Within Flight 4
Why June 4 Became the Key Date
The June 4 Alamogordo launch fits the reported discovery window better than later Mogul flights, but the record is imperfect.
On this page
- Brazel's June discovery window
- Alamogordo flight activity
- Why later flights fit less well
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Introduction
The reason 4 June 1947 became the key date in the Roswell debate is straightforward: among the known Project Mogul launches, the early June Flight 4 is the one that most closely matches the reported timing of rancher W. W. “Mac” Brazel’s discovery. If the debris was found in mid-June, as Brazel originally indicated, then balloon flights launched in July become difficult candidates. That timing issue led Air Force investigators in the 1990s to focus on Mogul Flight 4, a balloon train launched from Alamogordo on 4 June and apparently not recovered by its operators. [Muller Lab]muller.lbl.govMuller LabProject MogulSince the launch was unsuccessful, no flight number was assigned. the debris found by the rancher. MOGUL flight no…
The identification is important because the modern official explanation of Roswell depends heavily on it. Rather than claiming that any weather balloon could explain the debris, investigators argued that one specific early Mogul launch best fit the known dates, location, and material descriptions. At the same time, Flight 4 remains controversial because its documentation is incomplete and later researchers have questioned aspects of the reconstruction. [WHS ESD+2DAF History]esd.whs.milIt is very probable that this Top Secret project balloon trainWHS ESDReport of Air Force Research Regarding the "Roswell…27 Jul 1994 — Flight 4 was launched on June 4, 1947, but was not recovered…
Brazel’s June Discovery Window
The strongest reason Flight 4 emerged as the Roswell candidate was the reported date of discovery.
In statements attributed to Brazel in July 1947, he indicated that he found the unusual debris weeks before the story became public. Air Force researchers later interpreted those statements as placing the discovery around 14 June. If that date is approximately correct, then debris from balloon launches conducted in July could not have been responsible because the material was already on the ground. [Muller Lab]muller.lbl.govMuller LabProject MogulSince the launch was unsuccessful, no flight number was assigned. the debris found by the rancher. MOGUL flight no…
This timing narrowed the field dramatically. Investigators reviewing Project Mogul records concluded that only a small number of June launches remained plausible. Among those, Flight 4 attracted attention because it was not recovered and because its expected path carried it into the general region east of the Sacramento Mountains where debris was reportedly found. [Muller Lab]muller.lbl.govMuller LabProject MogulSince the launch was unsuccessful, no flight number was assigned. the debris found by the rancher. MOGUL flight no…
The significance of the June discovery window is often overlooked. The debate is not simply about whether Mogul balloons existed near Roswell. The key question is whether any known Mogul flight could have deposited debris before Brazel encountered it. Flight 4 became central because it was one of the few launches that could satisfy that requirement. [Muller Lab]muller.lbl.govMuller LabProject MogulSince the launch was unsuccessful, no flight number was assigned. the debris found by the rancher. MOGUL flight no…
What Was Happening at Alamogordo on 4 June?
Project Mogul was still in its experimental phase during early June 1947. Teams at Alamogordo Army Air Field were testing long balloon trains carrying radar reflectors and experimental equipment intended to detect distant acoustic signals from possible Soviet nuclear tests. These were much more elaborate assemblies than ordinary weather balloons. [DAF History]dafhistory.af.milAFD 101201 038DAF HistoryThe Roswell ReportProject MOGUL, the top-priority classified project of balloon-borne experiments, UFO wave of 1947 which bega…
According to later reconstructions, Flight 4 launched on 4 June and was tracked moving east-northeast from Alamogordo. Researchers subsequently lost track of it, and no confirmed recovery was recorded. Some analyses placed the tracked route near the Corona area and relatively close to the region later associated with the Roswell debris field. [skepticalinquirer.org+2cdn.centerforinquiry.org]skepticalinquirer.orgThe Roswell Incident at 70: Facts, Not MythsFlight No. 4. The research team launched NYU Flight #4 on June 4, 1947, from Alamogordo Army Air Field and tracked it flying east-northea…
This mattered because investigators were not looking merely for a launch that occurred before Brazel’s discovery. They were looking for a launch that disappeared and therefore could have left debris unattended on remote ranch land. Flight 4 fit that description better than most documented flights, which were either recovered or accounted for. [WHS ESD]esd.whs.milIt is very probable that this Top Secret project balloon trainWHS ESDReport of Air Force Research Regarding the "Roswell…27 Jul 1994 — Flight 4 was launched on June 4, 1947, but was not recovered…
Another factor was material similarity. Air Force investigators argued that descriptions given by Brazel, intelligence officer Jesse Marcel, and others resembled components used in Mogul service flights, including balloon fragments, foil-covered radar reflector material, lightweight structural sticks, paper-like components, and instrument hardware. These similarities strengthened the argument that the debris came from a Mogul balloon train rather than a conventional aircraft. [Muller Lab]muller.lbl.govMuller LabProject MogulSince the launch was unsuccessful, no flight number was assigned. the debris found by the rancher. MOGUL flight no…
Why Later Flights Fit Less Well
Once the discovery date is placed in June, later Mogul launches become increasingly difficult to reconcile with the chronology.
