The Roswell Report: Case Closed

polyethylene balloon and its protective ground cloth to be removed from
a launch vehicle and laid out on the ground prior to inflation. Another
procedure described by the witness was an apparent reference to a balloon
recovery practice of recording the names of civilians who observed high
altitude balloon recoveries. 162 The witness stated that military personnel
"took everybody's name and everything," 163 which was a procedure to
ensure payment of a $25 dollar reward to persons who assisted in the
recovery. This procedure was also necessary to settle future claims of
property damage caused by the balloon, payload, or recovery vehicles. 164
66
Fig. 80. Witnesses described
a "tanker," "military
ambulances," a "6x6," and
a "wrecker"-probable
references to (from left) a
helium tank trailer, a M-43
ambulance (converted to a
communications vehicle), a
M-35 cargo truck (partially
obscured), and a M-342
wrecker. These vehicles were
used for off-range launch
and recovery operations of
anthorpomorphic dummies for
Project HIGH DrvEIExcELSIOR.
Shown here is a May 29, 1957
dummy launch near Hatch, N.M.
(also see figs. 23, 28, 64, 71, 81 ).
(U.S. Air Force photo)
Fig. 81. Scene typical of a
mid- to late 1950s off-range
high altitude balloon launch.
(U.S. Air Force photo)