The Socorro Incident, 1964: The Complete FBI Report on an Unidentified Flying Object

Source file: 65_hs1-834228961_62-hq-83894_serial_438.pdf Originating agency: FBI (Record Group 65) — Case File 62-HQ-83894 Date range: April 24, 1964 (date of incident); May 8, 1964 (date of report) Page count: 40 (all read) High-significance pages: 2–3 (Agent Byrnes's initial report), 4–10 (Zamora's direct testimony), 39–40 (hand-drawn site diagrams)

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Official Blurb (from war.gov)

The FBI's 62-HQ-83894 case file includes investigative records, eyewitness testimonies, and public reports concerning Unidentified Flying Objects and flying discs documented between June 1947 and July 1968. The records include high-profile incident accounts, photographic evidence from sites like Oak Ridge, TN, and technical proposals regarding potential propulsion systems. Additional topics include convention programs, researcher accounts, and extensive media coverage from the period. This file is partially posted on FBI vault with more redactions and some pages missing. Included here is the complete case file with several newly declassified pages and only minor redactions.

Summary

Serial 438 in the FBI's central flying disc case file (62-HQ-83894) is a document of exceptional significance: it contains the detailed first-person testimony of Officer Lonnie Zamora of the Socorro, New Mexico Police Department, taken the night of April 24, 1964, together with the initial report of FBI Special Agent D. Arthur Byrnes Jr. The document includes three copies of the same material in varying degrees of legibility, plus two detailed hand-drawn site diagrams recording the positions of ground indentations, scorch marks, and "footprints." It is among the most thoroughly documented incidents in the history of FBI investigations into unidentified flying objects.

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Research Article

Introduction: An Officer Alone in a Field

On April 24, 1964, at 5:45 p.m., Officer Lonnie Zamora of the Socorro, New Mexico Police Department turned to pursue a new car that had been driving at excessive speed southward on the west side of the courthouse. Driving patrol car No. 2, a new black Chevrolet along Old Rodeo Road, he suddenly heard a roar and saw a flame in the sky to the southwest — at a distance of roughly half a mile to a mile. His first thought was that a dynamite shack in the area had exploded. He abandoned the pursuit and turned toward the flame.

Description of the Incident: Zamora's Direct Testimony

The document contains a first-person account, taken by Agent Byrnes on the night of April 24 and the following morning. The testimony is exceptionally detailed.

First sight of the flame: The flame was bluish with an orange tint, located about a mile south of Socorro in an isolated area. It was of a narrow type, "like a stream downward" — funnel-shaped, narrower at the top than at the bottom. Zamora, driving and unable to focus on it fully, estimated it was about three degrees wide. He saw no smoke.

Approach attempt: He drove up a steep hill roughly sixty feet high, its surface loose gravel and stones. The wheels slid twice before he managed to crest it. With the roar still audible, he reached the summit and drove slowly westward.

The shining object: Suddenly he saw a shining object approximately 150 to 200 yards to the south. It was not on the road. At first glance it appeared to be an overturned car. He saw two people in white coveralls very close to the object. One of them turned and looked at his car and appeared startled — seemed to jump slightly.

Zamora described the object: "Object was like aluminum — it was whitish against the mesa background, but not chrome." Its shape was an ellipse — smooth, with no windows or doors. It rested on "legs" — two protrusions from its underside, angled outward toward the ground, with the body itself approximately three and a half feet above the soil.

Liftoff: As Zamora got out of his car, he heard two or three loud "knocks," like someone pounding on a door. Immediately afterward came a loud roar — different from a jet — that began at a low pitch and rose high and strong. Simultaneously he saw a flame beneath the object. The flame was light blue at the top with an orange tint at the bottom. The object began rising slowly, straight up.

"Flame was light blue and at bottom was sort of orange color... Object slowly rose straight up."

Zamora, fearing the object might explode, turned and ran from the area, looking back several times. He saw the object rise to the height of a car — roughly 20 to 25 feet — directly above the spot where it had rested. After it stopped roaring, he turned back and saw the object moving away to the southwest in a straight line, about 10 to 15 feet above the ground, clearing what he described as the "dynamite shack" by only 3 feet, and disappearing over Box Canyon or Six Mile Canyon Mountain.

The red symbol: One detail stands out as particularly remarkable: on the body of the object, Zamora noticed a marking in red. He described it as a symbol approximately 2.5 feet tall and 2 feet wide, positioned at the center of the object. He drew the symbol before Sergeant Chavez arrived at the scene. The symbol included a curved shape with a vertical line and an arc in its upper portion. He was uncertain whether it was a letter, a symbol, or a script.

Field Findings: Physical Evidence

Agent Byrnes arrived at the site at 6:00 p.m. on April 24 and found Zamora there along with Deputy Sheriff Jim Luckie, Sergeant M.S. Chavez, and Officer Ted Jordan of the New Mexico State Police.

Ground indentations: Four indentations in the rough ground, rectangular in shape, approximately 16 by 6 inches each. Each indentation had been made at an angle to the ground rather than vertically, was approximately 2 inches deep, and had pushed some earth to the far side. They appeared to be marks left by an object descending into the earth at an angle.

Scorch marks: Three burned patches within the area bounded by the four indentations. An additional burned patch was found outside that boundary.

Circular impressions: Three smooth circular impressions, approximately 4 inches in diameter, that had penetrated the sandy soil approximately one-eighth of an inch. Agent Byrnes compared them to a jar lid pressed gently into sand.

