Mystery Still Permeates Washington UFO “Roswell” Incident

Washington State has had its share of unsolved mysteries over the years. One that stands out and still baffles many is the “Maury Island Incident,” which happened a few days before the famous Roswell UFO event, in 1947.

76 years ago, Harold Dahl claimed to have witnessed numerous UFOs while he was boating near Maury Island (which is now connected to Vashon Island), a small island between Seattle and Tacoma. Mr. Dahl stated one of the UFOs appeared to drop a hot white object that killed his dog and injured his son. After he reported the incident he says he was visited by men dressed in black who strongly encouraged him not to speak about the event to anyone.

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The incident later attracted national attention and Dahl was contacted by UFO specialist, Ray Palmer, an editor for a science fiction magazine. Palmer was so fascinated by the Maury Island Incident and another recent sighting near Mount Rainier reported by a pilot, that he arranged a meeting between the three to compare experiences. The pilot who reported the Mount Rainier sighting, Kenneth Arnold, claims Mr. Dahl presented debris he collected from the Maury Island Incident. The debris was never seen again and some believe it was all a hoax.

The sighting and alleged UFO malfunction near Maury Island is one of Washington State’s biggest mysteries and is still debated. Conspiracy theories surround the story but no one can dispute its timing – just days BEFORE the reported UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico.

There are books available about the event and the story was highlighted in an episode of UFO Hunters on the History Channel. You can check the full episode below.