President Truman Appoints Twining

Twining's assignment regarding Roswell began on July 8, 1947, upon his arrival at the airbase.

On that very day, the story of a flying disk captured near Roswell dominated newspaper headlines across the nation.

The initial press release from 1st Lt. Walter Haut announced that the Army Air Force had seized a "flying disk" near the 509th Bomb Group in the New Mexico desert.

Before the public could fully digest this astonishing news, a second press release contradicted the first, labeling the incident as a weather balloon crash. Brigadier General Roger Ramey, commanding the Eighth Air Force from Fort Worth, Texas, issued this latter statement, describing the object as a foil-covered box kite.

The UFO Incident Sparks a Struggle for Control

Upon Twining's arrival at the airbase, he was not greeted with a polished military band playing "Stars and Stripes Forever." Instead, he likely faced the task of reconciling two distinctly different narratives surrounding the Roswell incident.

The first group comprised military personnel and local residents who had witnessed unusual debris and insisted that an extraordinary event—a flying disk crash—had occurred. This perspective was echoed in Lt. Haut’s initial press release.

Conversely, the second group consisted of military officials stationed far from the site, who framed the Roswell incident as a weather balloon crash, as noted in the follow-up press release.

This was the scenario as Twining departed the Roswell airbase on July 10, 1947.

Twining's Distinguished Military Background

To provide context, it's essential to note that Twining was not just any general idly sitting in Washington, D.C. He distinguished himself as one of the most capable generals to wear an American uniform, having led American bomber groups in both the Pacific and European theaters during World War II.

His bomber was shot down by Japanese fighters over the Coral Sea, where he and his crew survived for days in shark-infested waters before rescue. He would later serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1957 to 1960.

Following Twining's brief stay at Roswell, General George Schulgen, who led the Pentagon's Air Intelligence Requirements Division, requested that Twining draft a top-secret memo concerning UFOs, which became known as the "Twining Memo." (This memo was later made public through a Freedom of Information request.)

This request made sense given Twining's unique qualifications.

Twining's Role in UFO History

Interestingly, Twining canceled a planned west coast trip on the same day Lt. Haut issued the initial Roswell press release. "Travel records indicate he made a journey to New Mexico," as noted in this Medium article. He remained in the Land of Enchantment until July 10, 1947.

It appears that someone high in the military hierarchy—possibly President Harry Truman himself—sought a credible Army Air Force representative to provide an eyewitness account of the Roswell incident. Twining's combat experience during World War II certainly bolstered his credentials.

At that time, Twining also held the position of commander of Air Material Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, which many UFO researchers consider the final destination for most UFO evidence analysis.

As both a direct witness to the Roswell event and a commander overseeing an organization handling exotic materials, Twining was the perfect candidate to draft a memo regarding UFOs.

The Reality of the Phenomenon

Twining's UFO memo made a remarkable assertion: "The phenomenon is something real and not visionary or fictitious." Ultimately, the memo instructed senior military leaders to approach the UFO phenomenon seriously and scientifically.

Dated September 24, 1947, the memo was initially classified as top secret but was later declassified following a Freedom of Information Act request.

UFO researchers view the Twining Memo as a crucial indicator that UFOs are indeed real, with its origins directly linked to the Roswell incident.

The full memo, along with a comprehensive analysis, can be accessed in Bryce Zabel’s article “The 1947 Twining UFO Memo Still Matters” on Medium.

The Arrival of a Spy at Roswell

The Roswell incident took a curious turn after the secret memo circulated among top military officials—UFO skeptics dispatched a spy to Roswell. But why?

The skeptics were convinced that nothing of significance occurred at Roswell, asserting that the incident could be explained as a rogue box kite crash. So, if there was nothing to uncover, what was the purpose of sending a spy?

Enter Major General Clements McMullen. Military historian John Schlund suggests that McMullen may have authored the directive to fabricate a weather balloon cover story for the Roswell incident. While this order remains unverified, it certainly adds intrigue to the Roswell narrative.

A contemporary of Twining, McMullen was also celebrated as one of the finest to serve in the U.S. military. An early aviator, he held various command positions during World War II.

The general excelled as a tactician, organizing Army Air Force squadrons and commands throughout the war. He was also instrumental in establishing America's Strategic Air Command (SAC) post-war, which served as a deterrent against potential Soviet aggression during the Cold War.

UFO Discourse Reaches an Unsettling Pitch

Records indicate that McMullen ordered his son, Captain Frank McMullen, to transfer from his position in Japan to Roswell airbase in December 1947.

