Did you have family members work for / on Project Blue Book like I did ?

Back in the mid to late 70's, I was infatuated with a TV show called something to the effect of "Project Blue Book" on NBC as a boy. When my mother realized this, she pointed out that she herself had actually worked as a civilian on that project. She was a typist, and apparently transcribed all sorts of documents for the effort.

She made numerous statements to the effect that the facility where she worked was heavily guarded, and that armed guards would retrieve used typewriter ribbons rather than simply allow them to be thrown out.

Over the years, I realized that I was conducting an experiment with her. Every few years, I'd ask her about what she did on the project, and if she remembered anything salaciously juicy. Each and EVERY time, her answer was verbatim the same. As much as I can remember, the answers were word for word.

"I type over 150 wpm and no, there is no way I could possibly remember anything of what I typed."

Now, as an adult, I spend the majority of my time typing. I remember all of it. Sorry mom, but you're busted!!!!

Unfortunately, my mother passed away just last November. I was even gearing up to ask again just prior to her passing away. I hope she rests in peace.

So, this summer I was in my hometown and asked her sisters if they knew anything about my mother working on this project. Not a one of them knew, and they were all surprised that she did work on it.

I'm not sure where we lived when she worked on it, or if it even occurred prior to my birth (in 1969). We lived in Alaska for quite a bit of time, as we also spent a bit of time in San Francisco. Mostly otherwise, we'd lived in the Missouri and Illinois area.

I've googled her married and maiden names, in conjunction with the Project Blue Book, and have come up with nothing.

Anyone else have family (I'm sure SOMEONE does, somewhere out there) that worked on this project ?

reply to post by SadistNocturne


I've often wondered if she worked on the project while my father was stationed at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage AK. You know, where Sarah Palin says she can see Russia from her backyard


Does anyone know if Project Blue Book had any activity at Elmendorf AFB ?

Sorry to here your mother passed away recently.

No offense but maybe she just didnt work for project blue book. I really dont think it was a super secret project. The fact that she didnt give you any details whatsoever, you cant find any record of her working for the project and no one in your family can confirm she worked for the project might suggest she was not telling you the truth in the first place.

reply to post by SadistNocturne


My mom dated a guy who was a member of project blue book, but I wasn't alive at the time.. from the way she described it, it was pretty mundane.. it seems to be as advertised.. a project to study the phenomena .. but he never apparently discovered anything during his time

Of course that won't satisfy the believers.. but I do speak the truth as far as I know it

PhoenixOD
Sorry to here your mother passed away recently.

Thank you

PhoenixOD
No offense but maybe she just didnt work for project blue book.

No offense taken at all, if anything it makes me chuckle!

PhoenixOD
I really dont think it was a super secret project. The fact that she didnt give you any details whatsoever, you cant find any record of her working for the project and no one in your family can confirm she worked for the project might suggest she was not telling you the truth in the first place.

Ok, here we go

First of all, my family is mid-western. We tend not to say things just for the sake of saying them. Does that make it 100% possible that it's true? No, it doesn't.

Second of all, my mother had zero reason to lie about this to me. If she had lied, why not tell me that she was a project manager? Or that she oversaw what actually went into the report? And, while we're on that tangent, why not go full Scully on this and have her tell me (as a gullible young boy, which admittedly I was...damn my Uncle and his Skype Hunts!!!!) that not only did she work on the project, but that she actually met the aliens and flew in their spacecraft! Again, I don't see this point as making it 100% possible that she was telling me the truth.

Thirdly, I worked on coding the release of a rather large software application in the late 90's that most people are unaware of. However, it is used by approximately 50-75% of large corporations and almost across the board with the US Gov't and military. With my resume, I can go world wide to work specifically on this software that I work with. If you knew my name, and googled it with the name of the software I specialize in, I can guarantee you that you won't find any listings connecting the software and the fact that I worked on X version of it. The majority if not all of my family are without a clue that I specifically created part of this world impacting software. Suffice it to say, I can assume there is some percentage of my friends who know me well that do not know I worked on it either. Nope, doesn't mean without a shadow of the doubt that she didn't lie to me.


