Von Braun Was At Roswell

Please place this letter I sent to Stanton Friedman, Dr, Bruce Maccabee, etc. on your website. They and others are questioning my honesty concerning my knowing Dr. Wernher von Braun, and my knowledge concerning the Roswell article questioning my being informed by Dr. von Braun about the Roswell event during our conversation in 1969. They neglect to acknowledge that my US Space Program participation began in 1958.

My knowledge of the Roswell crash was known by me at that time in history - In 1958. I withheld my knowledge of it until many years later. I had no choice. My secrecy clearances required it. And I valued my important job. They wonder how I could have known about Roswell, since many book (s) were only published, in most cases after the death of Dr. von Braun (1977) and the event was not well known until it was released only in recent years. I also wonder who made this group the "UFO inspector general" checking into every one, but no one checking into them?

I believe I have quelled any question of my honesty with this response. After all, none of these people have ever worked at Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center, nor have they, as far as I know, had a conversation with Dr. von Braun during his lifetime. I have some proof that I did. Note my photo with Dr. von Braun the very night, July 15, 1969, that he disclosed Roswell to me.

Thank you.

Clark C. McClelland

Former ScO, Space Shuttle Fleet, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Hello Stanton, (Dr. Bruce Maccabee, etc., etc. 07-12-07)

When I arrived at Cape Canaveral in 1958, I began investigating any stories I heard regarding UFOs. Lonesome George, strange crafts seen following our early launch of Juno, Jupiter, etc. I was also in the ONI unit at PAFB and heard some UFO events through that unit. In fact, I became their expert.

I immediately became friends with many veterans of our rocket research at White Sands Missile Range who would eventually join NASA a few years later. As we discussed my many years involved in the study of ET's and UFOs, they began to trust in me. I was a NICAP member and was beginning to establish what would become NICAP UNIT-3 at the Cape.

You may recall sending me a letter asking that I share whatever I learned with you. My security clearance was high and being new with our space program, I was not going to chance losing it for anyone. So I did not share my information, other than some with NICAP and Keyhoe. Dr. J. Allen Hynek also ask me to share with him. I did not. I met him at KSC.

These ABMA men and woman were working at White Sands and were associated with the German Rocket Scientists that came to the USA during Operation Paper Clip. Many were deeply involved, technically with the launch of captured V-2 Vikings, etc. They spoke of many UFO overflights in their area being tracked by radar, the monkey experiments, high altitude balloon releases, etc.

I was told of the crash and retrieval of a strange, what appeared to be alien object not far from Roswell and several alien bodies were recovered, one was reported to be still alive. It very much excited me as you can imagine. I have all the details of this in my book(s). They also disclosed the names of those German scientists and well known US Military and Scientific personnel that were at the crash site. So, I can claim to have known about the Roswell Crash since 1958. Long before your book and others were published.

Why did I not disclose my knowledge of this astounding event to NICAP, APRO, etc? BECAUSE, I had a HIGH security clearance and a position at the Cape and did not want to impact my job and my ONI (Office of Naval Intelligence) status. You would have done the same, I am certain. Later, it caught up with me and my life has been drastically changed, as I am sure you are ALL aware.

Dr. Wernher von Braun and I met at Cocoa Beach on July 15, 1969 for a MFA (Manned Flight Awareness) pre-launch awards ceremony prior to the Apollo 11 launch the next morning. He and I discussed the launch, astronomy and I gained enough courage to ask him about the reported crash near Roswell. He was surprised to hear me mention Roswell. He then verified what I had heard about eleven years earlier at the Cape from his ABMA associates at KSC, concerning a crashed craft and aliens. I also spoke with Dr. Hermann Oberth and his wife, Tilly, the same night. We were all at Complex 39 the next AM with Senator Barry Goldwater, etc., and watched the historic mission to land on the moon.

Dr. von Braun died on 16 June 1977, age 65 in Alexandria, Virginia. Nineteen years after my initial knowledge of the (near to) Roswell crash happening. About eight years after he disclosed to me his being at the Roswell crash site and alien recovery he witnessed with other well known personnel.

What is sad, was that if he had lived about eight to ten years longer, NASA was seriously considering sending him on one of the early space shuttle mission into his beloved outer space in earth orbit.

All of you can believe this or not. I experienced it, of course, you did not. It will be in my book(s). IF the US Government allows them to be published.

Clark C. McClelland,

Former ScO, Space Shuttle Fleet, KSC, Florida 1958 to 1992