Page 31 - Pierce County Lawyer - September October 2025

Dahl subsequently presented pieces of the of the UFO debris
he had gathered. They looked, to Arnold, like pieces of lava
rock, smooth on one side and slightly curved on the other
and surprisingly heavy for their size. But Arnold was not a
metallurgist, geologist or mineralogist and did not really know
what to make of them although he found it ironic that Dahl was
using one of piece in his office as an ashtray.
In any event, Dahl said he did not collect or keep any of the
white metal fragments he saw ejected by the UFO, but that
Fred Crisman had “a whole box full in his garage.” In his book,
Arnold says that, although he never believed Dahl’s story was
entirely accurate, he never doubted his sincerity and could find
nothing that he might gain from telling a lie.
However, by this time, Arnold and Smith were developing
“the peculiar feeling they were being watched or there was
something dangerous about getting involved with Chrisman
and Dahl.” They were suspicious they were involved in a hoax
and that Russian espionage agents were baiting them to see if
they knew the flying saucers were made in the United States
and a military secret.
The reasonableness or rationality of such fears should be
considered in the special context of the times. In May of 1947,
President Truman had announced his “Containment Doctrine,”
which began the Cold War against the Soviet Union.5 “The
government was concerned about the possibility that what was
happening in the skies might actually be overflights conducted
by our new geopolitical adversary. The gravity of government
concern even sparked a feud: the FBI, led by Director J. Edgar
Hoover at the height of his post WWII powers, our Army, and
the newly formed CIA — actually fought over jurisdiction to
investigate the UFO sightings in the summer of 1947.”6
Enter Fred Crisman
Fred Crisman was a Tacoma
resident and former fighter pilot
who was either Dahl’s supervisor
or partner. He confirmed that
Dahl had returned with a debris
strewn and damaged trawler and
a missing dog which prompted
him to go to Maury Island and
investigate the scene. There,
Chrisman allegedly collected white
metallic fragments and molten
debris which he boxed and brought to the Winthrop for Arnold
and Smith to inspect.
Once again, Arnold and Smith examined the material
closely but did not have the expertise necessary to verify its
composition or origin. Neither thought the material came
from an alien spaceship but they knew they were not qualified
5 Steve Edmiston, WHEN IS A HOAX NOT A HOAX? A 75th Anniversary Reassess-
ment of the Maury Island Incident, Jun 17, 2022, https://medium.com/@steveedmis-
tonQ45/when-is-a-hoax-not-a-hoax-a-75th-anniversary-reassessment-of-the-maury-
island-incident-4a70d83a95b8.
6 ib.
to conduct a proper forensic analysis. Given the possibility
of espionage, Arnold pivoted and suggested that he phone a
contact in Military Intelligence and ask them to take over the
evidence and the entire investigation.
Dahl objected and suggested they all go home and forget
everything. In contrast, Chrisman fully supported contacting
Military Intelligence and getting them involved right away.
Arnold made the call and United States Air Force investigators,
Captain William L. Davidson and Lieutenant Frank Brown.
were immediately dispatched to Tacoma to take charge.
Military
Intelligence
Takes Charge
Captain Davidson and
Lieutenant Brown flew
into McChord AFB and
arrived at the Winthrop
on July 31, 1947. They
questioned everybody,
collected affidavits and
debris samples, and
returned to McChord
after midnight on August
1, 1947. There was a
B-25 bomber waiting
under armed guard, ready to fly them to
Hamilton Field in California.
Davidson and Brown left McChord in the B-25 carrying all
the evidence which was identified in the plane’s manifest as
“top secret cargo.” Davidson served as pilot and Brown as co-
pilot. Accompanying them was Crew Chief, Sgt. Woodrow
Matthews, and Sgt. Elmer Taff, described in official records as a
“hitchhiker,” making his very first plane flight.
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