UP_Earliest

Earliest United Press Story, July 8, 1947

San Mateo (CA) Times, July 8, evening, headline story

ARMY SAYS HAS DISC

Missile Found By Rancher in New Mexico

Turned Over to Atomic Group and Flown to Headquarters

Alameda (CA) Times-Star, July 8, evening, headline story

Flying Saucer Found in New Mexico

$3000 Offered for Capture of Mysterious Discs

Tucson (AZ) Daily Citizen, July 8, evening, page 1

New Mexico Army Base Finds Disc

Oroville (CA) Mercury-Register, July 8, page 1

Army Given Flying Disc, Is Report

Object Is Found Near Roswell, New Mexico

ROSWELL, N. M., July 8.--(U.P.)--Possession of a "flying disc" was disclosed today by the intelligence office of the 509th bomb group of the Roswell army airbase.

Officers at the base say that the "disc" was flown in a Superfortress to "higher headquarters" undisclosed.

The intelligence office reported that it gained possession of the "disc" through the cooperation of a Roswell rancher and George Wilson [sic], sheriff at Roswell.

The disc landed on a ranch near Roswell sometime last week. Not having telephone facilities, the rancher, whose name has not yet been obtained, stored the disc until such time as he was able to contact the Roswell sheriff's office.

San Mateo Times: The disc landed on a ranch at Corona, N.M., sometimes last week. W. W. Brizell [sic] of the Poster [sic] ranch was the man who discovered it. Not having telephone facilities, Brizell stored the disc until such time as he was able to contact the Roswell sheriff's office.

The airbase refused to give details of construction of the disc or its appearance.

Residents near the ranch on which the disc was found reported seeing a strange blue light several days ago about 3 a.m.

Comments

This short UP story in these western newspapers is based on the 2:41 PDT UP version of the Roswell base press release (see UP telexes). It should be compared with the updated UP story in the San Francisco News which also ran that evening, and which included about the next hour of the story. In this story, Gen. Ramey has already identified the wreckage as an weather balloon and radar target and changed the discovery time to "about three weeks ago."

Note the initial press release stating that the disc was found "sometime last week." The next day, UP incorrectly stated the press release said "three weeks ago," which was actually the new, official story that emerged out of Fort Worth within the next hour, apparently from Gen. Ramey.

Brazel's name (misspelled as "Brizell") and the Corona/Foster ranch location were added about 20 to 30 minutes after the initial announcement, or about 3:00 PDT (see UP telexes) For some reason, UP stories misspelled the Foster ranch location initially, even though it is correctly spelled in the actual telex. Spelling of Sheriff Wilcox's name was also corrected in this add, but didn't make it into the actual newspaper story.

The "strange blue light" near the ranch is also part of the initial UP version of the press release, but not part of the AP version. It remains a mystery as to where this came from and what it means, but it also suggests that events happened a few days before, not three weeks before.



	Earliest United Press Story, July 8, 1947

		San Mateo (CA) Times, July 8, evening, headline story ARMY SAYS HAS DISC Missile Found By Rancher in New Mexico Turned Over to Atomic Group and Flown to Headquarters Alameda (CA) Times-Star, July 8, evening, headline story Flying Saucer Found in New Mexico $3000 Offered for Capture of Mysterious Discs Tucson (AZ) Daily Citizen, July 8, evening, page 1 New Mexico Army Base Finds Disc Oroville (CA) Mercury-Register, July 8, page 1 Army Given Flying Disc, Is Report Object Is Found Near Roswell, New Mexico ROSWELL, N. M., July 8.--(U.P.)--Possession of a "flying disc" was disclosed today by the intelligence office of the 509th bomb group of the Roswell army airbase. Officers at the base say that the "disc" was flown in a Superfortress to "higher headquarters" undisclosed. The intelligence office reported that it gained possession of the "disc" through the cooperation of a Roswell rancher and George Wilson [sic], sheriff at Roswell. The disc landed on a ranch near Roswell sometime last week. Not having telephone facilities, the rancher, whose name has not yet been obtained, stored the disc until such time as he was able to contact the Roswell sheriff's office. San Mateo Times: The disc landed on a ranch at Corona, N.M., sometimes last week. W. W. Brizell [sic] of the Poster [sic] ranch was the man who discovered it. Not having telephone facilities, Brizell stored the disc until such time as he was able to contact the Roswell sheriff's office. The airbase refused to give details of construction of the disc or its appearance. Residents near the ranch on which the disc was found reported seeing a strange blue light several days ago about 3 a.m.
Comments This short UP story in these western newspapers is based on the 2:41 PDT UP version of the Roswell base press release (see UP telexes). It should be compared with the updated UP story in the San Francisco News which also ran that evening, and which included about the next hour of the story. In this story, Gen. Ramey has already identified the wreckage as an weather balloon and radar target and changed the discovery time to "about three weeks ago." Note the initial press release stating that the disc was found "sometime last week." The next day, UP incorrectly stated the press release said "three weeks ago," which was actually the new, official story that emerged out of Fort Worth within the next hour, apparently from Gen. Ramey. Brazel's name (misspelled as "Brizell") and the Corona/Foster ranch location were added about 20 to 30 minutes after the initial announcement, or about 3:00 PDT (see UP telexes) For some reason, UP stories misspelled the Foster ranch location initially, even though it is correctly spelled in the actual telex. Spelling of Sheriff Wilcox's name was also corrected in this add, but didn't make it into the actual newspaper story. . The "strange blue light" near the ranch is also part of the initial UP version of the press release, but not part of the AP version. It remains a mystery as to where this came from and what it means, but it also suggests that events happened a few days before, not three weeks before.