The hand-drawn site diagrams (pages 39–40) present the precise arrangement of all markings with measurements: 14 feet 9.5 inches, 11 feet 10.5 inches, 9 feet 7.5 inches, and more. The two diagrams differ from each other in certain details, with one apparently recording the "footprint" positions and the other the indentation measurements.

Assessment of Witness Credibility

Agent Byrnes stated explicitly: "It may be noted that it has been the observation of Agent Byrnes that Officer Zamora, known intimately for approximately five years, is well regarded as a sober, industrious, and conscientious officer and not given to fantasy."

And further: "Officer Zamora was noted to be perfectly sober and somewhat agitated over his experience."

Zamora himself noted: "Feeling in good health. Last drink — two or three beers — was over a month ago."

Document Structure: Three Copies

Serial 438 contains three copies of the same FBI report dated May 8, 1964, in varying degrees of legibility — the first copy clearest, the second and third somewhat fainter (likely carbon copies). This indicates the report was distributed to more than one location. In addition there are two hand-drawn diagrams produced at the scene.

Interagency Coordination

The document originates from the FBI Albuquerque field office and is addressed to FBI headquarters. The simultaneous presence of the State Police, the Socorro County Sheriff's Office, and the FBI at the same location reflects rapid interagency coordination. The Bureau's involvement came via the Sheriff's radio rather than through a direct referral to the FBI.

Historical and Investigative Significance

The Socorro incident of 1964 — also known as the "Zamora incident" — is considered one of the most thoroughly documented UFO cases in U.S. history. Several factors distinguish it:

1. Credible witness: A recognized and respected officer with no history of exaggerated claims.
2. Physical evidence: Ground indentations, scorch marks, and circular impressions — all measured and documented.
3. Multi-sensory testimony: Visual observation, auditory evidence (the roar), and the physical sensation of fear.
4. Unidentified symbol: The red marking or inscription on the body, drawn by Zamora and preserved in the file.
5. Self-correction attempt: Zamora tried to reach Nep Lopez by radio and said "It looks like a balloon" — attempting to interpret what he had seen in familiar terms even as it did not fit.

The description of the flame as blue-tinged and orange at the base, producing no smoke, with straight vertical motion while the object rose — differs markedly from the characteristics of any aircraft, balloon, or rocket known in the 1960s.

What distinguishes this serial most sharply is that it contains Zamora's account as taken in first-person, nearly unprocessed, together with the hand-drawn site diagrams. These are raw source documents of the incident.

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Key People

• Lonnie Zamora — Officer, Socorro, New Mexico Police Department. Primary witness. 606 Reservoir Street, Socorro. Approximately 5 years of service.
• D. Arthur Byrnes Jr. — FBI Special Agent, Albuquerque field office, New Mexico. Drafted the report.
• Nep Lopez — Radio operator, Socorro County Sheriff's Office. Received Zamora's initial call.
• M.S. Chavez — Sergeant, New Mexico State Police (Socorro). Arrived at the site; pointed out the "footprints."
• Jim Luckie — Deputy Sheriff, Socorro County. Present at the site.
• Ted Jordan — Officer, New Mexico State Police. Present at the site.

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Locations

• Socorro, New Mexico — City in which the incident occurred
• Approximately one mile southwest of Socorro — Precise location of the site
• Old Rodeo Road (southern extension of Park Street) — The road from which Zamora first saw the flame
• The steep hill — Approximately 60 feet, loose gravel and stones, which Zamora climbed three times
• Box Canyon / Six Mile Canyon Mountain — The mountain over which the object disappeared
• The dynamite shack — A structure the object cleared by approximately 3 feet at a height of 8 feet

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Incidents

Incident	Date	Location	Pages
Zamora's first sighting of the flame	April 24, 1964, 17:45	South of Socorro	4, 11
Sighting of the object and two people in white coveralls	April 24, 1964, ~18:00	~200 meters from the road	4, 21
Hearing the "knocks" and roar	April 24, 1964, ~18:00	Landing site	5, 22
Vertical liftoff with flame	April 24, 1964, ~18:00	Landing site	6, 23
Zamora's flight from the scene	April 24, 1964, ~18:00	Landing site	6–7
Object disappears over Box Canyon Mountain	April 24, 1964, ~18:00	SW of Socorro	8, 25
Site examination: indentations, scorch marks, circular impressions	April 24, 1964, ~18:00+	Landing site	2–3
Arrival of additional law enforcement at the site	April 24, 1964, ~18:00+	Landing site	2
Agent Byrnes drafts the report	May 8, 1964	Albuquerque, NM	2–10

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Notable Quotes

"It may be noted that it has been the observation of Agent Byrnes that Officer Zamora, known intimately for approximately five years, is well regarded as a sober, industrious, and conscientious officer and not given to fantasy." — page 2

"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." — page 4

"Object was like aluminum — it was whitish against the mesa background, but not chrome. Seemed like [oval shape drawn] in shape." — page 4

"Flame was light blue and at bottom was sort of orange color... Object slowly rose straight up. It was smooth — no windows or doors." — page 6

"Noted red lettering of some type, like [symbol drawn]. Insignia was about two and one-half feet high and about two feet wide, guess. Was in middle of object." — pages 6–7

"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." — pages 8–9

"Feeling in good health. Last drink — two or three beers — was over a month ago. Noted no odors. Noted no sounds other than described." — page 9

"Special Agent Byrnes noted four indentations in the rough ground at the 'site' of the object described by Officer Zamora. These depressions appeared regular in shape, approximately sixteen by six inches rectangular. Each depression seemed to have been made by an object going into the earth at an angle from a center line. Each depression was approximately two inches deep and pushed some earth to the far side." — pages 2–3