EVENT TITLE: Manzano Weapons Storage Area: Security Police See Disc Land in Coyote Canyon
EVENT DATE: 1980-08-08
EVENT TYPE: military_encounter
EXISTING SUMMARY: Multiple security police at Manzano Nuclear Weapons Storage Area observe a bright disc-shaped object descend and land in Coyote Canyon Test Area. A Sandia Labs security guard approaches the object with shotgun; his radio dies. The disc shoots straight up and disappears. Additional UFO landings repor
1. In 1980, security police at the Manzano Nuclear Weapons Storage Area witnessed a disc-shaped object landing in Coyote Canyon Test Area. A security guard approached the object, but it quickly departed. This event contributed to growing concerns about UFOs near the facility.
The Incident
* Multiple security police officers at the Manzano Nuclear Weapons Storage Area observed a bright, disc-shaped object descend from the sky.
* The object landed in the Coyote Canyon Test Area.
* A Sandia Labs security guard approached the landed object, armed with a shotgun.
* As the guard approached, his radio malfunctioned and ceased to function.
* The disc-shaped object then shot straight up into the sky and disappeared from view.
* The existing summary mentions additional UFO landings were reported, but the source text does not elaborate.
Investigation
The provided source text does not detail any official investigation into this specific incident. However, it does mention that Air Force Special Agent Richard Doty later stated that a woman named Hansen, under hypnosis with an Air Force psychologist, described and drew one of the facilities at Manzano in great detail, even knowing what the elevator looked like. This suggests some level of interest from the Air Force in events related to Manzano.
Significance
This event is significant because it involves a UFO sighting by multiple security personnel at a highly sensitive military location, the Manzano Nuclear Weapons Storage Area. The Manzano facility is believed to have extensive underground facilities and was potentially the largest nuclear weapons storage site in the world. The incident, and related claims of underground bases and alien encounters, fueled Paul Bennewitz's interest in UFOs and his belief in an alien base in Dulce, New Mexico. The event also highlights the potential for UFO sightings to impact national security concerns and generate speculation about extraterrestrial activity near military installations.