Key to interpreters:

RP1= "Roswell Photointerpretation Team," initial interpretation 1998
RP2= "Roswell Photointerpretation Team," Nov. 2004 (Ron Regher)
M1 = Neil Morris (early effort)
M2 = Neil Morris (in a later review)
R1 = David Rudiak (early effort)
R2 = David Rudiak (in a later review)
R3 = David Rudiak (latest version)
B  = Don Burleson (MUFON Journal, issue #102)
C  = Tom Carey
S  = Brad Sparks
F  = Glenn Fishbine (MUFON Minnesota J., issue #102, July/Aug 2003)
MN = William McNeff (MUFON Minnesota J., issue #102, July/Aug 2003)
BK = Bob Koford (private email May 2009)

A = Consensus agreement among All readers in letters/words.  Letters/words in boldface BLACK CAPITALS show plurality agreement between 3-4 persons out of the 8-9 readers. Letters/words in boldface BLUE indicate majority consensus by 5 readers.  Letters/words in RED show strong consensus between at least 6 readers, sometimes indicating unanimity.  Lower case letters indicate weaker alternate agreement by at least two persons or a slightly favored interpretation by two persons (with no clear stronger consensus).

Numbers in parentheses represent the lines of the message. By early convention, the first clearly present line in the message was numbered line (1).  However, another line of text exists in shadow and sharply tilted away from the camera above line (1).  To maintain early convention, it has been called line (0).  Only one person has attempted to read it (Rudiak) and there is no basis for comparison.

There are about 65-71 visible words (depending on reader) from lines 1 to 9 consisting of about 320 read characters (excluding spaces).  There is currently plurality to unanimous consensus on about 76% of the words/letters and strong consensus to unanimous agreement on about 41% of the words/letters (at least 2/3rds of readers agree), with 48% consensus on majority to unanimous reads (at least 5 readers agree).  I (Rudiak) currently agree with 99% of the overall stronger consensus word/letter reads (50% or more of readers), but drop to about 75% overall agreement when weaker consensus words/letters are added.  I have strong disagreements with consensus where I consider letter counts to be wrong (see graphic & discussion), grammar poor, and/or poor semantics or sensibility in group reads.

About 40%-50% of the words (depending on reader) are very common English "framework", short words, such as "the", "of", "at", "to" "and", "you", "for", etc.  Many of these are relatively easy to pick out and help define the grammatical structure.  E.g., the word "the" (most common English word) is likely to be followed by a noun, particularly in a telegram where adjectives tend to be few. (Examples: "the victims of the wreck", "the 'disc'").  "Of" (second most common English word) is likewise probably going to be followed by an article like "the" or a noun or adjective.  (Examples:  "of the wreck", "meaning of story", "of weather balloons")

In cases where the interpreter mixes capital and lower case letters (Rudiak, Morris, Fishbine, McNeff), capital letters show a higher level of confidence in a letter or word (convention introduced by Morris); lower case letters indicate a lower level of confidence and are generally best guesses or filled in from context. Letters or words in parentheses are concealed and best guesses. Question marks either represent invisible letters with no best guess or disagreements in number of letters between interpreters. In some cases, alternative words for a reading are also indicated under the preferred, best-guess words and placed in brackets.

The top line of x's represents letter and word counts suggested by Rudiak.  The x's represent characters that are definitely or probably there as determined by inspection, letter spacing, and/or column alignment with characters directly above or below.  Indicated spaces are also definitely or very likely there.  Indefinite characters (there could be a character or space there) are indicated by the hyphen '-'. Extra spaces between words have sometimes been inserted to maintain alignment between different interpretations. These extra "padding" spaces are indicated by the underscore '_'.

Please see graphic showing columns of characters lined up so that letter counts can be easily and objectively determined. This is why I dispute various other reader letter counts and words.  The main disputes involve words dipping into the center crease.  Word reads of others I deem definitely wrong because of obviously bad counts I have underlined. In most cases, readers have done a good job of sticking to proper word lengths.  One however (McNeff, or MN), has deliberately misspelled three words containing double letters in order to make his words fit, using the dubious assumption that Ramey typed his own memo and was a bad speller.  I have underlined these misspellings as well.

It is not always apparent in different presented reads by individual readers exactly what words/letters correspond to what in a line.  Words/letters are therefore lined up on the basis of best-guess matching lengths and similarity of lettering to others.


