The Flying Saucers are Real | Page 5

sightings."
{p. 14}
The White Sands case had puzzled many skeptics, because the
Pentagon had cleared the published report. The author, Commander R.
B. McLaughlin, was a regular Navy officer. As a Navy rocket expert,
he had been stationed at the White Sands Rocket Proving Ground in
New Mexico. In his published article he described three disk sightings
at White Sands.
One of the disks, a huge elliptical craft, was tracked by scientists with
precision instruments at five miles per second. That's 18,000 miles per
hour. It was found to be flying fifty-six miles above the earth. Two
other disks, smaller types, were watched from five observation posts on
hills at the proving ground. Circling at incredible speed, the two disks
paced an Army high-altitude rocket that had just been launched, then
speeded up and swiftly outclimbed the projectile.
Commander McLaughlin's report, giving dates and factual details, was
cleared by the Department of Defense. So was a later nation-wide
broadcast.

Then the Air Force made its routine denial.
Why was McLaughlin, a regular Navy officer subject to security
screening, permitted to give out this story? Was it an incredible slip-up?
Or was it part of some carefully thought-out plan? I believe it was part
of an elaborate program to prepare the American people for a dramatic
disclosure.
For almost a year I have watched the behind-the-scenes maneuvers of
those who guide this program. In the following chapters I have tried to
show the strange developments in our search for the answer; the
carefully misleading tips, the blind alleys we entered, the unexpected
assistance, the confidential leads, and the stunning contradictions.
It has been a complicated jigsaw puzzle. Only by seeing all parts of this
intricate picture can you begin to glimpse the reasons for this
stubbornly hidden secret.
The official explanation may be imminent. When it is finally revealed,
I believe the elaborate preparation--even the wide deceit involved--will
be fully justified in the minds of the American people.
{p. 15}
CHAPTER II
IT HAS BEEN over two years since the puzzling death of Captain
Thomas Mantell.
Mantell died mysteriously in the skies south of Fort Knox. But before
his radio went silent, he sent a strange message to Godman Air Force
Base. The men who heard it will never forget it.
It was January 7, 1948.
Crowded into the Godman Field Tower, a group of Air Force officers
stared up at the afternoon sky. For just an instant, something gleamed
through the broken clouds south of the base.

High above the field, three P-51 fighters climbed with swift urgency.
Heading south, they quickly vanished.
The clock in the tower read 2:45.
Colonel Guy Hix, the C.O., slowly put down his binoculars. If the thing
was still there, the clouds now hid it. All they could do was wait.
The first alarm had come from Fort Knox, when Army M.P.'s had
relayed a state police warning. A huge gleaming object had been seen
in the sky, moving toward Godman Field. Hundreds of startled people
had seen it at Madisonville, ninety miles away.
Thirty minutes later, it had zoomed up over the base.
Colonel Hix glanced around at the rest of the men in the tower. They
all had a dazed look. Every man there had seen the thing, as it barreled
south of the field. Even through the thin clouds, its intermittent red
glow had hinted at some mysterious source of power. Something
outside their understanding.
It was Woods, the exec, who had estimated its size. Hix shook his head.
That was unbelievable. But something had hung over Godman Field for
almost an hour. The C.O. turned quickly as the loud-speaker, tuned to
the P-51's, suddenly came to life.
"Captain Mantell to Godman . . . Tower Mantell to Godman
Tower . . ."
{p. 16}
The flight leader's voice had a strained tone.
"I've sighted the thing!" he said. "It looks metallic--and it's tremendous
in size!"
The C.O. and Woods stared at each other. No one spoke.
"The thing's starting to climb," Mantell said swiftly. "It's at twelve

o'clock high, making half my speed. I'll try to close in."
In five minutes, Mantell reported again. The strange metallic object had
speeded up, was now making 360 or more.
At 3:08, Mantell's wingman called in. Both he and the other pilot had
seen the weird object. But Mantell had outclimbed them and was lost in
the clouds.
Seven minutes dragged by. The men in the tower sweated out the
silence. Then, at 3:15, Mantell made a hasty contact.
"It's still above me, making my speed or better. I'm going up to twenty
thousand feet. If I'm no closer, I'll abandon chase."
It was his last report.
Minutes later, his fighter disintegrated with terrific force. The falling
wreckage was scattered for thousands of feet.
When