Maury Island Incident

The Maury Island incident occurred three days before Kenneth Arnold’s famous sighting that launched the modern UFO era, making it potentially the first UFO case of the modern age. A harbor patrolman reported seeing disc-shaped craft that dropped mysterious debris, killing his dog. The case features “men in black,” a deadly plane crash, and allegations of both hoax and cover-up. Its truth remains debated.

June 21, 1947

The incident predated the famous Arnold sighting:

Date: Three days before Kenneth Arnold’s June 24 encounter.

Location: Maury Island in Puget Sound, near Tacoma, Washington.

Witness: Harold Dahl, a harbor patrolman.

Crew: Dahl was with his son, a crew member, and his dog.

The Sighting

Dahl reported seeing six craft:

Number: Six doughnut or disc-shaped objects.

Position: Five circled around a sixth that appeared to be in trouble.

Altitude: Approximately 2,000 feet above the water.

Behavior: The troubled craft seemed to be losing altitude.

The Debris Drop

The most dramatic claim involved physical material:

The Troubled Craft: One craft appeared to be malfunctioning.

Debris Fall: Hot, slag-like debris allegedly fell from the craft.

Damage: The debris reportedly burned Dahl’s son and killed his dog.

Samples: Dahl claimed to have collected some of the material.

The Man in Black

The case featured one of the earliest “men in black” encounters:

The Visit: The next morning, a man in a black suit allegedly visited Dahl.

The Warning: He warned Dahl not to discuss what he had seen.

Knowledge: The man seemed to know details of the sighting.

Threat: He implied bad things would happen if Dahl talked.

Fred Crisman

Dahl’s supervisor became involved:

Connection: Crisman was Dahl’s employer or superior.

Investigation: He allegedly went to the site and found debris.

Contact: He contacted Ray Palmer, a magazine publisher.

Controversy: Crisman’s background was later questioned.

Ray Palmer

The publisher became interested:

Amazing Stories: Palmer was editor of Amazing Stories magazine.

Interest: He was fascinated by flying disc reports.

Investigation: He encouraged investigation of the case.

Payment: He paid for Kenneth Arnold to investigate.

Kenneth Arnold Investigates

The famous pilot got involved:

Request: Palmer asked Arnold to investigate Maury Island.

Timing: Arnold traveled to Tacoma just days after his own sighting.

Meetings: He met with Dahl and Crisman.

Suspicion: Arnold grew suspicious of the story.

The Debris

The physical evidence was central to the case:

Material: Described as slag-like, dark, porous material.

Collection: Dahl and Crisman claimed to have samples.

Handover: Some material was allegedly given to Army Air Force intelligence.

Analysis: What happened to the material remains unclear.

The Plane Crash

A tragic event added mystery:

The Flight: Two Army Air Force officers left Tacoma with alleged debris samples.

The Crash: Their B-25 bomber crashed, killing both men.

Speculation: Some suggested sabotage to suppress evidence.

Official Explanation: Engine fire was the official cause.

Conspiracy: The deaths fueled conspiracy theories.

The Dead Officers

The casualties were:

Captain William Davidson: One of the first Air Force UFO investigators.

Lieutenant Frank Brown: His colleague.

Mission: They had come to Tacoma to collect debris and investigate.

Loss: Their deaths dealt a blow to early UFO investigation.

The Hoax Allegation

The case was officially dismissed as a hoax:

Dahl’s Statement: Dahl allegedly admitted to investigators it was a hoax.

Crisman’s Background: His background raised questions.

Motivation: The exact motivation for a hoax was unclear.

Recantation: Dahl later took back his confession.

Questions About the Hoax Theory

Problems with the hoax explanation exist:

The Debris: What was the slag-like material?

The Timing: Why would they hoax something three days before Arnold’s sighting?

The Deaths: Would a hoax lead to a fatal plane crash?

The MIB: The “man in black” element was unusual for 1947.

The Cover-Up Theory

Some believe the case was suppressed:

Genuine Event: The sighting actually occurred.

Evidence Seized: The debris was confiscated.

Witnesses Silenced: Dahl was pressured to recant.

Deaths: The officers’ deaths removed investigators.

Fred Crisman’s Background

Crisman’s history was complex:

OSS Connection: Some claim he had intelligence connections.

JFK Assassination: He was later subpoenaed by Jim Garrison.

Dubious History: His credibility has been questioned.

Unknown: His true role in the incident remains unclear.

The Material

The debris has never been explained:

Description: Dark, porous, slag-like substance.

Analysis: No complete analysis is publicly known.

Fate: The collected samples disappeared.

Speculation: Some suggest it was industrial waste; others believe it was genuinely anomalous.

Historical Significance

The case matters to UFO history:

First MIB: One of the earliest “men in black” reports.

Pre-Arnold: Occurring before the famous sighting.

Physical Evidence: Claims of physical debris.

Deaths: The first UFO-related fatalities.

Legacy

The Maury Island incident matters because:

• It predated the Kenneth Arnold sighting that started the UFO era
• It features one of the first “men in black” accounts
• Physical debris was allegedly collected
• Two military investigators died in connection with the case
• The truth remains debated after 75+ years

Whether hoax, genuine encounter, or something else entirely, the Maury Island incident remains a fascinating and troubling mystery from the very beginning of the modern UFO era.

Sources

• Harold Dahl testimony
• Kenneth Arnold investigation
• Military crash reports
• Contemporary news accounts
• Maury Island incident - Wikipedia