        (0) -xxx- x-xxxx--xxxx -xx- x -xxxx- x- -x-x xxx xxx- x-xx --
(R3)   (0) fWAAf AcKNOWleDGES THAT A "DISK" IS NEXT NEW FIND WEST of    )


        (1) ???)xxxxxx- xx xxxxxxxx xxx_ x xx-xx xxxx xxxxxx--x xx xxx
(RP1)                                                          AS THE
(RP2)  (1)  R****ECOVERY OPERATION WITH ROSWELL DISK           AT THE
(M1)   (1)  ———————         ***ARY WERE ———————                AS
(M2)   (1)  ———————       recoVERY Was  ROSWELl Head olc giveN AS THE
                       [in addiTION]      ["pod"]
(B)    (1)      RECO     OPERATION WITH ROSWELL DISK 074 MJ-   AT THE
(C)    (1)      RECO .   OPERATION...                          AT THE
(S)                    COOPERATION
(F)    (1)  **** ****  explanation was  e l** ****** **** **** ** ***
(MN)   (1)     Efemlow EXPLANATION WAS  welcome news Especialy of THE
(R1)   (1)  ———————                                  officer
(R2)   (1)                                      NEAR OPErATioN AT THE
(R3)   (1) the)COrdOn. at locATION Was  A wreck NEAR OPErAtioN AT THE
                      [in addiTION]      ["pod"]
                                       [Airfoil]
(A)    (1)      rECO     OPERATION WAS? ROSWELL nEa* O*******n ATHE   
                                    With         disk           As       
       

        (2)  ????xxx xxx_ xxx xxxxxxx xx xxx xxxxx xxx xxxxxxxxx_ xx xxx
(RP1)  (2)   **JULY 4TH  THE VICTIMS OF THE       YOU FORWARDED  TO THE
(RP2)  (2) ****JULY 4TH  THE VICTIMS OF THE WRECK YOU FORWARDED  TO THE
(M1)   (2) ———— fxs 4  rsev1 VICTIMS OF THE WReck and CONVAY ON  TO
(M2)   (2)   [n]ext 4hs  Exp VictIMS of THE WReck and CONVAy ON  TO THE
(S)                      THE FINDING OF THE
(B)    (2)    ()    ()   THE VICTIMS OF THE WRECK YOU FORWARDED  TO THE
(C)    (2)     JULY 4TH. THE VICTIMS OF THE WRECK YOU FORWARDED  TO THE
(F)    (2)     **** and  THE REMAINS OF THE WRECK YOU FORWARDED  TO THE
(MN)   (2)  ****SOW AND  THE REMAINS OF THE WRECK YOU FORWARDED  TO THE
(BK)   (2)          AND  THE VICTIMS OF THE WRECK FOR EVALUATION TO THE
(R1)   (2)  —(jul)y 4th  the VictIMs of tHE wrECK you fOrWArdEd  TO The
(R2,3) (2) "ran)CH" AnD  THE VICTIMS OF THE WRECK YOU FORWARDED  TO THE
(A)    (2)      *** AND  THE VICTIMS OF THE WRECK YOU FORWARDED  TO THE    
                july 4th      remains                                      


        (3)           ???)xxx xx xxxx xxxxxx xxx.
(RP1)                        AT FORT WORTH, TEX.
(RP2)  (3)              TEAM AT FORT WORTH, TEX.
(M1)   (3)            ———*** AT FORT WORTH, Txe.
(S)    (3) EIGHTH AIR FO)RCE AT FORT WORTH, TEX.
(B)    (3)             T)EAM AT FORT WORTH, TEX.
(C)    (3)               ... AT FORT WORTH, TEX.
(F)    (3)               gmt AT FORT WortH, TEX.
(MN)   (3)              TeAM AT FORT WORTH, TEX.
(BK)   (3)                   AT FORT WORTH, TEX.
(R1)   (3)            ———EaM AT FORT WORTH, TEX. 
(R2,3) (3)           ??t)Eam AT FORT WORTH, TEX.
(A)    (3)             T)EAM AT FORT WORTH, TEX. 


