In September 1951, Rosengarten, who was investigating UFO sightings, took steps that led to the initiation of Project Blue Book. For the next 18 years, Project Blue Book investigated more than 12,000 UFO sightings. The project was retired in 1969, and WPAFB no longer receives, documents, or investigate UFO reports.

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At 58, Rosengarten retired in 1973 as a full Colonel. He married in 1955 and raised two sons in the Dayton area.