I, Ole Jorgeson, MSgt. USAF, (Ret), hereby state that James McAndrew was identified as a Lieutenant, USAFR on this date at my home and do hereby, voluntarily and of my own free will, make the following statement. This was done without having been subjected to any coercion, unlawful influence or unlawful inducement.

I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1957 and became a Ground Communications and Electronic Repairman. I remained in this career field throughout my career. I completed three tours at the Balloon Branch at Holloman AFB, NM. I retired from the Air Force in 1977 as the NCOIC of the Communication and Instrumentation Section of the Balloon Branch at Holloman AFB.

I recall an overnight balloon training mission that was conducted in May, 1959. Capt Joe Kittinger was training back up pilots for one of his upcoming projects. I was an airman assigned to coordinate communications and to assist in the recovery of the balloon upon completion of the mission. I followed the balloon in an old Korean War vintage “crackerbox” ambulance that had been converted into a communications van. Another airman and I followed the balloon throughout the night on an easterly trajectory over the Sacramento Mountains to an area north of Roswell. Also following the balloon were recovery technicians in a weapons carrier. We stayed in contact with the balloon crew by radio and also observed flares the crew would light at various intervals so we could visually track them. Just after sunrise I recall the balloon landing north of Roswell and Capt Kittinger offered me some coffee and told me he was going to make one more touch and go landing to complete the mission. I remember that I took some photographs of the balloon and waited for the last landing. Several minutes later I remember hearing a “bang”, this was the squib that fired to release the gondola from the balloon. We immediately went to where the gondola landed and saw the gondola laying on its side and saw two of the pilots standing and one lying down. Lying on the ground was a shattered helmet that was worn by one of the pilots. Capt Kittinger told me they were attempting to land to avoid some power lines and a row of trees.

Soon after I arrived at the crash site, a helicopter that was also following the flight landed and transported the three aircrew members to Walker AFB for medical attention. I recall I assisted the recovery technicians load the balloon and the gondola on the weapons carrier and then drove 15 to 20 minutes to the hospital at Walker AFB. When I arrived at Walker, we parked the converted ambulance near the hospital and either the other airman with me or the recovery technicians called the balloon control center to notify them of the accident. I recall waiting near the hospital for a short period of time and then returning to Holloman AFB. During the time I was waiting at the hospital I did not observe any arguments or altercations. I did not observe Capt Kittinger speaking disrespectfully to anyone. I also do not recall any male civilians or any vehicles that belonged to a mortuary.

I participated in many, probably more than 100, balloon recoveries. I often recovered payloads and balloons from the area surrounding Roswell, NM. It was routine to be directed by the balloon control center to an area near Roswell to wait to recover a balloon. We would wait along the side of the road, at small airports, or at the armory in Roswell. It would not be uncommon for our recovery vehicles to be seen waiting to recover balloons throughout New Mexico, Arizona, and West Texas. When we recovered the balloons and payloads sometimes civilians would be in the area and make inquires. We would tell them what we were doing and provide them with a telephone number at Holloman AFB if they wanted to report any damages. We were required to clean up the area and remove all debris before we left. In addition to the recoveries, I recall making balloon launches from sites up and down the Rio Grande Valley. I remember that some of these launches were made from an area west of Soccoro, NM.

Another project I participated in was the testing of the Viking space probe in 1972. These four launches were all made from the Roswell Industrial Air Center, the former Roswell Army Airfield. Approximately twenty Air Force personnel were on temporary duty to Roswell throughout the summer of 1972 to support this project. NASA personnel prepared the spacecraft for launch from the old hangers of the former Air Force base. This project was not classified and was covered by the news media.

I am not part of any conspiracy to withhold or provide misleading information to the United States Government or the American public. There is no classified information that I am withholding related to this inquiry and I have never been threatened by U.S. Government persons concerning refraining from talking about this matter.

SIGNED:
Ole Jorgesen, MSgt, USAF, (Ret)
WITNESS(s):

Subscribed and sworn before me, an
individual authorized to administer
oaths this 28th day of May 1995
at
James McAndrew, 1st Lt, USAFR