Lonnie Zamora and the UFO Landing at Socorro
Egg-Shaped Vehicle and Two Occupants Apparently Left Tracks, Traces and Tons of Data
On Friday April 24, 1964, at about 5:40 p.m., Sgt. Lonnie Zamora of the Socorro, New Mexico Police Department spotted a black Chevrolet sedan behave recklessly, speeding through downtown. The black car was new, possibly driven by a local teen-ager. Not wanting to miss his quota of tickets for the day, nor a chance to help straighten out a young driver, Sgt. Zamora gave pursuit.
As he followed the Chevy north on Highway 85, the main drag through town, Sgt. Zamora estimated his subject was about three blocks ahead. He was starting to speed up when a bright flash in the sky, maybe half a mile away to his right, caught his eye and a sudden roar filled his ears.
In those days, that part of Socorro was undeveloped and still explored by mining interests. Worried that a nearby dynamite shack had exploded, Sgt. Zamora dropped pursuit and turned down a rocky dirt road. His rear-wheel drive patrol car struggled to pull up a hill, but he kept trying. Reaching the top, he found a spot where the terrain allowed him a view toward the shack. He stopped for about two seconds to observe what he thought at first was a crashed car.
From his description and contemporaneous drawings, the object looked like it was a car standing nearly upright on its grill. Sgt. Zamora estimated the distance to be about 750-feet, later confirmed by investigators’ measurements to be precisely accurate. Next to the white object, were two small figures dressed in what looked like “white coveralls” possibly studying the underside of the object. One of the figures turned around, looked directly at him, and seemed startled upon being observed.
Sgt. Zamora thought the figures were motorists involved in a car accident and needed help. He drove forward to get closer and provide assistance. What he witnessed and helped chronicle would make history and change the debate about flying saucers, providing solid evidence of the phenomenon’s reality.
The following text and illustrations are what happened in Lonnie Zamora’s own words, recorded by investigators from the FBI and the United States Air Force, part of the case records preserved by the team at the Central Intelligence Agency:
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Albuquerque, New Mexico
May 8, 1964
UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT
SOCORRO, NEW MEXICO
April 24, 1964
The following data were obtained from Officer Lonnie Zamora, Police Department Socorro, New Mexico, the night of April 24, 1964, and early morning, April 25, 1964, as related by Officer Zamora.
Lonnie Zamora, 606 Reservoir Street, Socorro, New .Mexico, 835-1134, Officer Socorro Police Department about five years, office phone 835-0941, now on 2:00 P. M. to 10:00 P. M. shift.
About 5:45 P. M., April 24, 1964, while in Socorro 2 Police Car (1964 Pontiac white) started to chase a car due south from west side of Courthouse. Car was apparently speeding, and was about three blocks in front. At point on Old Rodeo Street, (extension of Park Street south), near [redacted] residence (about one-half mile south of Spring Street). The chased car was going straight ahead toward rodeo grounds. Car chased was a new black Chevrolet, (it might have been [redacted] boy, [redacted]. Chased car still about three blocks ahead. Lonnie alone.
At this time heard a roar and saw a flame in the sky to the southwest some distance away--possibly a half mile or a mile. Came to mind that a dynamite shack in that area had blown up. Decided to abandon the chase, and to check on the flame. The flame was bluish and sort of orange too. Could not tell size of flame. Sort of motionless flame, slowly descending. Was still driving the police car and could not pay too much attention to the flame. It was a narrow type of flame. It was like a "stream down”—a funnel type—narrower at top than at bottom. Flame possibly three degrees or so in width--not wide. The flame was possibly a mile south of Socorro, in isolated area.
The flame about twice as wide at bottom as top, and about four times as high as top was wide. Did not notice any object at top, did not note if top of flame was level. Sun was to west and did not help vision. Had green sun glasses over prescription glasses, [drawing of a truncated cone, with the wide base on bottom] Could not see bottom of flame because it was behind the hill.
No smoke noted. Noted some "commotion" at bottom-dust? Possibly from windy day--wind was blowing hard. Clear sunny sky otherwise--just a few clouds scattered over area.
Noise was a roar, not a blast. Not like a jet. Changed from high frequency to low frequency and then stopped. Roar lasted possibly ten seconds--was going towards it at that time on the rough gravel road. Saw flame about as long as heard the sound. Flame same color as best as recall. Sound distinctly from high to low until it disappeared. Both car windows were down. No other spectators noted--no traffic except the car in front--arid car in front might have heard it but possibly did not see it because car in front was too close to hill in front, to see the flame.
After the roar and flame, did not note anything, while going up the somewhat steep rough hill toward the flame site. Got up about half way first time, wheels started skidding, roar still going on, had to back down and try twice again before made the hill. Hill about sixty feet long, fairly steep and with loose gravel and rock. While beginning third time, noise and flame not noted.
After got to top, traveled slowly on the gravel road westwardly. Noted nothing for awhile, for possibly ten or fifteen seconds, went slow, looking around for the dynamite shack--did not recall exactly where the dynamite shack was.
Suddenly noted a shiny type object to south about 150 to 200 yards. It was off the road. At first glance, stopped. It looked, at first, like a car turned upside down. Thought some kids might have turned over. Saw two people in white coveralls very close to the object. One of these persons seemed to turn and look straight at my car and seemed startled--seemed to quickly jump somewhat.
When I first saw the object, (when I thought it might be a car), I saw what appeared to be two legs of some type from the object to the ground. At the time, I didn’t pay much attention to what it was--l thought it was an accident--I saw the two persons. I didn't pay attention to the two "legs?". The two "legs ' were at the bottom of the object, slanted outwards to the ground. The object might have been about three and a half feet from the ground at that time. I just glanced at it.
