* Other possible explanations such as automobile accidents, house fires, etc., were also examined. However, none of these were determined to be responsible for this account of bodies.
Table 2.2
Fatal Aircraft Accidents by Year in the Vicinity of Walker AFB
1947–1960
| Year | Aircraft Type | Location of Accident (distance from Walker AFB, N.M.) | Number of Fatalities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 None | |||
| 1948 8/12/48 | B-29 | 4 miles South | 13 |
| 1949 5/16/49 12/15/49 | C-47 B-29 | 6 miles Northeast 2 miles Northwest | 6 7 |
| 1950 6/1/50 | KB-29 | 12 miles East/Southeast | 3 |
| 1951 None | |||
| 1952 None | |||
| 1953 None | |||
| 1954 None | |||
| 1955 6/16/55 10/3/55 | T-33 B-47 | On runway 34 miles West | 2 2 |
| 1956 6/26/56 | KC-97 | 8.8 miles South | 11 |
| 1957 None | |||
| 1958 None | |||
| 1959 None | |||
| 1960 2/3/60 | KC-135 | On runway and ramp | 13 |
The following three basic criteria were used to narrow research efforts to specific accidents for more detailed examinations: were the victims burned, resulting in possible descriptions of “black” “little bodies”?; were the victims transported to the Walker AFB hospital?; and, were the victims autopsied? To facilitate this examination, researchers reviewed official accident reports, organizational and base histories, individual personnel records of victims, and contemporary newspaper accounts of the accidents. Interviews of persons who participated in the aftermath of these accidents were also conducted. As a result, only one accident met the three criteria, the June 1956 KC-97 accident.
Table 2.3
Analysis of Air Force Aircraft Accidents
by Year in the Vicinity of Walker AFB
1947–1960
| Date of Accident | Aircraft Type | Fatalities | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burned? | Taken to WAFB Hospital? | Autopsied? | ||
| 8/12/48 | B-29 | Yes[96] | No[97] | No[98] |
| 5/16/49 | C-47 | Yes[99] | No[100] | No[101] |
| 12/15/49 | B-29 | No[102] | Yes[103] | Yes[104] |
| 6/1/50 | KB-29 | No[105] | No[106] | No[107] |
| 6/16/55 | T-33 | Yes[108] | No[109] | Yes[110] |
| 10/3/55 | B-47 | Yes[111] | No[112] | No[113] |
| 6/26/56 | KC-97 | Yes[114] | Yes[115] | Yes[116] |
| 2/3/60 | KC-135 | Yes[117] | No[118] | No[119] |
Upon detailed review of records of the 1956 accident and interviews with persons who participated in the recovery and identification of the victims, extensive similarities to the description the witness provided were apparent.
Fatal KC-97 Aircraft Mishap
In 1956, Walker AFB, N.M. was the home of Strategic Air Command’s 6th and 509th Bombardment Wings.[120] Additionally, Walker was home of the 509th Aerial Refueling Squadron (509th ARS) equipped with the KC-97G aircraft.