Interviews
Introduction
Based on Brad Runyon’s CUFOS sighting report, we initiated a search for documentation, and were delighted to discover over 100 pages of primary documents in the declassified USAF files of Project Blue Book. In May 2000 we visited Brad at his home and conducted an exploratory oral history interview. Clearly, the testimony Brad provided was supported by information in the documents, while providing additional details and lines of inquiry not evident in the documentation. The case presented outstanding possibilities for historical research. Since the events involved a significant number of primary witnesses, who, at the time, and subsequently, had no contact with each other, it was possible to collect individual testimonies that were not influenced by other witness experiences and interpretations. In all cases we were the first instance in which the witnesses have publicly discussed their experiences. Continue reading…
Over the next several years, with the assistance of James Klotz, we were able to locate and interview all of the B-52 crewmembers, including the non-crew pilot Major James Partin. Our process was to conduct an initial telephone interview followed up with a formal videotaped interview conducted in their homes. We also interviewed the 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron technicians who were the first to report the UFO; several of the 862nd Security Police Squadron personnel including Flight Security Controllers; the 5th Bombardment Wing intelligence officer responsible for the B-52 radarscope film analysis; and the commanders of the 810th Strategic Aerospace Division and 91st Strategic Missile Wing.
It is crucial to understand that information contained in the oral history interview is a selective recollection, removed from the original event and further abstracted by human memory. Nevertheless, there are ways to evaluate reliability and oral history interviews can make an important contribution to our understanding. For example, regarding the B-52 crewmembers, individual recollections reflect particular situations at the time of the event respective to their stations in the aircraft. We can assess individual recollections against others to cross-validate any particular memory claim. In this way, more reliability is given to claims independently recalled by more than one witness, and in some instances, the way something is recollected or even the lack of a recall can be meaningful.
Although oral history is subjective interpretation, it is eminently valuable in recovering levels of experience and understanding perspectives that are not normally available to historians. Whereas, an oral report can conceivably be a true description of an event, its validity won’t really be tested unless it can be measured against another body of evidence. On the other hand, a statement is not necessarily more accurate or true if written down at the time than if recalled later in testimony. Written documents possess immediacy and are uninfluenced by subsequent events; however, the documents can be incomplete, in error, or even written to mislead. In this particular case, the cumulative recollections coalesce to form a general narrative of the events, which reveals significant information that is unavailable or missing from the official record.
B-52 Crewmembers
CAGLE, Don
USAF Captain, B-52 Aircraft Commander, Instructor Pilot
- Cagle, Don 2000. Transcript of telephone interview by Roger Pinson (NIDS), 7 November (Sign Oral History Project).
- Cagle, Don 2001. Transcript of telephone interview by James Klotz, 18 March (Sign Oral History Project).
- Cagle, Don 2005. Transcript of interview by Thomas Tulien, 27 February (Sign Oral History Project).
RUNYON, Bradford
USAF Captain, B-52 Instructor Co-pilot
- Runyon, Bradford, Jr., 2000. Transcript of Interview by Jan Aldrich and Thomas Tulien, 5 May (Sign Oral History Project).
- Runyon, Bradford, Jr., 2001. Transcript of interview by Jim Wilson, MA, 28 December (Sign Oral History Project).
- Runyon, Bradford, Jr., 2005. Transcript of interview by Thomas Tulien, 25 February (Sign Oral History Project).
PARTIN, James A.
USAF Major, B-52 Instructor Pilot
- Partin, James A, 2001. Transcript of telephone interview by James Klotz, 20 January (Sign Oral History Project).
- Personal meeting with JP 21 Feb. 2001. (JP requested no recording devices).
RICHEY, Charles (Chuck)
USAF Major, B-52 Radar Navigator (Bombardier), Instructor Navigator
Major Charles (Chuck) Richey passed away on April 30, 1995. See: McCaslin 2001, 37-38.
McCASLIN, Patrick D.
USAF Captain, B-52 Navigator,
Instructor Navigator
GODUTO, Thomas G.
USAF Captain, B-52 Electronics Warfare Officer, Defense Instructor
- Goduto, Thomas G., 2000. Transcript of telephone interview by James Klotz, 22 November (Sign Oral History Project).
- Goduto, Thomas G., 2000. Transcript of telephone interview by James Klotz, 27 November (Sign Oral History Project).
- Goduto, Thomas G., 2001. Transcript of interview by Thomas Tulien , 20 February (Sign Oral History Project).
JUDD, Arlie E.
USAF Technical Sergeant, B-52 Gunner,
Defense Instructor
- Judd, Arlie E., 2001. Transcript of telephone interview by James Klotz, 12 January (Sign Oral History Project).
- Judd, Arlie E., 2001. Transcript of interview by Thomas Tulien, 27 February (Sign Oral History Project).
Missile Security
SMITH, William E.
USAF Staff Sergeant, Flight Security Controller
BOND, James F.
USAF Staff Sergeant, Flight Security Controller
- Bond, James F., 2001. Transcript of telephone interview by James Klotz, 25 March (Sign Oral History Project).
- Bond, James F., 2005. Transcript of interview by Thomas Tulien, 26 February (Sign Oral History Project).
JABLONSKI, Joseph P.
USAF Airman First Class, Security Police
Missile Maintenance
O’CONNOR, Robert M.
USAF Airman First Class, Maintenance Technician
- O’Connor, Robert M., 2001. Transcript of telephone interview by James Klotz, 16 April (Sign Oral History Project).
- O’Connor, Robert M., 2005. Transcript of interview by Thomas Tulien, 23 February (Sign Oral History Project).
ISLEY, Lloyd M.
USAF Airman First Class, Maintenance Technician
- Isley, Lloyd M., 2001. Transcript of telephone interview by James Klotz, 14 April (Sign Oral History Project).
- Isley, Lloyd M., 2001. Transcript of interview by James Klotz and Thomas Tulien, 23 August (Sign Oral History Project).
Minot AFB Investigators
CLARK, Richard
USAF Staff Sergeant, Intelligence
- Clark, Richard, 2002. Transcript of telephone interview by James Klotz, 17 October (Sign Oral History Project).
- Clark, Richard, 2003. Transcript of interview by Thomas Tulien, 11 July (Sign Oral History Project).
HOLLAND, Ralph T.
USAF Brigadier General, Commander
- Holland, Ralph T., 2005. Transcript of telephone interview by James Klotz, 22 January (Sign Oral History Project).
- Holland, Ralph T., 2005. Transcript of interview by Thomas Tulien, 20 February (Sign Oral History Project).