At this time I started moving my car towards them quickly with idea to help. Had stopped about only a couple seconds. Object was like aluminum--it was whitish against the mesa background, but not chrome. Seemed like [drawing of upright egg shape with two legs underneath] in shape and I at first glance took it to be an overturned white car. Car appeared turned up like standing on radiator or on trunk, at this first glance.
The only time I saw these two persons was when I had stopped, for possibly two seconds or so, to glance at the object. I don’t recall noting any particular shape or possibly any hats or headgear. These persons appeared normal in shape--but possibly they were small adults or large kids.
Then paid attention to road while drove towards scene. Radioed to sheriff's office, “Socorro 2 to Socorro, possible 10-44 (accident); I’ll be 10-6 (busy) out of the car checking the car down in the arroyo.”
Stopped car, was still talking on radio, started to get out, mike fell down, reached back to put up mike, then replaced radio mike in slot, got out of car and turned to go down to where knew the object (car) was.
As my mike fell, I got out of car, at scene area, I heard about two or three loud "thumps," like someone possibly hammering or shutting a door or doors hard. These "thumps" were possibly a second or less apart. This was just before the roar. The persons were not seen when I got up to the scene area.
Hardly turned around from car when heard roar, (was not exactly a blast), very loud roar--at that close was real loud. Not like a jet--knows what jets sound like. Started low frequency quickly, then roar rose in frequency (higher tone) and in loudness--from loud to very loud. At same time as roar saw flame. Flame was under the object. Object was starting to go straight up--slowly up. Object slowly rose straight up. Flame was light blue and at bottom was sort of orange color. From this angle, saw what might be the side of object (not end, as first noted). Difficult to describe flame. Thought, from roar, it might blow up. Flame might have come from underside of object, at middle, possibly a four feet area--very rough guess. Can not describe flame further except blue and orange. No smoke, except dust in immediate area.
As soon as saw flame and heard roar, turned away, ran away from object but did turn head several times towards object. Bumped leg on car--back fender area. Car facing southwest. Glasses fell to ground, left them there. Ran to north--car between him and object.
Object was [drawing of oval or an egg on its side] in shape. It was smooth--no windows or doors. As roar started, it was still on or near ground. Noted red lettering of some type, like [drawing of symbol, arrow on a base, all under an arc]. Insignia was about two and one-half feet high and about two feet wide, guess. Was in middle of object, like [small drawing of egg-shaped object with insignia]. Object still like aluminum-white.
After fell by car and glasses fell off, kept running to north with car between me and object. Glanced back couple of times. Noted object to rise to about level of car, about twenty to twenty-five feet, guess--took I guess about six seconds when object started to rise and I glanced back. I ran I guess about half way to where I ducked down—about fifty feet from the car is where I ducked down, just over edge of hill. I guess I had run about twenty-five feet when I glanced back and saw the object about level with the car and it appeared about directly over the place where it rose from.
I was still running and I jumped just over the µill--I stopped because I did not hear the roar. I was scared of the roar, and I had planned to continue running down the hill. I turned around toward the object and at same time put my head towards ground, covering my face with my arms. Being that there was no roar, I looked up, and I saw the object going away from me, in a southwest direction. When the roar stopped, heard a sharp tone whine from high tone to low tone. At end of roar was this whine and the whine lasted maybe a second. Then there was complete silence about the object. That’s when I lifted up my head and saw the object going away from me. It did not come any closer to me. It appeared to go in a straight line and at same height--possibly ten to fifteen feet from ground, and it cleared the dynamite shack by about three feet. Shack about eight feet high. Object was traveling very fast. It seemed to rise up and take off immediately across country. I ran back to my car and as I ran back, I kept an eye on the object. I picked up my glasses, (I left the sunglasses on the ground), got into the car, and radioed to [redacted] radio operator, to "look out the window, to see if you could see an object." He asked, "What is it?" I answered, "It looks like a balloon." I don't know if he saw it. If [redacted] looked out his window, which faces north, he couldn't have seen it. I did not tell him at the moment which window to look out of.
As I was calling [redacted] I could still see the object.The object seemed to lift up slowly, and to "get small" in the distance very fast. It seemed to just clear the Box Canyon or Six Mile Canyon Mountain. It disappeared as it went over the mountain. It had no flame whatsoever as it was traveling over the ground, and no smoke or noise.
Can’t tell how long saw object second time (the "close" time), possibly twenty seconds--just a guess—from time got out of car, glanced at object, ran from object, jumped over edge of hill, then got back to car and radioed as object disappeared.
Just before Sergeant [redacted] got to scene, I got my pen and drew a picture of the insignia on the object.
Feeling in good health. Last drink--two or three beers--was over a month ago. Noted no odors. Noted no sounds other than described. Gave directions to [redacted] at radio and to Sergeant [redacted] to get there. Went down to where the object had been and I noted the brush was burning in several places. At that time, I heard Sergeant [redacted] (New Mexico State Police at Socorro), calling me on radio for my location, and I returned to my car, told him he was "looking at me." Then Sergeant [redacted] came up, asked me what the trouble was, because I was sweating and he told me I was white, very pale. I asked the Sergeant to see what I saw, and that was the burning brush. Then Sergeant [redacted] and I went to the spot, and Sergeant [redacted] pointed out the tracks.
A map of the scene from FBI/USAF Blue Book files, preserved by CIA. Click here to read “How to Investigate a Flying Saucer” at CIA.