Review of 'The Roswell Legacy' by Jesse Marcel, Jr.

The Roswell Legacy; the son of the first military officer at the 1947 crash site tells his father’s story—and his own. Jesse Marcel, Jr. Helena, Montana: Big Sky Press, 2007, 182pp. $14.99. This is Marcel's web site.

I’ve had this on pre-order for some time. It showed up yesterday. I read it last night. This is not an accomplishment as the book is a slim trade paperback at 182 pages with rather large type. In some ways this book is an essential piece of the Roswell story; in some ways it is a disappointment. Marcel started this book while in Iraq as a Colonel and flight surgeon. At nearly seventy years old he was called up out of retirement from the National Guard to spend a tour there. He says it was the recognition of his own mortality that made him write the book to ‘correct the record.’ Inevitably there will be those who say he wrote the book 'to make money' as if that discounts his experiences. As a retired Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist and MD, he doesn't need the money. I doubt very much if this book will make the bestseller lists. If he's lucky he might be able to squeeze a new car out of the deal, but that's about it.

I think it is fair to say that Marcel Jr’s main reason for writing this book is to ‘clear his father’s name’ of some of the slander he says has been heaped in his family’s path. He does not provide examples, but simply says it has happened. He then proceeds to show how accomplished his father was, printing Sr’s diploma from radar school not once, but twice, and also pointing out and proving he was asked to be on the faculty of the school after graduation, a great honor for the best students. This is to show that there is no way Marcel, Sr. could mistake a radar balloon for a flying disc. Although he details Marcel Sr’s early life which led him to his position at Roswell, he doesn’t cover his career afterwards at all. He does recount in detail the night his father brought home the debris and how excited he was. In this case Marcel, Jr. is providing primary source material for what he saw himself that night. To many of us it is a familiar story, but it’s in his own words.

His story of his and his father’s experiences in 1947 has probably been told in more detail elsewhere. Indeed, Jr. sticks to his own observations of his father and does not speculate on what happened ‘at the base’ where he didn’t go himself. He then proceeds to tackle the Mogul Balloon theory and shows, at least to his own satisfaction, how it could not have been one. The Mogul theory has been debunked before and Marcel basically repeats it. He pays particular attention to Dr. Charles Moore, who he says mis-represented what Marcel said. He also has a chapter by his wife, Linda, on what she experienced in their own life, where she says Sr. talked to her alone about the craft being “not of this earth.” Marcel then discusses the Minuteman missile incidents in Montana, which really aren’t a part of the Roswell story at all. Perhaps his close proximity to the bases was particularly interesting to him. The rest of the book devolves into the “It’s a Big Universe” story and then into his own speculations. He probably could have kept the book to half its length if he had skipped the irrelevant parts, but then he would not have had a book-length manuscript, which is stretching the point as it is anyway.

His only description of Marcel Sr’s later life is to say that both his parents turned into alcoholics and became estranged after the events at Roswell. He obviously blames this on the Roswell events and subsequent cover up. It would have been nice and appropriate if Jr. had discussed his father’s life after Rowell, but that did not happen.

However, the most interesting part of his story is his description of what his family experienced after Roswell. Every time the subject of Roswell came up when he had visitors, he would receive mysterious phone calls where no one spoke. When he was gone his wife would receive phone calls from people who would not leave their name, but asked where he was, when he was expected back, and to have him call them back. When he did, the number was disconnected. It appears that he was both tracked and bugged. Probably the most intriguing incident was when he was called to the ‘Capitol building” while in Washington, D.C. for a conference. He will not name the official, but says he was interviewed in a secure room where this person had a copy of Strieber’s ‘Majestic’ and said it was real. Marcel told his story to this man, who said he was investigating the ‘Black Government’ and asked if Marcel were ever threatened with harm. Marcel assured him he had not been, but the man gave him contact information and told him to contact the numbers he was given if ever he was threatened. Marcel then goes on a bit of a Secret Government NWO rant which would fit in quite well on ATS.

Interestingly, there is no 'disc' in this tale. the Marcels saw debris that consisted of aluminum-foil like material that sprang back to shape and seemed indestructible. They found I-beams with symbols on them, and they foiund what seemed to be bakelite-like material. That was the exent of the debris field; the disc crashed some miles away. Marcel does not speak of it.

