I then asked him if any Roswell Firemen from 1947 are still alive. He replied that there was still "one left." He only mentioned the surviving fireman's surname as "Smith" and that one of his family members attends the same church as the involved fireman. Working with Kevin Randle, we identified and located the elderly gentleman and sought his testimony.
When reached, the Fireman was somewhat hesitant to discuss the matter. But after some "small talk" he warmed up to discussion. In a far-ranging conversation, the Fireman related these incredible details:
- An intimidating Colonel from Roswell Army Air Field visited the Roswell Fire Department immediately after the crash. The Colonel explained to the fireman who were at the department that day that an "unknown object from someplace else" had crashed in the desert outside Roswell. The Colonel warned that no one was to speak about the event to anyone ever. He also commanded them that nobody was to go out to the site or respond to any inquiries about the event. He explained that "everything was being handled by the military."
- Dan Dwyer, another Roswell Fire Department firefighter, did manage to go out to see the crash site, defying the Colonels orders. He confirms some of the details that Dan Dwyer's daughter, Frankie Rowe, has related in numerous interviews over the years. Frankie maintains that her father was able to view the craft and its occupants.
- Dan related to him that the area surrounding the crash was secured and cordoned by armed guards. Firemen went out there on their own volition, not as a "department." The Fireman did not want to talk too much about Dan Dwyer and Frankie Rowe though.
- The crash was of a craft not from Earth. The Fireman explained that it was not a balloon or any type of military experiment. He said that it was a "UFO." When I said to him that the term "UFO" was not used back then...he said it was "unidentified- a flying saucer." I asked him how he knew this and he stated that he was certain it was because of "what I was told at the time it happened." He explained that the Colonel did not know what the craft was or from where it came...and that there was great concern over the situation.
- The Roswell City Manager knew about the event and came into the Fire Department to personally and forcefully order the department to say nothing of the crash. Although the Fireman could not recall the City Manager's name at the time, I knew who it was. When I mentioned the name "C.M. Woodbury" to him, he said that did seem to be the name. As it happens, C.M. Woodbury would have been a very intimidating individual with whom to reckon. This is because C.M. Woodbury was known as the "Iron Major" - a decorated War vet of the notoriously effective 752nd Tank Battallion. Woodbury was also very close friends with Butch Blanchard, the Roswell Army Air Field base Commander.
- The Roswell Army Air Field (RAAF) base Fire Department was heavily involved in the crash recovery. The Fireman explained that "this is where the confusion comes from." The Fire Department that was most heavily involved in the crash retrieval was not so much the city fire department but the base's own Fire Department. He asserted that the RAAF firemen "knew the most" about the event. He was unfortunately unable to recall the names of these firemen...............