        (4)            ??)xxxxxx_ xx xxx_ xxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xx-xxx_ xxxxxxxx
(RP1)  (4)                          THE  "CRASH" "STORY" ...   FOR   0984  ACKNOWLEDGES
(RP2)  (4)           ****ESSOR   ON THE  "DISK" MUST HAVE SENT LOS ALAMOS  A*****D
(M1)   (4)             ——***S** smi Ths  *ELSE* *    unus-d**e T&E A3ea96  L******
(M2)   (4)                W-S--  SorTei  -e———- thAT ONUS raaf T&E A# 9——  Landparty
(B)    (4)                   ()  ON THE  “DISK” MUST HAVE SENT LOS ALAMOS  ADVANCED 
(C)    (4)                SSORS  ON THE  “DISK” MUST THUS SAVE FOR ATOMIC  LABORATORY
(S)    (4)           rad)IATION  ON THE  "DISK" MUST COME FROM THE 
(F)    (4)              **** **** L The  *BLACk *box WAS value tac AEC mer Equipment
(MN)   (4)               device  IN THE   BLACK BOX  MUST SAVE FOR ATOMIC  AnALySts
(BK)   (4)                       OF THE  "DISC" THEY      AWAY TOP SECRET  LABORATORY.
(R1)   (4)                    5  pM THE  “DISC” they will ship FOR A3 8th  Arrived.
(R2)   (4)                          THE  “DISC” THEY will ship FOR A3-AS2  Arrived
(R3)   (4)            av)iAToRS  IN THE  “DISC” THEY WILL SHIP FOR A1-8TH  ARMYamhc
                                                          [Send]     -4TH  [Analysis]
(A)    (4)               iatORs  ON THE  "DISC" MUST have SENt FOA*****  A*******????
                           ss     iN      "DISK" they **us Save lOAlaMos  la******????
                                                                TOAtomic  


        (5) ?)x xxx-xx xx xxxx xxxxxx xx_ xxxxxx_ xxxxxxx__ xx xxxxxxxx__ xxxxx-
(RP1)  (5)          EMERGENCY POWERS ARE NEEDED  SITETWO   SW MAGDALENA, NMEX
(RP2)  (5)            URGENT  POWERS ARE NEEDED  SITETWO   NW ROSWELL,   NMEX.
(M1)   (5)  —— SOught CRASHEs pOw*** *** N*****  SITEOne   IS reMotely   *****
(B)    (5)      ()    URGENT. POWERS ARE NEEDED  SITETWO   AT CARLSBAD   NMEX.
(C)    (5)            URGENT  POWERS ARE NEEDED  SITETWO   NW ROSWELL,   NMEX.
(S)    (5)                               FLYING  SAUCERS   AT ROSWELL,   NMEX.
(F)    (5)         execute on order  AAF APPEARS *******   IT WOULD **   A*****
(MN)   (5)   **o**ure EXECUTE ORDERs HQ  APEARS  ASSURED   IT WOULD BE   MAJOR
(BK)   (5)                    PUBLIC     AFFAIRS SECRETARY OF ROSWELL    SAID
(R1)   (5)  —         or 58th bomber sq  Assist  officer   AT ROSwell.   AS for
                                         [Assess]
(R2)   (5) b)Y B29-ST OR C47. WrIGhT AF  ASSIST  flights   AT ROSWELL.   ASSURe
(R3)   (5) b)Y B29-ST OR C47. WrIGhT AF  ASSeSs  aerFOil   AT ROSWELL.   ASsUre
                                                                         [ABoUt]
(A)    (5) .........t uRGENt. POWERS ARE NEEDED  SITETWO   AT ROSWELL,   NMEX.?
                                      A*? A*****  aI**o**                 a***r? 


