The Roswell Report: Case Closed

balloon flights, none with characteristics similar to the testimony. However, detailed examinations of the records revealed that, in addition to the six high altitude balloon flights, there were also numerous low altitude balloon flights made to train and qualify the high altitude balloon pilots. $ ^{164} $ Records of the training flights indicated that some of these were conducted at Holloman AFB, N.M., and several mishaps occurred resulting in injuries to the pilots. $ ^{165} $

Further research revealed that one accident had taken place just northwest of Roswell. $ ^{166} $ The accident occurred on May 21, 1959, 10 miles northwest of Walker AFB, on a pilot training mission for the upcoming Project EXCELSIOR and STARGAZER flights scheduled to begin that fall. Analysis of the accident revealed actual events that closely resembled the remaining portions of the established profile.

## U.S. Air Force Manned High Altitude Balloon Projects

In addition to unmanned high altitude balloon research flights, from 1957 to 1962 the U.S. Air Force conducted a series of seven manned high altitude flights. These forward-looking projects investigated the upper reaches of the earth's atmosphere and laid the foundation for manned spacefight. Most flights were conducted before rocket booster technology was available to propel a spacecraft into earth's orbit. In this interim period, to "bridge the gap" while awaiting developments in rocket technology, high altitude balloons were the only vehicles capable of reaching the altitudes required. All three of the USAF manned high altitude balloon projects, MAN HIGH, EXCELSIOR, and STARGAZER utilized Holloman AFB balloons to transport men to the very edge of space, above approximately 99 per cent of the earth's atmosphere, a region known as "near space."

Project MAN HIGH. In 1955, a combined effort by the U.S. Air Force Aeromedical Field Laboratory, Winzen Research International, and the Holloman Balloon Branch resulted in the first Air Force manned balloon program. Project MAN HIGH, officially known as the Biodynamics of Space Flight, directed by Lt. Col. David Simons (MC), was the first of the three

Fig.11. (Left) Test pilot Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. just before launch of MAN HIGH I at New Brighton, Minn. on June 2, 1957. Kittinger flew in all three USAF high altitude balloon projects and has accumulated more high altitude balloon flying hours than anyone else in the world. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Fig. 12. (Center) Lt.Col. David G. Simons (MC), a physician and pilot of the MAN HIGH II high altitude balloon mission, is shown here boarding the recovery helicopter near Frederick, S.D. following the successful flight on August 19, 1957. This flight lasted 33 hours and 10 minutes attaining a peak altitude of 101,500 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Fig.13. (Right) Holloman AFB Balloon Branch Meteorologist and Engineer, Bernard D. Gildenberg instructs high altitude balloon pilot 1st Lt. Clifton McClure, pilot of MAN HIGH III, in the operation of a low altitude training balloon on May 12, 1959 at Holloman AFB, N.M. (U.S. Air Force photo)