The Roswell Report: Fact vs. Fiction in the New Mexico Desert

I was asked to provide this statement, by Lt. Col. Joseph V. Rogan who advised me, he was assisting in an investigation at the behest of the Secretary of the Air Force, for the GAO, to look into facts concerning what has become to be known as "The Roswell Incident".

As I recall it was July 1947, I was then a Warrant Officer with seven years service. I was the only weather forecaster on duty in the Fort Worth base weather and flight service center. The base weather covered only the base the flight service center covered most of the southwest states. I received a call from some one in General Ramey's office who asked that I go to the General's office. I informed him that I was the only forecaster on duty and could not leave. Several minutes later General Ramey Himself called and said "get your ass over here If you don't have a car take the first one with a key".

I was met at the General's office by a Lt Col or Col who told me that some one had found a flying saucer in New Mexico and they had it in the General's Office. And that a flight had been set up to send it to Wright Patterson AFB OH., but the General suspicioned that it might be meteorological equipment or something of that nature and wanted it examined by qualified meteorological personnel.

The Col and I walked into the General's office where this supposed flying saucer was lying all over the floor. As soon as I saw it, I giggled and asked if that was the flying saucer. I was told it was.

Several people were in the room when I went in, among them, General Ramey, a couple of press people, a Major, I learned to be Major Marcel and some other folks. Someone introduced Major Marcel as the person who found this material.

I told them that this was a balloon and a RAWIN target. I believed this because I had seen many of these before. They were normally launched by a special crew and followed by a ground radar unit. They provided a higher altitude winds aloft. We did not use them at Fort Worth. However, I was familiar with them because we used them and their products on various projects in which I was involved. These were used mostly on special projects and overseas. The balloon was made out of a rubber type expandable material and when launched was about six to eight feet across. When the balloons got to altitude they expanded to twenty feet or more. The target was used for radar reflections and I believe each leg of the target was approximately 48 inches. It resembled a child's Jack (like a child's ball and jacks set) with a metallic material between the legs. The legs were made of material appearing to be like balsa wood kite sticks but much tougher.

While I was examining the debris, Major Marcel was picking up pieces of the target sticks and trying to convince me that some notations on the sticks were alien writings. There were figures on the sticks lavender or pink in color, appeared to be weather faded markings with no rhyme or reason. He did not convince me these were alien writings.

I was convinced at the time that this was a balloon with a RAWIN target and remain convinced.

I remember hearing the General tell someone to cancel the flight the flight to Wright Patterson.

While in the office several pictures were taken of Major Marcel, General Ramey, myself and others.

I was dismissed and went to my office to resume my normal duties.

During the ensuing years I have been interviewed by many authors, I have been quoted and misquoted. The facts remain as indicated above. I was not influenced during the original interview, nor today, to provide anything but what I know to be true, that is, the material I saw in General Ramey's office was the remains of a balloon and a RAWIN target.

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