The Roswell Report: Case Closed

Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.

members of her family. They, likewise, were also unable to confirm her existence. $ ^{45} $ While some UFO theorists continue to allege that this absence of records regarding a nurse by this name is part of a conspiracy to withhold information, the most likely reason for the lack of records is that this name is inaccurate. $ ^{*} $

Even though the name of the nurse is incorrect, it appears that a nurse assigned to the Roswell AAF Station Hospital in 1947 may have been the basis for the claims. Eileen Mae Fanton was the only nurse of the five assigned to Roswell AAF in July 1947, whose personal circumstances and physical attributes not only resembled those of the missing nurse, but appeared to be nearly an exact match.

# The "Missing Nurse?"

1st Lt. Eileen M. Fanton was assigned to the Roswell Army Air Field Station Hospital from December 26,1946 until September 4,1947. $ ^{46} $ Fanton, who is deceased, was retired from the U.S. Air Force at the rank of Captain on April 30, 1955, for a physical disability. $ ^{47} $

In this account, the missing nurse is described as single, "real cute, like a small Audrey Hepburn, with short black hair, dark eyes and olive skin." $ ^{48} $ Lieutenant Fanton was single in 1947, 5'1" tall, weighed 100 pounds, had black hair, dark eyes, and was of Italian descent. $ ^{49} $

Dennis also stated that the nurse was of the Catholic faith, and had been "strictly raised" according to Catholic beliefs.50 Fanton's personnel record listed her as Roman Catholic, a graduate of St. Catherine's Academy in Springfield, Ky. and as having received her nursing certification from St. Mary Elizabeth's Hospital in Louisville, Ky.51

The witness also recalled that the "missing nurse" was a lieutenant, was a general nurse at the hospital, and had sent him correspondence at a later date which stated she was in London, England with a New York, N.Y. APO number (military overseas mailing address) as the return address. $ ^{52} $ Records revealed that Fanton was a First Lieutenant (promoted from Second Lieutenant to First Lieutenant in June 1947), and she was classified as a "nurse, general duty." $ ^{53} $ Records also indicated that of the five nurses assigned to the Roswell AAF Station Hospital in July 1947, she was the only one that later served a tour of duty in England. Furthermore, she was assigned to the 7510th USAF Hospital, APO 240, New York, N.Y., where she served from June 1952 until April 1955. $ ^{54} $

Fig. 2. Eileen M. Fanton (U.S. Air Force photo)