roswell were transported to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The book connects multiple witness statements and historical claims to suggest a long-term effort to study and contain non-human technology. A later edition appeared under the title UFO Secrets Inside Wright-Patterson: Eyewitness Accounts from the Real Area 51.
Their later work, The Children of Roswell: A Seven-Decade Legacy of Fear, Intimidation, and Cover-ups, published in 2016, shifts focus toward the families of witnesses. It documents how generational effects, pressure, and silence have shaped the long-term narrative surrounding the incident. Carey has also continued this line of research with later publications, including Roswell: The Chronological Pictorial (2020) and Roswell: The Ultimate Cold Case: Eyewitness Testimony and Evidence of Contact and the Cover-Up (2020), further expanding the evidentiary and visual record surrounding the event.
Carey has also appeared on numerous media platforms, including Coast to Coast AM and Ancient Aliens, as well as programs such as Larry King Live, Fox & Friends, and various documentary series including The Roswell Crash: Startling New Evidence, UFO Hunters, Conspiracy Theory, Weird Travels, and SciFi Investigates. Through these appearances, he has reached a wider audience and contributed to keeping the Roswell narrative active in public conversation.
His work has received recognition from figures within the field, including nuclear physicist Stanton T. Friedman, who has long praised the depth of Carey and Schmitt’s Roswell research. That level of acknowledgment reflects the impact Carey has had among researchers who have spent decades examining the subject.
At the core of Carey’s position is the belief that the United States government has maintained long-term secrecy regarding the Roswell Incident and related events. He argues that evidence has been controlled, witnesses have been discouraged or silenced, and key information has remained hidden from the public for decades.
Through his books, investigations, and public appearances, Thomas J. Carey continues to stand as one of the more recognized figures in UFO research, particularly in connection with Roswell. His work keeps the discussion moving forward, especially around the idea that these events represent interactions with non-human intelligence rather than misunderstood conventional technology.
