The First Men in Black

On June 21, 1947—three days before Kenneth Arnold’s famous sighting—Harold Dahl reported seeing six doughnut-shaped craft over Puget Sound. The incident allegedly included the first appearance of a “Man in Black” and ended with two military investigators dying in a plane crash.

The Date

June 21, 1947:

• Three days before Arnold
• Predates “flying saucer” era
• Puget Sound
• Near Maury Island

The Sighting

Dahl reported:

• Six doughnut-shaped objects
• About 100 feet diameter
• Hovering overhead
• One seemed troubled
• Dropped material

The Damage

Falling material:

• Hit boat
• Burned son’s arm
• Killed dog
• Physical evidence
• Collected samples

The Man in Black

Next morning:

• Mysterious visitor
• Black suit, black car
• Knew details of sighting
• Warned Dahl to stay silent
• First MIB encounter

The Tragedy

August 1, 1947:

• Two Air Force officers
• Investigating the case
• Plane crashed
• Both killed
• Suspicious

Significance

Maury Island significant for:

• Pre-Arnold timing
• Physical evidence claim
• First MIB encounter
• Deaths of investigators
• Complex mystery

Legacy

The Maury Island incident remains one of UFO history’s most controversial cases. Whether hoax or genuine, it introduced the Men in Black concept and ended with two investigators dead.