It is likely that discussions surrounding the flying disk at Roswell had reached a level that made those wishing to suppress the incident uncomfortable. Thus, the general tasked his son with the difficult job of quelling UFO discussions at the Roswell base. Lt. Haut, author of the initial flying disk press release, frequently reported harassment from various individuals urging him to remain silent.

Evidence of manipulation regarding the Roswell incident is detailed by Stanton Friedman in his book “Crash at Corona.” The book includes an interview with retired Brigadier General Thomas Dubose, who served as Chief of Staff to Eighth Air Force Commander Roger Ramey.

Friedman claims that on July 8, 1947, General McMullen contacted the Fort Worth, Texas base, instructing Dubose to inform Ramey to concoct a cover story about a downed balloon to "get the press off our backs." He also directed Ramey—through Dubose—to send Roswell debris to Washington, D.C., via a high-ranking military courier.

Personnel at the Roswell base were similarly pressured to maintain silence regarding the incident.

Haut's wife "Pete" reported in interviews that Walter Haut regularly received threatening phone calls about the Roswell case. One call reportedly came from Gen. McMullen’s son, warning Haut, “Lieutenants should know how to keep their mouths shut.”

McMullen as the Loyal Soldier

What motivated McMullen to engage in disinformation regarding Roswell?

According to Schlund, who comments on McMullen's acceptance of his role as a UFO skeptic: “If the US government classified the situation, I am sure General McMullen…responded in an appropriate manner to control and contain the situation.”

This suggests that McMullen was simply a good soldier executing orders.

This brings us back to the Roswell story's connection to Alaska.

Twining Assigned to an Alaskan Base

After drafting the top-secret Roswell UFO memo, Twining found himself reassigned to a new command in Alaska at Fort Richardson.

Why would one of America's top generals, Twining, be sent to a remote U.S. Army outpost? Twining had been responsible for analyzing materials at Wright Patterson Air Base.

Why not McMullen? As a master strategist for establishing air commands, McMullen received the Distinguished Service Medal for his capabilities in organizing and maintaining operations across extensive networks of bases.

If the goal of the Alaskan command was to establish an airbase to oversee flight operations in the northernmost region of the U.S., then McMullen was the ideal candidate. Or was Twining’s presence in Alaska a strategic move to coordinate efforts against the UFO skeptics?

The Splitting of UFO Cells

A significant change occurred on September 18, 1947, with the formal establishment of the United States Air Force. This would have been an opportune moment for a division between two competing UFO factions within the newly formed Air Force. Personnel were on the move, new command structures were established, and bases were being constructed.

As for Fort Richardson itself, it was possibly an ideal location to discreetly organize efforts countering UFO skeptics. The base was small and isolated, making it manageable for a savvy general and his devoted team.

In 1950, the U.S. Army characterized Fort Richardson as housing around 500 soldiers across various buildings, with nearby landing strips, hangars, and necessary support facilities. The fort would later affiliate with Elmendorf Air Force Base in 2005.

Did the secret mission in Alaska achieve its objectives?

Alternative UFO Sources Since Roswell

The mission involved countering UFO skeptics by creating alternative channels to disseminate information regarding UFO sightings.

While Twining was not overtly confrontational towards skeptics, his UFO memo indicated a differing perspective. With this in mind, he likely established alternative pathways and sources to challenge the information presented by skeptics.

Alternative explanations to the conventional narratives promoted by skeptics have been available for decades, tracing back to the Roswell incident. This alternative information has persisted despite being dismissed by skeptics and overlooked by a disinterested media. Various information channels emerged as needed, providing facts often ignored by skeptics.

Over the years, Twining’s sources have presented an increasing number of witnesses to UFO incidents, offering new interpretations of UFO occurrences. Evidence of UFO activity has substantially increased, with more information, witnesses, and evidence aligning with the Twining memo's call for careful examination of UFO events.

Although circumstantial, the evidence suggests that Twining's secret mission in Alaska was indeed successful.

Will AARO Grant the Twining Memo a Winning Hand?

The long-standing conflict between UFO skeptics and believers has persisted for over 75 years, with no clear victor yet. The Roswell incident may have given rise to two competing governmental entities that continue to shape the UFO narrative today.

This decades-long effort to suppress the truth may be nearing a critical juncture.

In February 2023, the U.S. Senate approved funding for the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to investigate unidentified aerial phenomena. This initiative will enable witnesses to come forward without fear of harassment or retribution.

At last, the Twining faction may have drawn the winning hand.