Most July flights occurred after the debris was supposedly already known to Brazel. Even if some records were incomplete, a July launch cannot easily explain material reportedly found weeks earlier. This is one reason Air Force investigators regarded Flight 4 as a better match than the better-documented July operations. [Muller Lab]muller.lbl.govMuller LabProject MogulSince the launch was unsuccessful, no flight number was assigned. the debris found by the rancher. MOGUL flight no…
The Air Force reconstruction also argued that only a limited number of June flights remained unaccounted for. Among these, Flight 4 appeared more compatible with the reported debris because it likely included radar reflectors and other experimental components associated with Charles Moore’s early field work. Investigators therefore considered it a stronger candidate than earlier June launches that may have used different configurations. [Muller Lab]muller.lbl.govMuller LabProject MogulSince the launch was unsuccessful, no flight number was assigned. the debris found by the rancher. MOGUL flight no…
In practical terms, later flights suffer from a simple chronological problem. They may have been easier to document, but they do not align as neatly with the reported discovery window. Flight 4 became the preferred explanation not because its documentation was perfect, but because its timing appeared to fit the available witness accounts better than the alternatives. [Muller Lab]muller.lbl.govMuller LabProject MogulSince the launch was unsuccessful, no flight number was assigned. the debris found by the rancher. MOGUL flight no…
Why the Identification Remains Debated
The same evidence that made Flight 4 attractive also created doubts.
Air Force reports acknowledged that some early Mogul flights were poorly documented compared with later launches. The Flight 4 reconstruction relied on technical reports, field notes, diaries, interviews, and later recollections rather than a complete launch-and-recovery record. Critics have argued that a candidate flight carrying such explanatory weight should ideally be supported by clearer contemporary documentation. [DAF History]dafhistory.af.milAFD 101201 038DAF HistoryThe Roswell ReportProject MOGUL, the top-priority classified project of balloon-borne experiments, UFO wave of 1947 which bega…
One recurring criticism involves diary entries by project scientist Albert Crary that some researchers interpret as indicating that a planned Flight 4 configuration was cancelled or altered. Critics contend that if the intended flight never flew as originally planned, the identification becomes less certain. Supporters of the Mogul explanation counter that balloon activity still occurred on 4 June and that the surviving records are consistent with an unlogged service flight that could account for the debris. [ResearchGate]researchgate.netA Grounded Theory Update on the Roswell UFO IncidentProject Mogul does not provide the ultimate answer. Dr. Crary's eld notes…
As a result, Flight 4 occupies a unique position in the Roswell case. It is the leading candidate because it best matches the reported June discovery window and the known pattern of Alamogordo balloon operations, yet it remains debated because the surviving records are incomplete. The strength of the Roswell–Mogul explanation therefore depends largely on how convincing one finds the reconstruction of that specific 4 June launch. [WHS ESD+2Muller Lab]esd.whs.milIt is very probable that this Top Secret project balloon trainWHS ESDReport of Air Force Research Regarding the "Roswell…27 Jul 1994 — Flight 4 was launched on June 4, 1947, but was not recovered…
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Further Reading
Books and field guides related to Why June 4 Became the Key Date. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
The Roswell Report: Case Closed
Explains why June 4 became central to the Mogul identification.
UFO Crash at Roswell
Discusses chronology and the development of the Roswell narrative.
The Roswell Incident
Provides the influential chronology that later researchers challenged.
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Endnotes
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Source: esd.whs.mil
Title: It is very probable that this Top Secret project balloon train (
Link: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/FOID/Reading%20Room/UFOsandUAPs/rosswe1.pdfSource snippet
WHS ESDReport of Air Force Research Regarding the "Roswell...27 Jul 1994 — Flight 4 was launched on June 4, 1947, but was not recovered...
Published: June 4, 1947
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Source: researchgate.net
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/362854511_A_Grounded_Theory_Update_on_the_Roswell_UFO_IncidentSource snippet
A Grounded Theory Update on the Roswell UFO IncidentProject Mogul does not provide the ultimate answer. Dr. Crary's eld notes...
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Source: cdn.centerforinquiry.org
Link: https://cdn.centerforinquiry.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/1995/07/22165104/p17.pdf?_ga=2.167806568.87202448.1674674099-1555719303.1674674099Source snippet
New Mexico, only 17 miles from the location of the debris field on the. Foster ranch...Read more...
