Hundreds Of Sightings Of Similar Objects
Hundreds of reports of sightings of similar objects followed the Arnold incident, many of these came from highly credible military and civilian sources.
These reports resulted in independent efforts by several different elements of the military to ascertain the nature and purpose of these objects in the interests of national defense.
A number of witnesses were interviewed and there were several unsuccessful attempts to utilize aircraft in efforts to pursue reported disks in flight.
Public reaction bordered on near hysteria at times.
In spite of these efforts, little of substance was learned about the objects until a local rancher reported that one had crashed in a remote region of New Mexico located approximately 75 miles northwest of Roswell Army Air Base,
Within a week of Kenneth Arnold's sighting there was furious military activity.
We can piece together what went on from hundreds of documents released decades later under the U.S. Freedom of Information, FOI, Act and from interviews with some of those who were involved at the time.
And then it was 1947, with its striking wave of unknown disks which flew over the United States from the end of June to mid July.
Press coverage of the Kenneth Arnold incident triggered a veritable wave of observations during the following months, more than 850 sightings being reported in June & July alone, the wave reaching its crest between June 25 & July 16.
The 40 Year Search for an Explanation, a study by Bloecher of North American reports over the 4 week period bracketing the Arnold sighting lists 853 events, including 38 sightings made before Arnold's heavily publicized sighting.