However, these points DO lend to the *probability* that she was telling me the truth.

Also, do you have direct experience in dealing with folks with security clearances? The old addage of "Even if I knew anything, I couldn't tell you in the first place" comes into play here.

I understand your desire or need to be skeptical, but I made no claims other than that which my mother shared with me. Hardly worth "debunking"

Next ?

miniatus
reply to post by SadistNocturne

 

My mom dated a guy who was a member of project blue book, but I wasn't alive at the time.. from the way she described it, it was pretty mundane.. it seems to be as advertised.. a project to study the phenomena .. but he never apparently discovered anything during his time

Of course that won't satisfy the believers.. but I do speak the truth as far as I know it

edit on 9/13/2013 by miniatus because: (no reason given)

Hey, I appreciate your input. I truly do!

I made no claims about Project Blue Book. I made no claims about what she typed other than the fact that she was explicit each and every time I asked about what she did and that she did not remember anything at all. I see all of this as falling into a pattern I have noticed with other people who hold security clearances. Such as a friend who worked on MinuteMan missile systems, who said the same types of things exactly the same way anytime I asked...and it's common knowledge that military personnel involved with such equipment (although moreso involving nukes, where MM's are only involved in the possibility of taking a nuke out of the sky before it detonates) are briefed before hand about UFO's. Or a friend of mine who was in the armed forces and mentioned being in Thailand in the late 80's..and when I asked "what in the world were you doing there, then?" he just looked at me matter of factly and stated that he couldn't discuss it. I've worked at Gov't facilities where you knew perfectly damned well that if you DID ask Joe what he did (even though you'd had lunch with him every day for years and went to BBQ's at his house) he'd lie to your face. The game is in keeping the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing.

All I did was say I know someone who worked in / for the project. I asked if anyone else had family or friends that worked in it as well.

Where many levels of what folks work on that requires a clearance is mundane, some parts are not.

I'd love to be able to find out where my mother worked for the project, and see if that can help me sort more out from there.


- SN

reply to post by SadistNocturne


Wasn't suggesting you were making any claims.. I was just adding that my mom dated a guy who was involved.. the rest was just my thoughts

reply to post by SadistNocturne


[put on conspiracy hat]
What if they REALLY don't remember anything at all? What if the whistle blowers are the ones that never have any of the cool drinks in the fridge?
[remove hat, mostly]

I think if more people only kept their commitment to security rules only for as long as the rules serve society, according to your integrity, we'd be living in a better world.

[getting into fireproof closet till flames pass]

reply to post by SadistNocturne

The part I find most intriguing (in a verification-sort-of-way) is 'the litany'.
As if - programmed. Like Name-Rank-Serial #.
Sorry that I have no info to add or that might corroborate past that.
Thanks for the story. Hope something comes of your search.

reply to post by SadistNocturne


Sorry to here about your Mum. Want to hear a hauntingly familiar story!

