The 1949 Disc Crash in Death Valley

The original newspaper report of a 1949 disc crash in Death Valley appeared in The Bakersfield Californian on August 20, 1949 (Page 13).  However, the story originated on WIlliam Hearst's International News Service (INS).

The story described an event that allegedly occurred the previous day, August 19, and was quickly picked up by national wire services, eventually becoming a foundational piece of "crashed saucer" lore.

The Original Story

The article detailed the account of two prospectors, Mace Garney and Buck Fitzgerald, who claimed they were in Death Valley when they witnessed a "flying disc" about 24 feet in diameter whiz past them at an estimated 300 mph. According to their account:

  • The craft crash-landed in the desert nearby.

  • Two "little men" (described in some later retellings as being about 24 inches tall) jumped out of the craft and ran into the sand dunes.

  • The prospectors reportedly gave chase but lost the beings in the terrain.

  • When they returned to the crash site, the disc-shaped craft had vanished.

Appropriation by Later UFO Stories

This story is significant because it was one of the first widely publicized reports involving both a crashed craft and "occupants." It was appropriated and expanded upon in several ways:

  • Fate Magazine: The story was reprinted in the January 1950 issue of Fate magazine, which helped it reach a dedicated audience of paranormal enthusiasts.

  • Frank Scully's Behind the Flying Saucers (1950): This best-selling book, which popularized the idea of recovered alien bodies at Aztec, New Mexico, is believed to have inadvertently used the Death Valley story as a template. Scully’s primary sources, Silas Newton and Leo GeBauer, were later revealed to be conmen who used "crashed saucer" stories to sell fraudulent oil-detection devices. Researchers believe they likely adapted the Garney/Fitzgerald story for their own fabrications.

  • Occupant Catalogs: Early UFO researchers like Jacques Vallée (Passport to Magonia) and Coral and Jim Lorenzen (Flying Saucer Occupants) included the case in their definitive catalogs of UFO encounters, often citing it as a classic early "occupant" case while noting its likely status as a "tall tale."

Current Status

Military intelligence at the time investigated the claim and dismissed it as a hoax or a fabrication. Most modern historians and ufologists view the Mace Garney and Buck Fitzgerald story as a desert "tall tale" that gained legs due to the "flying saucer" craze of the late 1940s.

Spotlight: International News Service (INS)

The International News Service (INS) was a major American wire service founded in 1909 by the media tycoon William Randolph Hearst.

At the time of the 1949 Death Valley report, it was the third-largest news agency in the United States, competing directly with the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press (UP).

The INS was known for a specific journalistic "flavor" that explains why it was the primary vehicle for the Death Valley "disc crash" story:

  • Sensationalism: Because it was owned by Hearst—the pioneer of "yellow journalism"—the INS often favored dramatic, human-interest, and high-impact stories. While the AP was known for its "just the facts" cooperative style, the INS was more "scrappy" and willing to run with colorful tales like the prospectors' encounter with "little men."

  • Speed over Veracity: Their unofficial motto was often seen as "Get it first," which sometimes led to the distribution of sensationalist reports before they could be fully vetted.

  • The "Underdog" Status: Being the smallest of the "Big Three" wires, the INS often took risks on stories that larger agencies might have ignored, making it the perfect outlet for early UFO lore.

The INS eventually ceased to exist as an independent entity in May 1958. Facing rising costs and stiff competition, it merged with its rival, the United Press (UP), to form United Press International (UPI).