On July 8, 1947, a historic event took place - the fact of the existence of an extraterrestrial civilization became public knowledge. An alien ship crashed near Roswell Air Force Base, New Mexico. However, the US government, represented by the Air Force intelligence, managed to hide this fact for many years using a classic disinformation operation.
Facts
Late in the evening of July 2, 1947, farmer William Braisel heard a hellish rumble, incomparable with the usual thunderclaps. Examining his pasture in the morning, he found on the ground a scattering of strange debris, completely unlike any material of earthly origin. Out of harm's way, Brazel decided to consult with the local sheriff - George Wilcox. they say, what to do?
- Call 509! - advised the sheriff. And this was absolutely logical: who else should be involved in the incomprehensible things that fell from the sky, if not the aviators of the elite 509th bomber squadron, at that time the only military unit in the world armed with atomic bombs? The airfield of the "nuclear squadron" was located not far from the town.
The process has begun. The captain of the military counterintelligence Sheridan Cavitt and the chief of reconnaissance of the 509th Squadron Major Jesse Marcel left for the place indicated by Brazel. Marcel was not just an Air Force officer - he was, firstly, a front-line soldier who went through the hell of an air war over Germany, and secondly, a specially trained professional in the field of technical intelligence. It could not have been otherwise - only the best of the best could have been appointed to the post of intelligence chief of the 509th.
Meanwhile, information was spreading - to Braisel's neighbors, to sheriff's deputies, to the local radio commentator, etc.
Marcele Cavitt collected and brought to the base a lot of mysterious wreckage. And from this moment amazing things begin. The squadron commander, Colonel Blanchard, did not even blink an eye, twisting in his hands strange objects made of material completely unimaginable on Earth. Alien apparatus? Okay, let there be an apparatus. A command followed to Lieutenant Howth. Public Relations Officer, send a press release to the local radio station and newspaper:
Promotional video:
Roswell Air Force Base, Roswell, New Mexico.
The morning of July 8, 1947.
Multiple rumors about the flying disc turned into reality yesterday when the reconnaissance service of the 509th Mixed Air Regiment of the Eighth Air Force, stationed at Roswell Air Force Base, managed to get hold of the disc fragments thanks to the cooperation of a local farmer and the Chavis County Sheriff's Office.
Last week, a flying disc crashed at a ranch near Roswell. With no telephone connection, the farmer kept the wreckage until then. until he had the opportunity to contact the sheriff, who informed Major Jesse Marcel of the intelligence service of the 509th mixed air regiment.
All necessary measures were immediately taken, and the fragments of the disk were removed from the ranch. After being examined at the Roswell base, they were taken by Major Marcel to the superior headquarters."
In a military way, clearly, briefly, clearly! And the sensation rushed along telegraph wires to all parts of America …
Reaction
Interestingly, there was no explosion of excitement with this news. A surge of interest - certainly. But not panic or prostration. We can say that the American society of the late 40s was generally ready to accept the fact of the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence without shock and hysteria. But the journalists naturally craved for details. And the details were not long in coming, but by no means inspiring. Just a few hours later, a refutation came from Roswell, signed by the same Colonel Blanchard: alas, the military made a gross mistake in identifying the wreckage! This is just a balloon-probe used by meteorologists … On the same day, July 8, six representatives of the "fourth estate" flocked to Roswell with cameras at their ready to finally put a dot on the "I". And here's what is important: the military, who usually react to the press, to put it mildly, nervously,this time - in the person of Blanchard - they maintained complete equanimity. Press conference. gentlemen? Yes please! See the wreckage found? No problem! A briefing was promptly organized in the officers' mess, at which the commander of the Eighth Air Force, Brigadier General Roger Remy, and his chief of staff, Colonel Dubois, were beaming with good-naturedness. On the table and on the floor in front of them were some unsightly scraps …On the table and on the floor in front of them were some unsightly scraps …On the table and on the floor in front of them were some unsightly scraps …
Meanwhile, in the next room, Blanchard was glaring at Major Marcel.
“Major, now you will go to them and confirm that it is this rag that you brought from Brazel's ranch!
-But…
- You are in the army, Major, and this is an order! Stunned, Marcel entered the dining room and saw … fragments of a probe shell and fragments of a corner reflector. He knew what it was, better than anyone else. Some kind of incomprehensible and unclean intrigue was clearly started here. Completely bewildered and humiliated to the core, Marcel nevertheless confirmed what was required of him. Next, another employee of the base was invited to the dining room.
- Irving Newton, our weather officer. Now, Newton, can you tell what lies here in front of you?
The guy was on duty at the weather station in the morning and had no idea about the fuss with the wreckage. And, of course, he honestly explained that in front of him were the remains of a balloon-probe. The sensation quietly expired … Instead, another one appeared on the pages of American newspapers - that in the elite nuclear squadron of the US Air Force the commander is a burdock, and the intelligence chief is a donkey!
What for?
Why would General Remy have to make a fool of his two subordinates with an exemplary track record? Is it in the army, where corporate solidarity sometimes reaches the point of absurdity? Had a "personal grudge" on them? But how then to explain that after the embarrassment with the "plate" Blanchard did not go to a remote garrison in Alaska until his retirement, but made an excellent career, rising to the rank of lieutenant general? And Marcel would have been okay if he had not resigned himself as a lieutenant colonel and from a prestigious position? Doesn't fit …
But if the task of the "puppeteers" was not to compromise these officers, but information about the flying disc, of which they became involuntary carriers, then everything converges to the seventh decimal place! Since the time of the medieval scholastic philosophers, it has been known: if you want to ridicule a sermon, ridicule the preacher!
Apparently, events developed as follows. Having received the sheriff's call, Blanchard called Marcel with one hand and called Remy with the other. Remi, or rather his superiors in Washington, instantly understood what was at stake, and immediately assessed the situation: information about the disc, without being intercepted in a timely manner, had already given circles: a farmer, a sheriff, radio station employees, their friends and drinking companions. And the one who decides everything, came up with a Jesuit move in terms of dexterity! First by initiating a burst of interest in the disk, and then scoffing at its own information, the Air Force created an impenetrable smoke screen over the Roswell incident for many years. Journalists from the press conference left embarrassed - wow, they bought some kind of flying rubber … The newspaper comments about the "saucers", Roswell, Farmer Braisel and the personnel of the 509th squadron were all the more malicious.
And the question arises. The Air Force leadership's reaction to information from Roswell was belated but devastating. And this requires that the decision-maker understands exactly what is at stake in a phone call from New Mexico! In other words, those who make decisions have already seen something similar, held in their hands and attached to this "something" the highest, paramount importance! So important that the show with the "probe" was staged by no less than the commander of the air force and his chief of staff, who rushed in on a special flight across two states. Well, let alone wipe your feet on a couple of officers - what are you talking about? Let us pay them off with an extra patch, and that's it!
Apparently, Blanchard accepted the proposed rules of the game - and flourished, holding his tongue tightly until his death. But the soul of Marcel, probably, did not cease to be hurt by the resentment for the slap in the face that his native army, represented by General Remy, gave him at that memorable press conference. And shortly before his death, being sure that Uncle Sam would not get him anymore, Jesse Marcel told a researcher-ufologist about this story. Under the record and notarial seal …
So after all, how did the Air Force leadership - and the strings lead there - manage to instantly navigate the situation? Where and when did they see something like this? More on this next time.
Magazine "Secrets of the XX century" № 31. Sergey Dunaev