Muroc Army Air Field sightings (July 1947)

Case

Overview

FBI UFO Part 5 preserves Army Air Forces statements describing several separate observations at Muroc AAF: a July 7 statement attributed to test pilot Maj. J. C. Wise, and three July 8 episodes (about 09:30-10:00, 11:50 and about noon) reported by military personnel. The record documents what witnesses reported, not what the objects were.

Investigative phases

July 11 and 14 1947 affidavits and statements taken; Aug 4-6 Fourth Air Force investigation lead; Aug 14 Capt. Harry D. Black transmitted eight statements; later distribution to the FBI and other agencies, with no further investigation contemplated by the issuing headquarters.

Reported phenomena

Morning: two silvery spherical or disc-like objects toward Mojave, a third reportedly circling (1st Lt. Joseph C. McHenry, S/Sgt. Gerald E. Nauman, T/Sgt. Joseph Ruvolo, Jannette Marie Scotte). 11:50: white aluminum-colored descending oval with two upper projections seen by Capt. John Paul Stapp and reportedly four of five occupants during P-82 ejection-seat tests. Noon: thin metallic-looking object 5-8 miles north changing altitude over about eight minutes (Maj. Richard R. Shoop; Col. Gilkey; Shoop's wife).

Public evidence status

High: contemporaneous military statements and AAF/FBI correspondence in FBI UFO Part 5. Moderate: names, times and directions in online transcriptions. Low: any instrumental measurement; no authenticated photographs of the objects located.

Alternative explanations / caveats

Keep the July 7 Wise statement and the three July 8 episodes separate; nothing shows they involved the same object. Distances, sizes (Stapp's ~25 ft), speeds and altitudes are witness estimates. '5-8 miles' is an estimated distance, not five to eight objects. Stapp thought his object possibly man-made; Gilkey later suggested paper. Name variants (Nauman/Hauman, Scotte/Scott, Stapp/Strapp) need checking against scanned signatures. Historical base photographs are context only.

Next research tasks

Check original scan wording, times and signatures in FBI UFO Part 5; locate the NARA Blue Book case and original incident checklist; request Edwards AFB history-office manuscripts for Muroc AAF Jan-Jun and Jul-Dec 1947 to identify July 8 test activity.

Last reviewed

2026-11-12

Assessment

Not yet in the Case Assessment Matrix.

Evidence (10)

• Maj. J. C. Wise test-pilot statement Unverified
  CE-V99-001 · 1947-07-07 · Military witness statement
  Gaps: Time, location and object description to confirm
• McHenry, Nauman, Ruvolo and Scotte observe two silvery objects toward Mojave; third reportedly circling Reported
  CE-V99-002 · 1947-07-08 ~09:30-10:00 · Military witness statements; USAF incident checklist
  Gaps: Name variants (Nauman/Hauman, Scotte/Scott); checklist says no sketches or photos for this episode only
• Capt. John Paul Stapp and others see descending oval near Rogers Dry Lake during P-82 ejection-seat tests Reported
  CE-V99-003 · 1947-07-08 11:50 · Military witness affidavit
  Gaps: Stapp considered it possibly man-made; no range measurement
• Maj. Richard R. Shoop, Col. Gilkey and Shoop's wife see thin metallic object 5-8 miles north Reported
  CE-V99-004 · 1947-07-08 ~12:00 · Military witness statement / correspondence
  Gaps: Gilkey later suggested paper; distance estimated
• Statements taken July 11 and 14; Fourth Air Force lead Aug 4-6; Capt. Harry D. Black forwards eight statements Aug 14 Documented
  CE-V99-005 · 1947-07-11 to 1947-08-14 · Administrative correspondence
  Gaps: Signatures, exact dates and later distribution unchecked
• Stapp statement: white aluminum-coloured descending oval with two upper projections near Rogers Dry Lake during P-82 ejection-seat tests, about 11:50 CorroboratedFirsthand
  E-V99-004 · 1947-07-08 · Military witness statement
• Shoop statement: thin metallic-looking object 5-8 miles north changing altitude over about eight minutes, about noon CorroboratedFirsthand
  E-V99-005 · 1947-07-08 · Military witness statement
• McHenry group observation: two silvery objects toward Mojave, a third reportedly circling, about 09:30-10:00 DocumentedFirsthand
  E-V99-006 · 1947-07-08 · Military witness statement
• Wise test-pilot statement, separate from July 8 episodes UnverifiedFirsthand
  E-V99-007 · 1947-07-07 · Military witness statement
• Gilkey later suggested the noon object could have been paper DocumentedFirsthand
  E-V99-008 · 1947-07 · Witness correspondence

Documents gathered (10 lines of evidence)

10 readable here · 0 with a linked primary record · 0 still need a document · All cases on the evidence map

• Maj. J. C. Wise test-pilot statement Readable here
  CE-V99-001 · UFO Part 5 of 16 (FBI Vault file) (read here)
• McHenry, Nauman, Ruvolo and Scotte observe two silvery objects toward Mojave; third reportedly circling Readable here
  CE-V99-002 · UFO Part 5 of 16 (FBI Vault file) (read here); USAF incident summaries 1-100 (box 7) checklist transcription
• Capt. John Paul Stapp and others see descending oval near Rogers Dry Lake during P-82 ejection-seat tests Readable here
  CE-V99-003 · UFO Part 5 of 16 (FBI Vault file) (read here); Muroc July 1947 correspondence and statements (transcription)
• Maj. Richard R. Shoop, Col. Gilkey and Shoop's wife see thin metallic object 5-8 miles north Readable here
  CE-V99-004 · UFO Part 5 of 16 (FBI Vault file) (read here); Muroc July 1947 correspondence and statements (transcription)
• Statements taken July 11 and 14; Fourth Air Force lead Aug 4-6; Capt. Harry D. Black forwards eight statements Aug 14 Readable here
  CE-V99-005 · UFO Part 5 of 16 (FBI Vault file) (read here)
• Stapp statement: white aluminum-coloured descending oval with two upper projections near Rogers Dry Lake during P-82 ejection-seat tests, about 11:50 Readable here
  E-V99-004 · UFO Part 5 of 16 (FBI Vault file) (read here); Muroc July 1947 correspondence and statements (transcription)
• Shoop statement: thin metallic-looking object 5-8 miles north changing altitude over about eight minutes, about noon Readable here
  E-V99-005 · UFO Part 5 of 16 (FBI Vault file) (read here); Muroc July 1947 correspondence and statements (transcription)
• McHenry group observation: two silvery objects toward Mojave, a third reportedly circling, about 09:30-10:00 Readable here
  E-V99-006 · UFO Part 5 of 16 (FBI Vault file) (read here); USAF incident summaries 1-100 (box 7) checklist transcription
• Wise test-pilot statement, separate from July 8 episodes Readable here
  E-V99-007 · UFO Part 5 of 16 (FBI Vault file) (read here)
• Gilkey later suggested the noon object could have been paper Readable here
  E-V99-008 · UFO Part 5 of 16 (FBI Vault file) (read here); Muroc July 1947 correspondence and statements (transcription)

On the timeline (1)

• 1947-07-07/08 Muroc AAF: Wise statement (July 7) and three separate July 8 observations by military personnel Unverified
  Witness reports; object identity unresolved; episodes not shown to involve one object