A quick check on Wikipedia's Malmstrom AFB article shows that a few lines have been added listing Oscar Flight as was the intent of Wiki to merge it with Malmstrom:
"On March 24, 1967, ten of the base's Minuteman ICBMs known as Oscar Flight became inoperative, allegedly after UFOs were seen hovering over them.[16] Personnel who have reported witnessing the UFOs include Captain (then First Lieutenant) Robert Salas,[17][18]Colonel Frederick Meiwald, First Lieutenant Robert C. Jamison,[19] and Staff Sergeant Louis D. Kenneweg"
The only problem with this entry is that it gives the impression that Oscar did have all ten of it's missiles drop off alert, but that the cause was allegedly UFO's over the flight area. At least that's how I read it.
Again, there is no references given that state that this did in fact occur ( ten missiles off alert). It should had been written that "allegedly Oscar Flight became inoperative..." and that there are no eye witnesses or official Air Force investigation to corroborate the event.
Oh well...such is Wikipedia allowing a folktale to go unchallenged and giving a fabrication the air of legitimacy. To Wiki's editors, I have to ask you...truly now, did it really happen?
I sent Wikipedia a bunch of information as you did, but I'm not certain whether or not they'll be interested. I noticed, as you did, that they start with an assumption of ten missiles failing at Oscar Flight on March 24, 1967, and that's the easiest point yet raised to dismiss. The memo updating the UFO report that Col. Chase sent to FTD states outright that there were no equipment failures associated with anything that occurred on March 24. And yet, their article starts with the assumption that all of the data established locally was wrong. I've never seen such a poor excuse for an encyclopedia entry in my life. It's like they just didn't want to conduct any research, and decided to accept whatever was submitted as a proven fact. They need to delete it -- all of it.
ReplyDeleteCiao,
Jaes
James, no argument from me on your comment. Total unadulterated bull shit.
ReplyDeleteWell, I don't know what specifically precipitated it, but the Oscar Flight details included in the general listing of Malmstrom AFB has been removed. I couldn't find anything at all on Wikipedia related to an Oscar Flight UFO, so you likely deserve a lot of credit for that -- congrats!
ReplyDeleteJames, you're right, it's gone from the Malmstrom section. As far as me having any influence, that's not the case. I only rated the original separate Oscar article and provided comment on it, not the Malmstrom merge.
ReplyDeleteRead the "talk" section for the Malmstrom article and I think you'll see who had the most influence...that would be you...James Carlson. So, congrats!