Roswell Army Air Field 1947 press release
July 8, 1947 (noon), Roswell Army Air Field public information officer Walter Haut is ordered by Colonel Blanchard to issue a press release telling the country that the Army had found a flying saucer. Blachard made that decision after captains Jesse Marcel Sheridan Cavitt arrived at the base with 2 cars loaded with debris of what they interpreted as a flying saucer. Haut's press release:
"The many rumors regarding the flying disc became a reality yesterday when the Intelligence office of the 509th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force, Roswell Army Air Field, was fortunate enough to gain possession of a disc through the cooperation of one of the local ranchers and the sheriff's office of Chaves County.
The flying object landed on a ranch near Roswell sometime last week. Not having phone facilities, the rancher stored the disc until such time as he was able to contact the sheriff's office, who in turn notified Maj. Jesse A. Marcel of the 509th Bomb Group Intelligence Office.
Action was immediately taken and the disc was picked up at the rancher's home. It was inspected at Roswell Army Air Field and subsequently loaned by Major Marcel to higher headquarters."
[The story reached the AP at 2:26 PM. Soon after that the story changed to a weather balloon.]