7/4/1997 USA, Roswell UFO Encounter 50th Ann.

 Cover Honors Anniversary of UFO Crash

This cover was issued to commemorate Roswell UFO Encounter '97, a 50th anniversary celebration of the crash of an Unidentified Flying Object.  The festivities took place from July 1-6, 1997, in Roswell, New Mexico.  The cover features a special postmark from the event and two stamps from the Space Achievement set (US #1981-82).

In the summer of 1947, a sheep rancher discovered debris in one of his pastures in Roswell.  With rumors of UFO's ciriculating around the country, the story of the mysterious debris soon became evidence of the crash of a "Flying Saucer."  Evidnence from the crash was given to officials with the Roswell Army Air Field, who quickly dispelled rumors of an alien spaceship, saying the debris was from a weather balloon.  Some residents of Roswell and others around the country weren't convinced by the official story and continued to believe a UFO had crashed in that sheep pasture.  The Encounter was a celebration of Roswell's fame as the location of this mystery.