For the serious Roswell collector this is essential material. Those on a budget might want to wait for Timothy Good's new book: Need to know, UFOs, the military, and Intelligence due out momentarily.


[edit on 7/21/2007 by schuyler]

Great review!

Of course you already know how I feel about all this nonsense so I'll leave it at that.

[edit on 21-7-2007 by Access Denied]

Thanx much schu'!!!!! Both tomes will be added to my archives, skinny or no. I can't help but feel Doctor Marcel is a "straight-shooter".

It must be a sort of "hell of mirrors" to be in such a position as he, one can only empathize with a life spent being true and in full knowledge of being monitored by those who would see such values in motion as being a potential threat. Vic looks over his shoulder only to see the large black feline foundling "JAX" monitoring languidly... LOL.

Yes, "correct records" are important for some as one ages regardless of prestige - to not make the attempt is to leave "loose edges" and a sense of "unfinished business".

I can identify with the sense of mortality and one can only imagine the process of "crossing the Rubicon" you mention of his Iraq experience as a septigenarian in the September of a life of questions left without solution or absolution. The quill is the "quill" in the quiver that can quench the fiery eye of the aviarist's gaze.

Cheers schu', and thanks,

Vic

[edit on 21-7-2007 by V Kaminski]

Thanks for the review schuyler.

I can relate in a small way to Marcel Jr., being that I found two RAWIN targets growing in North Texas, I was 7 years old when I found the first one, and I remember them quite vividly. I was even younger than Marcel Jr. who was 11 at the time he saw the debris.

So when Marcel Jr. says he didn't see a RAWIN, I'm apt to believe that he didn't. It's hard to mistake a RAWIN for anything other than a RAWIN or maybe a "Kite", if you had handled one you'd know it.

Charles Moore once tried to convince Marcel Jr. that it was a RAWIN that he'd seen and handled (I don't know if that is in Marcel Jr.'s Book maybe you could tell us schuyler), but Marcel Jr. is adamant that a RAWIN is not what he handled. At age 11 I think Marcel Jr. would know if he handled a RAWIN Target or not, and he says he didn't.

I went to Roswell, Met Marcel, Jr. and got an autograph copy of the book. Needless to say nothing is different about the story other than Marcel, Jr. now says it himself instead of other writers interviewing him. Everything else "new" is all hear-say with nothing to back it up.

To me the book was not what it was made out to be at all. So, how much do you think I can get a sign very slightly used copy of the book on E-bay?

Originally posted by Keebie
I went to Roswell, Met Marcel, Jr. and got an autograph copy of the book. Needless to say nothing is different about the story other than Marcel, Jr. now says it himself instead of other writers interviewing him. Everything else "new" is all hear-say with nothing to back it up.

Did you expect that his story would change from what he is quoted as saying in interviews and what he now says for himself?

It was hyped up bigger than it should have been but thats the media for you. All about the money.

Why do you ask anyway? Wanna buy the book from me? O wait I take it all back! IT's AWESOME wanna by it?

Originally posted by lost_shaman
Charles Moore once tried to convince Marcel Jr. that it was a RAWIN that he'd seen and handled (I don't know if that is in Marcel Jr.'s Book maybe you could tell us schuyler), but Marcel Jr. is adamant that a RAWIN is not what he handled. At age 11 I think Marcel Jr. would know if he handled a RAWIN Target or not, and he says he didn't.

Right, lost. He goes into this in depth. Apparently Moore wanted to meet with Marcel personally before a Roswell convention, so Marcel agreed. They met and had a conversation and it is THIS conversation that Marcel says Moore misconstrued. Moore's depiction of the "Christmas tape" holding the target together was not at all what Marcel told Moore he saw.

originally posted by Keebie Needless to say nothing is different about the story other than Marcel, Jr. now says it himself instead of other writers interviewing him. Everything else "new" is all hear-say with nothing to back it up.

Right. I believe I expressed that. And, without taking a yay or nay stance here, that's to his credit. He hasn't changed his story. Actually, one of the salient points here is that there IS nothing else new here. He's simply relating his experiences rather than have an outside source do it for him. I don't know how he could "back up" some of his related experiences. If you believe he did not see the material, well, then, okay. You don't believe it. Nevertheless, he is an original source. They didn't have Caller ID back then, so I suppose he can never "back up" the dead-end calls he got. And he won't divulge the government official investigating the 'Black Government.'