        (6)   -x-x x-xxxxxx xxxx_ xxxx _xxxxxxxx_ xxxxxxx xx xxxxx xxx xxxx-
(RP1)  (6)                 SAFE  TALK        FOR MEANING OF STORY AND MISSION
(RP2)  (6)          MIDDAY 509TH TOLD  NEWSPAPER MEANING OF STORY AND MISSION
(M1)   (6)    ————   ***D* bAsE  ToLd  ***a* for we**ous BY STORY are 8*****
(M2)   (6)          MIDDAY 509#  TOLD  newsPaPer segment of STORY Adv——
(B)    (6)  ()             SAFE  TALK  NEWSPAPER MEANING OF STORY AND
(C)    (6)                 SAFE  TALK WANTED FOR MEANING OF STORY AND
(F)                ****Day ****  SEND  ***TIONS  RecovEr IS ORDER AEC *****
(MN)   (6)     ** * weabl* SAID  SEND  MISTATED  MEANING OF STORY AND THINK
(BK)   (6)                 CASE  THEY            MEANING OF STORY AND THINK
                                                 [vErsIon]
(R1)   (6)                 54th  SAID  MIStaken  meaning of story And said
                                       [weather   balloon is]
(R2)   (6)   THAT CiC/TEAM SAID  THIS  MISTAKEN  MEANING OF STORY AND THINK
(R3)   (6)   that CiC/TEAM SAID  this  MISSTATE  MEANING OF STORY AND THINK
             [noon]              [send]          [vErsIon]            [said]
(A)    (6)          ***DAY SAFE  TALK  NEWSPAPER MEANING OF STORY AND THINK??  
                            SAid  SEND  misSTAtE? version                               
                                  TolD 
                                  Th**

        (7)            ---xxxxxxx xxxx xxxx_ xxx xx_ xx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxx
(RP1)  (7)                            SHOW  "STUFF" OF WEATHER BALLOONS SENT ON THE
(RP2)  (7)                       ONLY SHOW **** *** BY WEATHER BALLOONS WOULD MAKE
(M1)   (7)              ———— lly thry even  PUT FOR BY WEATHER BALLOONS n*d** were
(M2)   (7)                   LLY ThrY EVEN  PUT for AF WEATATN BALLOONS raDar WERE
(S)    (7) USED TO SP)READ STORY THEY JUST  PUT IN  OF WEATHER BALLOONS FOUND NEAR 
(B)    (7)                  ONLY SHOW   ( ) ( )     BY WEATHER BALLOONS (   ) WAVE 
(C)    (7)                       NEXT CREW  OUT TODAY. WEATHER BALLOONS WOULD MAKE
(F)    (7)                  **** NEXT could you **  IF WEATHER BALLOONS WOULD MAKE
(MN)   (7)              ******** nEXT THEY  SAY PR  OF WEATHER BALLOONS WOULD WORK
(R1)   (7)                            news  out is  OF WEATHER BALLOONS which were
(R2)   (7)            LATE TODAY NEXT SENT  OUT PR  OF WEATHER BALLOONS WOULD WORK
(R3)   (7)            LATE TODAY NEXT SENT  OUT PR  OF WEATHER BALLOONS WOULD takE/work
                                                                              farE 
(A)    (7)                     Y NEXT s**t  oUT pR? OF WEATHER BALLOONS WOULD MAK
                                  th?Y       pUT                              WORK  
                                                                                

        (8)            ??------x xxxx xxx xxxx xx-xxxxxx_ xxxxx.
(RP1)  (8)                           AND LAND ... ROVER  CREWS.
(RP2)  (8)                   ****509 HAS LAND SURVEYOR   CREWS.
(M1)   (8)            —————       **** **la** l***denver *****
(M2)   (8)                           And Land L denver   ofww3
(S)    (8) ROSWELL. )ROSWELL
(B)    (8)             ()          ()         L-DENVER   CREWS.
(C)    (8)                       509 HAS LAND SURVEYOR   CREWS.
(F)    (8)                           ABQ LAND recOVERY   crews.
(MN)   (8)              a ****O sAys ADD LAND SCAVENGER  CREWS.
(R1)   (8)           ——---           Add land d********  crews.
                                  [And, Ask] [dirtcover]
(R2,3) (8)            if photos usEd AnD LANd DEm/RAWIN  CREWS.
                       better if thEy AdD LAms DEceptioN
                                               Dropsonde
(A)    (8)                       509 AND LAND ****E*vER  CREWS.  
                                      AdD
                                      has


        (9)   xxxxx-
(RP)   (9)   TEMPLE
(M)    (9)   Temple
(R1-3) (9)   rAMEy
(S)    (9)   RRAMEY
(B)    (9)   TEMPLE
(C)    (9)  R RAMEY
(S)    (9)   RRAMEY
(F)    (9)  * R****
(MN)   (9)   RRAMEY
(A)    (9)   RRAMEY  
              temple
Comparison Ramey Memo Reads

Comparisons of 9 Ramey memo readers show substantial consensus on words and letters
Last updated: May 25, 2021
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