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Source: skepticalinquirer.org
Title: The Roswell Incident at 70: Facts, Not Myths
Link: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2017/12/the-roswell-incident-at-70-facts-not-myths/Source snippet
Flight No. 4. The research team launched NYU Flight #4 on June 4, 1947, from Alamogordo Army Air Field and tracked it flying east-northea...
Published: June 4, 1947
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Source: muller.lbl.gov
Link: https://muller.lbl.gov/teaching/physics10/Roswell/USMogulReport.htmlSource snippet
Muller LabProject MogulSince the launch was unsuccessful, no flight number was assigned. the debris found by the rancher. MOGUL flight no...
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Source: dafhistory.af.mil
Title: AFD 101201 038
Link: https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/Portals/16/documents/AFD-101201-038.pdfSource snippet
DAF HistoryThe Roswell ReportProject MOGUL, the top-priority classified project of balloon-borne experiments, UFO wave of 1947 which bega...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Project Mogul
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_MogulSource snippet
Project Mogul... Air Force attributed the 1947 Roswell debris to a Project Mogul balloon. In 1947, a Project Mogul balloon NYU Flight...
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Source: jhmovie.fandom.com
Link: https://jhmovie.fandom.com/wiki/Roswell_incidentSource snippet
incident | JH Wiki Collection Wiki | FandomOn June 4, researchers at Alamogordo Army Air Field launched a long train of these balloons; t...
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Source: sgp.fas.org
Link: https://sgp.fas.org/othergov/roswell.htmlSource snippet
Report on Roswell, NM UFO Crash(5) a 1947 Air Force report noted the recovery of a [flying disc]({{ 'flying-disc/' | relative_url }}) that was later determined by military offi...
Additional References
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Source: scribd.com
Link: https://www.scribd.com/document/160434858/The-Roswell-MysterySource snippet
Roswell Incident: Project Mogul Explained | PDF | ScienceMoore's analysis indicates that after Flight 4 lifted off from Alamogordo, it pr...
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Source: blogs.library.unt.edu
Title: 75 years after the roswell incident what have we learned
Link: https://blogs.library.unt.edu/sycamore-stacks/2022/07/07/75-years-after-the-roswell-incident-what-have-we-learned/Source snippet
unt.edu75 Years after the Roswell Incident, What Have We Learned?7 Jul 2022 — In 1947, Army regulations required that air accident report...
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Source: gutenberg.org
Title: The Roswell Report: [Case Closed]({{ ‘case-closed/’ | relative_url }}), by James Mc Andrew—
Link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/63659/old/63659-h/63659-h.htmSource snippet
Project Mogul flights in June 1947, covered a wide spectrum of scientific research. One important experiment in space biology measured th...
Published: June 1947
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Source: ciphermysteries.com
Title: the roswell capsule was it tex settles flying coffin
Link: https://ciphermysteries.com/2026/01/15/the-roswell-capsule-was-it-tex-settles-flying-coffinSource snippet
The Roswell capsule: was it Tex Settle's Flying Coffin?15 Jan 2026 — The research team launched NYU Flight #4 on June 4, 1947, from Alamo...
Published: June 4, 1947
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Source: smithsonianmag.com
Title: roswell the genesis story of us ufos 140945396
Link: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/roswell-the-genesis-story-of-us-ufos-140945396/Source snippet
Roswell, "The Genesis Story of U.S. UFOs"Jul 7, 2010 — Mogul Flight 4 was launched from Alamogordo on June 4, 1947, and is likely the sou...
Published: June 4, 1947
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/TheWorldsofDavidDarling/posts/project-mogul-was-a-secret-program-conducted-by-the-us-air-force-and-directed-by/960746719187550/Source snippet
y Charles B. Moore in the late 1940s to develop balloon-borne...
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Source: nasw.org
Link: https://www.nasw.org/sites/default/files/sciencewriters/html/sum00tex/aliens.htmSource snippet
a still-secret government program from the 1940s called Project Mogul.Read more...
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Source: [media]({{ ‘media/’ | relative_url }}). defense.gov
Title: AFD 101027 030
Link: https://media.defense.gov/2010/Oct/27/2001330219/-1/-1/0/AFD-101027-030.pdfSource snippet
Department of WarU.S. Air Force: "The Roswell Report: Case Closed"MOGUL was an experimental attempt to acoustically detect suspected Sovi...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Reel America: “The Roswell Reports”
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7rVSri-7esSource snippet
Official Reports on the Roswell UFO Incident | USAF Documentary | 1997...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: The Top Secret Project That Spawned the Roswell UFO Incident
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h54XMccPH-QSource snippet
Reel America: "The Roswell Reports" - 1997 U.S. Air Force Film...
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