Former Pentagon Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) investigator Jay Stratton has claimed that the United States government recovered nonhuman bodies and wreckage from the infamous 1947 crash in Roswell, New Mexico. These assertions appear in his memoir, Out of the Shadows, released on October 13, 2026.
Stratton spent 16 years investigating unidentified objects and directed the Pentagon’s UAP Task Force until his retirement in 2022. For his Roswell claims, he relied on information from an unnamed insider. According to his account, a spacecraft broke into two pieces near Roswell. Military personnel then secured the site and retrieved both the debris and its occupants.
Details of the Alleged Roswell Recovery
In interviews about his book, Stratton described the state of the recovered occupants. Some individuals were reportedly dead on arrival, while others were allegedly alive initially but later died after refusing food or contact.
“We’re not the only intelligent life in the universe,” Stratton told People magazine. Despite these dramatic claims, Stratton did not witness the recovery firsthand. The published account provides no independently authenticated physical records or verifiable evidence to support the insider’s story.
These claims directly contradict official U.S. government investigations spanning decades. In 1994, the U.S. Air Force concluded that the debris recovered near Roswell originated from Project Mogul, a classified balloon-based intelligence program designed to detect Soviet nuclear testing. Later Air Force historical reviews also examined reports of alien bodies, attributing them to anthropomorphic test dummies and unrelated military accidents from subsequent years.
Broader Claims Regarding Crash Retrievals
Stratton’s memoir goes beyond the 1947 Roswell incident. He alleges that military contractors currently possess at least a dozen crashed spacecraft secured in facilities across the United States. He describes covert retrieval teams operating under strict secrecy to secure unusual craft and biological remains.
These allegations mirror claims made by other whistleblowers, including former intelligence official David Grusch during a 2023 congressional hearing. However, official oversight bodies have challenged these narratives. In March 2024, the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) reported finding no verifiable evidence that government agencies or private contractors ever possessed extraterrestrial technology or engaged in covert reverse-engineering programs.
Security Reviews and Official Stance
Representatives for Stratton noted that Out of the Shadows underwent a security review by 21 separate government agencies and departments before publication. However, intelligence and defense experts point out that these administrative reviews are standard procedure for former officials with security clearances. They do not constitute a government endorsement of the book’s factual claims.
The Department of Defense maintains its position that while unexplained incursions near military installations present legitimate national security and safety concerns, there is no public or empirical evidence linking unidentified objects to extraterrestrial craft or biological retrievals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jay Stratton?
Jay Stratton is a former government official who spent 16 years investigating unidentified aerial phenomena. He served as the first director of the Pentagon’s Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force before retiring in 2022.
What does Jay Stratton claim about the Roswell crash?
In his memoir Out of the Shadows, Stratton claims-based on information from an unnamed insider-that the U.S. military recovered a crashed spacecraft and nonhuman bodies near Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947.
Are there physical or independent pieces of evidence supporting these claims?
No. Independent reviewers, journalists, and government offices like AARO have found no verifiable physical evidence, authenticated records, or empirical data to support the claims of recovered extraterrestrial technology or bodies.
What has the U.S. Air Force officially said about Roswell?
Official investigations, including a comprehensive 1994 Air Force report, concluded that the debris recovered near Roswell came from Project Mogul, a classified military balloon project meant to detect Soviet nuclear tests.
Did AARO address these recovery allegations?
Yes. In March 2024, the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office published findings stating they uncovered no verifiable evidence that the government or private defense contractors possess hidden extraterrestrial technology.
