Unidentified flying objects -- Sightings and encounters -- New Mexico -- Roswell
I participated in many, probably more than 100, balloon recoveries.
I often recovered payloads and balloons from the area surrounding
Roswell, NM. It was routine to be directed by the balloon control
center to an area near Roswell to wait to recover a balloon. We
would wait along the side of the road, at small airports, or at
the armory in Roswell. It would not be uncommon for our recovery
vehicles to be seen waiting to recover balloons throughout New
Mexico, Arizona, and West Texas. When we recovered the balloons
and payloads sometimes civilians would be in the area and make
inquires. We would tell them what we were doing and provide them
with a telephone number at Holloman AFB if they wanted to report
any damages. We were required to clean up the area and remove all
debris before we left. In addition to the recoveries, I recall
making balloon launches from sites up and down the Rio Grande
Valley. I remember that some of these launches were made from an
area west of Soccoro, NM.
Another project I participated in was the testing of the Viking
space probe in 1972. These four launches were all made from the
Roswell Industrial Air Center, the former Roswell Army Airfield.
Approximately twenty Air Force personnel were on temporary duty to
Roswell throughout the summer of 1972 to support this project. NASA
personnel prepared the spacecraft for launch from the old hangers
of the former Air Force base. This project was not classified and
was covered by the news media.
I am not part of any conspiracy to withhold or provide misleading
information to the United States Government or the American public.
There is no classified information that I am withholding related to
this inquiry and I have never been threatened by U.S. Government
persons concerning refraining from talking about this matter.
SIGNED: Subscribed and sworn before me, an
individual authorized to administer
oaths, this 25th day of May, 1995,
at
[Signature] [Signature]
Ole Jorgesen, MSgt, USAF, (Ret) James McAndrew, 1st Lt, USAFR
WITNESS(s):
STATEMENT OF WITNESS
Place Date: 28 October 1996
I, William C. Kaufman, Lt. Col., USAF (Ret), hereby voluntarily and
of my own free will, make the following statement. This was done
without coercion, unlawful influence or unlawful inducement.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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