Page 24 - 20120708 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - July / August 2012

CIA Smacks Down Former Employee CIA smacks down former employee Herald-Tribune Whether or not Chase Brandon’s Roswell UFO story has legs obviously depends on the MSM’s inclination to run with the ball. They’ve been warming up to it since June 23, when the retired CIA operative told Coast-To-Coast AM that the Agency had UFO material from the 1947 mystery stashed in its Historical Intelligence Collection files. But if the trend holds, they’ll lose all followup ardor soon enough and it’ll be a dead duck, as usual. And that’s too bad, because someone here is clearly lying. Last week, De Void asked the CIA if a) its HIC was in possession of Roswell data, and b) would Brandon have had access to that material?Agency PIO Jennifer Youngblood responded Tuesday afternoon: “Our historians have found nothing in the Agency’s holdings to corroborate Mr. Brandon’s specific claims. The CIA has fielded Foremost is the timing, which coincides with Kentucky. Among the witnesses were the Idaho numerous inquiries related to UFOs over the the release of his new novel, The Cryptos lieutenant governor and a Weather Bureau years, and the definitive account of the Conundrum, billed as a sci-fi conspiracy thriller. meteorologist. Thus began an enduring national Agency’s role in UFO studies was published in Then there’s the fact that nothing he discussed craze. 1997 and can be found — without redaction — about Roswell goes above and beyond anything Military brass scoffed, then dispatched on our website. long since in the public domain. fighter planes to search for saucers. "If some “The document can be found here and “Chase’s claim that he saw a box of files foreign power is sending flying discs over the stands on its own: marked ‘Roswell’ is ridiculous,” states Sarasota United States, it is our responsibility to know https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the- researcher Tony Bragalia, who has spent years about it," an Army Air Forces spokesman said. study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi- investigating Roswell. “No doubt they use The wave hit St. Louis on July 5, when studies/studies/97unclass/ufo.html” identifying code and project numbers [at the Hart told his story. One evening later, Dr. Walter That’s a link to National Archives] — not boxes marked ‘Roswell,’ Hoefer, 23 Black Creek Lane in Ladue, saw six Reconnaissance Organization historian Gerald ‘JFK,’ ‘Bigfoot,’ etc. And he’s got the perfect saucers flying southeast in formation. People in Haines’ dubious 1997 assertion that most Cold fallback because he says he can’t offer any other Shrewsbury, Webster Groves and south St. War UFO sightings can be attributed to U.S. details due to national security. I don’t think it’s Louis also saw them. George Malcolm of 5632 spyplane activity. It has no bearing on the official disinformation. I think he’s kind of Tholozan Avenue described the six as 'silver Roswell controversy. And that’s pretty much all setting himself up for the book. And it’s too bad streaks floating in the air. ... They were round the CIA has to offer on Brandon’s claims which, because there’s so much stuff about this case and made no noise." if true, are pure dynamite. that’s real and interesting.” [] Reports came from 38 states and Reached at home, HIC curator Hayden Canada. Newspapers dutifully contacted Peake declined to provide additional UFO sightings were a scientists, who suggested weather balloons, information. “My comments are all in that reflections from searchlights, vivid statement released today,” he said. nationwide rage in 1947 imaginations and generalized fear of a world in Although Brandon claimed last month St. Louis Post-Dispatch peril. One California physicist cited the he had no first-hand knowledge of the event, he "transmutation of atomic energy." told national audiences he took a peek inside a ST. LOUIS COUNTY • Nova Hart and his There already was enough serious news boxed file labeled “Roswell” during the mid- father-in-law, J.H. Jackson, saw the mysterious in 1947 to keep Americans on edge. The Iron 1990s. As a result: “I absolutely know … that thing soaring noiselessly over their July 4th Curtain ran across eastern Europe. The Soviets there was a craft from beyond this world that picnic near Creve Coeur Lake, in what is now coveted the atomic bomb. Communists were crashed at Roswell, that the military picked up Maryland Heights. Hart said it was silver-gray gaining in China. Could a visit from outer space remains of not just the wreckage but cadavers and round. be so unlikely, or unwelcome? and all of that was made public for a short while "Our wives saw it too, and so did some Many people got their notions of space … One hundred percent guarantee, in my heart people in an automobile who stopped when they travel from "Flash Gordon" movies and radio and soul I say — Roswell happened.” saw us looking up," said Hart, then of 3969A St. shows. American rocketry, still barely off the Brandon added his security oath Ferdinand Avenue in St. Louis. "I can say it ground, practiced with surplus German V-2s. prevented him from sharing more details. But certainly was strange, and none of us drinks a Inevitably, reports trailed off, undone by what makes him worth listening to are his drop." mockery and pranksters. On July 9, nearly 100 credentials. A 35-year CIA veteran, he was on Hart and Jackson were the first St. people called the Post-Dispatch to report discs the media radar screen — from Popular Louisans to report one of the flying saucers that plunging from the sky. It turned out that three Mechanics to Mother Jones — for his foreign suddenly were all over the American sky in the pilots had dropped them in a publicity stunt for intrigues long before his decision to go Roswell. summer of 1947. Some newspapers called them their flying school near Fenton. At about the same time Brandon claims to have "flying discs." Eventually, the accepted term But UFOs, or at least sightings, never seen the Roswell material, he became the CIA’s became unidentified flying object, or UFOs. went away. [] first-ever technical consultant to Hollywood, The first sighting was made June 25, where he reviewed scripts for image and 1947, by a private pilot, Kenneth Arnold, who The ‘X’ Zone Radio Show credibility issues before lending the Agency’s said he saw nine saucers zipping at 1,200 mph with Rob McConnell imprimatur to productions. east of Seattle. Another aviator spotted them Mon - Sun 10 pm - 2 am Eastern Several things are immediately over Bakersfield, Calif. Sightings poured in is available on suspicious about Brandon’s revelations. The TalkStar Radio Network from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Idaho and www.talkstarradio.com