December 1948–1949 / T041
Green fireballs near sensitive installations
New Mexico and the U.S. Southwest
Witness account
Aircrew and ground observers reported unusually bright green fireballs over the Southwest, including military and civilian flight reports on 5 December 1948. Their occurrence near installations involved in atomic research prompted security interest and consultation with meteor specialists. Lincoln LaPaz argued that aspects of the reports differed from ordinary meteors.
Public record
Contemporary communications and conference records document the concern. Follow-up efforts sought trajectories and recoverable material, rather than merely compiling spectacular anecdotes.