Maury Island Incident
Three days before Kenneth Arnold's famous sighting, harbor patrolman Harold Dahl reported six doughnut-shaped objects, one of which dropped slag that killed his dog. The case became entangled with early government UFO investigations.
The Pre-Arnold Sighting
On June 21, 1947—three days before Kenneth Arnold’s famous sighting—harbor patrolman Harold Dahl reported six doughnut-shaped UFOs over Maury Island, Washington. One object dropped material that injured his son and killed his dog, making this one of the earliest alleged physical trace cases.
The Date
June 21, 1947:
- Three days before Arnold
- First modern UFO case?
- Pre-flying saucer era
- Historic timing
- Often overlooked
The Witnesses
On the boat:
- Harold Dahl (patrolman)
- His son (injured)
- Two crew members
- Dog (killed)
- Puget Sound patrol
The Sighting
What Dahl reported:
- Six doughnut-shaped objects
- Hovering overhead
- One seemed damaged
- Descending toward water
- Others circling
The Material
What fell:
- Metalite slag
- Hot fragments
- Burned son’s arm
- Killed dog
- Damaged boat
Physical Evidence
Dahl claimed:
- Collected slag samples
- Kept fragments
- Showed to supervisor
- Physical proof
- Later controversial
Fred Crisman
Dahl’s supervisor:
- Went to site
- Saw more objects
- Collected samples
- Contacted investigators
- Key figure
The Investigation
Early involvement:
- Kenneth Arnold came
- Army Air Force officers
- Captain Davidson
- Lieutenant Brown
- Tragic outcome
The B-25 Crash
August 1, 1947:
- Investigators’ plane crashed
- Both officers killed
- Carrying samples?
- Conspiracy theories
- Tragic end
The Men in Black
First appearance:
- Dahl visited
- By man in black suit
- Warned to stay silent
- Before term existed
- Original MIB?
Hoax Accusations
Problems emerged:
- Dahl recanted
- Then recanted recantation
- Confusing story
- Muddy waters
- Truth unclear
The Slag
Physical analysis:
- Some said volcanic rock
- Some said unusual
- Never definitively tested
- Evidence disappeared
- Mystery remains
FBI Involvement
Bureau investigated:
- Multiple interviews
- Contradictory statements
- Called possible hoax
- File extensive
- Unresolved
Significance
Possible first modern UFO case with alleged physical evidence, men in black, and investigator deaths.
Legacy
Maury Island remains controversial—either a genuine pre-Arnold UFO encounter with physical evidence, or an elaborate hoax that cost two men their lives. The truth has never been established.