The Roswell Report: Case Closed

STATEiv1ENT OF WITNESS
Place: Date: 31 !\lay 95
L Roland H. Lutz, CMSgt USAF. (Ret), hereby state that James McAndrew \vas
identified as a Lieutenant, USAFR on this date at my home and do hereby, voluntarily and
of my own free will, make the following statement. This was done without having been
subjected to any coercion, unlawful influem:e or unlawful inducement.
I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1947 and transferred to the U.S. Air Force in 1958. In June,
1958 I \Vas assigned to the flight surgeon's offi~,;e at Holloman AFB, Nl\:1 as an Aero
l\Iedical Technician. I served several tours in Southeast Asia and retired from the Air
Force in 1974 as an Aero tvfedica] Superintendent.
On May 20-21, 1959 I was assigned to provide medical coverage for a balloon training
mission that took off from Holloman AFB and ended with a crash near Ros\vell, :N1d.
Capt Joe Kittinger was training two other pilots, Capt Fulgham and Capt Kaufman. I
follow·ed the balloon in an ambulance dming the night and at daybreak I follm.ved the
balloon in an H-21 helicopter. Just after daybreak 1 saw the balloon crash and the three
pilots \vere dumped form the gondola. I immediately informed the helicopter pilot and \Ve
landed in a tleld on which cattle were grazing. I recall the rancher was upset because the
helicopter was frightening his cattle and some cattle had gotten out of the fidd.
I assesed the injuries to the pilots and recommended they be taken immediately to the
closest hospital which \Vas at Walker AFB, apprximately 5 to 10 minutes away by
he1k:opter. Capt Fulgham's head was swelling due to a hematoma he received when the
gondola struck him. Capt Kittinger \vas cut on the face and was bleeding. Capt Kaufman
was uninjured. At Walker I remember a telephone conversation with a flight surgeon \Vho
told me to "go home and sleep it off". He apparently did not believe my story of three Air
Force pilots that were victims of a balloon crash. However, I was able to convince him and
he treated Capt Fulgham and Capt Kittinger. While at the hospital Capt Fulgham's head
had swelled enormously and his eyes were beginning to tum black.
I do not recall that anything unusual occuned at the hospital at Walker. I remember the
three pilots sitting on a bench in the hallway waiting to be treated. I do not remember that
Capt Kittinger was involved in an altercation with anyone while at the hospitaL if he had , I
would have known about it Capt Kittinger was concerned with getting medical treatment
for his injured crew member, Capt Fulgham, and returning to Holloman. I also do not
recall a black NCO accompanying Capt Kittinger while we were at the hospital. I do not
remember a nurse assisting in the treatment of Capt Fulgham or Capt Kittinger. I also do
not remember a male civilian or any personnel or vehicles trom a mortuary, and I do not
recall any remains in body bags in the hospital.
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