Person
Walter Haut
Press officer at the Roswell base, author of the 1947 press release
1947–2005 · Historical figures (1933–2007) · Witness
Public relations officer at the Roswell base (1922–2005), he drafted the July 8, 1947 press release on the “flying disc.” In March 1989 he said he knew nothing about what had been recovered, while in a sworn statement of May 14, 1993 he maintained that Blanchard and Marcel could not have mistaken the material for a weather balloon. In 1991 he founded the Roswell UFO museum with Glenn Dennis. The 1947 press release is documented, whereas a 2002 text, published after his death by Carey and Schmitt as his “Sealed Affidavit” in Witness to Roswell (2007), is disputed for lack of evidence and inconsistencies.
- Key claims
- In 1993 he stated under oath that Blanchard and Marcel could not have mistaken the material for a weather balloon.
- In March 1989 he said he knew nothing about what had been recovered.
- Controversies
- The 2002 “Sealed Affidavit,” published posthumously in Witness to Roswell (2007), has been criticized for lack of evidence and inconsistencies.
Documented authority
It measures how documented and verifiable what the person claims is, not their honesty. Each criterion is scored from 0 to 2.
- Credentials 2/2
- Public relations officer at the Roswell base in 1947: role documented by the press release.
- Direct access 1/2
- Directly involved in the press release, but in 1989 he said he knew nothing about the material recovered.
- Evidence provided 0/2
- No document or material supporting the statements made after 1947.
- Claims track record 1/2
- Different versions over time (1989, 1993) and a disputed posthumous statement from 2002.
- Conflicts of interest 1/2
- Co-founder in 1991 of the Roswell UFO museum, tied to the case.
Sources
On this site
Cases 1
- Roswell: the ranch debris and the “disc” announced by the base Disputed explanation
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