In terms of Marcel, Jr's own integrity, I did think it was good that he did not extrapolate. For example, he didn't say, "Dad talked to Blanchard on base and he told him this." He did none of that. He just related what he had witnessed himself.

However, I hope I expressed originally that the book is rather light weight and not what it could have been in terms of comprehensiveness. I'm a bit disappointed, but this is all we're apt to get here, so we'll have to live with it. I won't be selling my copy on E-bay any time soon. As flawed as it is, it's still a part of history by someone who lived it.

[edit on 7/21/2007 by schuyler]

"aluminum-foil like material that sprang back to shape and seemed indestructible"

And here we have the paradox - scattered debris of indestructible material..... can someone explain this please

Originally posted by xiack
"aluminum-foil like material that sprang back to shape and seemed indestructible"

And here we have the paradox - scattered debris of indestructible material..... can someone explain this please

Not exactly a paradox, just a question of applied force. I know of many things, that SEEM to be indestructible, but when given the appropriate impact, will blow into tiny little pieces

Nice review, Schuyler.

I always find myself on the fence with Roswell. Dropping to one side then climbing back up and dropping to the other - depending on what I read. I can’t make my mind up one way or the other and probably never will.

One of the problems I have with the Marcel narrative is his description of a debris field of indestructible material. This, to me, is an oxymoron. How could this unbreakable ‘metal’ have fragmented on contact with rocky soil when a sledge hammer and oxy/acetylene torch failed to make the slightest impression on its surface? Has anyone other than Marcel Sr & Jr. related this Roswellian attribute?

Yes tor' at least two more - Loretta Proctor and another lady named Frankie Rowe have related a similar recollection in the 1997-ish BBC video titled "The Roswell Incident" according to my archives. Rowe claims to have seen a piece that her father Dan Dwyer brought into the local fire station. Proctor relates a visit by her nearest neighbour Mac Brazel and may not have actually seen it.

Cheers,

Vic

Excellent review, thanks!
I get tired of the entire event, then go back after a few years to read a book on the subject, then hooked again for some time.
Some of the things that I think about are...what are the odds so many of the men not telling the truth, activity with coming and going out at the base at the time, regional farmers at the time not having a problem with downed balloons-yet this one throws off the pros at the A-Bomb base, records at the time lost?
Feel the goofy balloon story follows the flawed high-altitude dummy tests (you would think they would at least check out the dates) that are given us.
60 yrs. later after the event, I might have expected a coverup at time for something like a test-plane gone wrong, but nothing like the sort has been hinted at.
Something very important happened long ago, and the cover-up for whatever reason lasts today...a ufo, test plane w/A-Bomb...something many felt the need for cover-up.

Originally posted by Phil J. Fry

Originally posted by xiack
"aluminum-foil like material that sprang back to shape and seemed indestructible"

And here we have the paradox - scattered debris of indestructible material..... can someone explain this please

Not exactly a paradox, just a question of applied force. I know of many things, that SEEM to be indestructible, but when given the appropriate impact, will blow into tiny little pieces

Phil, his father tried to dent it with a sledge hammer, to no avail. Whatever it was that powered the craft, though, may have been able to blow it apart for some reason. And, the material could not be destroyed, even though the craft blew up or whatever, the material itself could not be destroyed.

I interviewed Jesse, Jr. just a few nights ago. He told the same story, did not elaborate and didn't change a thing. He comes across as a soft-spoken, modest and even somewhat shy person. He told me his father made him promise, on his deathbed, that Jr. would tell this story to the world, because Sr. felt the people had a right to know.
Jesse told me he never would have written his story if his father hadn't told him to. I asked him why not and he said "Because I was told not to", meaning the military/govt told him not to talk about it. In fact, his whole family was told not to talk about it even among themselves, which they didn't except for right after and only a very little bit.
He comes across as a guy who really isn't comfortable with the limelight. He is a man of few words, at least during the interview. But he also came across as warm, friendly and gentlemanly.
When I read his book, I was impressed by the fact that he just told his story, plain and simple - didn't add anything to it, just his own experience was told in a straightforward way. Though I've heard/read many times the Marcel account, it was good to get it straight from him.

As a side note, I asked him if he'd ever been afraid for his life (meaning from the govt for telling his story) and he responded "Yes, I was real scared during the Gulf War back in '91". But he laughed when I asked him that question, saying no, not ever.