10 of the most famous incidents in history — some directly documented in our PURSUE archive, others providing essential historical context.
Alleged crash of unidentified object on July 8, 1947 near Roswell. Initially announced as "captured flying disc," then changed to a weather balloon. This incident sparked the modern UFO era. In our archive, FBI files 62-HQ-83894 provide context on the wave of flying disc reports that followed.
Read the archive document →On June 24, 1947, pilot Kenneth Arnold reported observing nine bright objects over Mount Rainier. Described them as "saucers skipping on water" — coining the term "flying saucer." This sighting ignited the 1947 UFO wave and the first USAF investigations.
In November 2004, Cmdr. David Fravor and the USS Nimitz crew observed a Tic-Tac shaped object hovering over the water with no visible wings. The later-released FLIR1, GIMBAL, and GOFAST videos document the encounter. One of the best-documented UAP incidents.
During the historic moon mission in July 1969, Buzz Aldrin reported observing a "hollow cylinder" tracking the Apollo 11 spacecraft. In our archive, the full technical debriefing transcripts have been released through PURSUE Release 1.
Read the archive document →December 1972 - Astronaut Harrison Schmitt documented light phenomena that "look like Fourth of July fireworks." Transcripts available in our archive as part of PURSUE Release 1.
Read the archive document →December 1980, USAF security teams at RAF Bentwaters base in Britain reported observing an unidentified object over three nights. Documented in the official "Halt Memo" by the base commander. One of the most famous European cases.
One of the strongest incidents in the PURSUE release — a senior U.S. intelligence official reporting close encounter with a "super-hot" UAP hovering near the ground, then traveling at speeds a helicopter couldn't match. Additional lights observed in a "swarm." Top-tier eyewitness testimony from a senior official.
Read the archive document →AARO assesses it as "among the most compelling" - seven US PERSONS (USPER1-7), all special federal law enforcement officers, reported "orbs launching other orbs," a large "fire orb," pursuit of a "dark kite," and observation of a "translucent kite."
Read the archive document →General Nathan Twining, head of Air Materiel Command, signed a historic memo on September 23, 1947 stating "the phenomenon reported is something real and not visionary or fictitious." Significance 9.8/10 - among the strongest evidence in the archive.
Read the archive document →November 1948 - USAFE Europe Command cable reporting: "Swedes conclude source of objects is non-terrestrial." This may be the earliest document hinting at extraterrestrial origin from a Western intelligence body. Significance 9.6/10.
Read the archive document →