-Background- I'm the oops kid, my nearest sibling is 10 years older than I. My oldest sister is 10 years older then him, with one in the middle.(Sorry it sounds like a word problem.) My dad was an officer in the Air Force intel and traveled a lot. He joined in the early 50's, was stationed in Libya for a while, Pakistan, Omaha, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico. He met my mom in the early 60's which leads me to believe my sister is only my half sister. When I was born they were living in Maine and my dad had retired in the early 70's when he was working near Washington.
Weired part-My mom died when I was three, and when I was eighteen my sister sat me down for a long talk. Mind you I had the most normal and serene childhood one could ask for. I was really into U.F.O.'s and my dad really pushed that fascination, with books, magazine, articles, and newspaper clippings( this was before the interweb) I digress...My sister told me about my mom and more about my dad, with whom she had a strained relationship with since my mom had died. She asked if he and I had ever talked about U.F.O.'s? I said we had and that he seemed fairly knowledgeable about them. She asked if he had said anything strange or shown me any pictures. I said he told me that 90% of the "sightings" were weather ballons and such, but the other 10% we didn't need to know about and "they" didn"t think we could handle the truth.
Also in the late 80's when the B-2 went public, my dad dug through some old photos. He showed me a picture he had taken in Libya in the late 50's of a large flying wing that was silver. It looked like it was made of stainless steel. Mind you it wasn't a direct picture of the craft, it was over someones shoulder. It looked about 3/4 of the size of the B-2. He told me that the U.S. had planes like that for some time, just not as advanced.
She told me that he had a Top Secret clearance and that my mom told her he had worked on Project Blue Book. She reminded me of all those visits by guys in suits driving the stereotypical sedans with gov't plates to talk with my dad. At the time he was Plant Manager of a Factory here in Maine, so looking back it was a little odd. At the time he used to just say "They were from daddy's old work checking to make sure we were O.K.," so as a kid I never thought any more of it.
-About my dad- He could type like the keys were on fire, was fluent in Russian and Farsi. Told me he was present for some of the building of Cheyenne mountain, and he said he knew Gary Powers.
I have since asked him point blank if he knows if U.F.O.'s are real, and he just laughs and say what do you think. I have even asked him during a diabetic reaction (wrong I know) and he would just say " I can't talk about what I did," which leads me to believe he knows something!
Googleing his name brings no results, which is odd, NO digital footprint.
So needless to say, I found your story most intriguing!

miniatus
reply to post by SadistNocturne

 

Wasn't suggesting you were making any claims.. I was just adding that my mom dated a guy who was involved.. the rest was just my thoughts

Believe me, I hear ya. I'm just saying that with the first responders statements...automatically coming to the conclusion that I had been lied too, well, I just thought I'd take the stage and be assertive in my stance on this.

I was a little surprised that this got moved to the "The Grey Area" which I guess because it is "unproven"...but yet someone takes (or, ahem, fakes) a photo of a "UFO" and wham bamm, it goes right into the "Aliens & UFO" section. My mother told me she worked for Project Blue Book. Does anyone truly know, unless they physically went to where their parents worked and verified that they worked there if their parents were telling the truth or not ?

I was about eight yrs old when my mother had told me this. No way for me to validate it at the time. And after the fact, well, somewhat impossible other than doing exactly what I am doing now.

Just a wee bit silly if you ask me...all I'm doing is asking if anyone else's parents worked for the project like one of mine did.....

asciikewl
[put on conspiracy hat]
What if they REALLY don't remember anything at all? What if the whistle blowers are the ones that never have any of the cool drinks in the fridge?
[remove hat, mostly]

Too funny But, what I do have to say to that is that all the people I reffered to are all upstanding folks, highly stable, and generally well respected...

asciikewl
I think if more people only kept their commitment to security rules only for as long as the rules serve society, according to your integrity, we'd be living in a better world.

[getting into fireproof closet till flames pass]

I respect the need for secrecy, but, what I feel is not being observed, is the need to come clean in a timely fashion. Why won't the Gov't come clean? I mean, really, if it is as we suspect, ALL of the Gov'ts know what is happening, it is already implanted into the social conscience...just come clean....

Now, with regards to Ed Snowden...the only true issue I have with what he did was if he took actions that put our operatives at unnecessary risk. Such as (and I truthfully have no idea if this was or was not in the info he leaked) operative locations and identities, etc. If all he released with the breadth and width of the NSA's reach, well, I #ing applaud him. The NSA deserves to be taken to task by it's taskmasters...the US civilians...they seem to have forgotten that we employee THEM.


- SN

WanDash
The part I find most intriguing (in a verification-sort-of-way) is 'the litany'.
As if - programmed. Like Name-Rank-Serial #.
Sorry that I have no info to add or that might corroborate past that.
Thanks for the story. Hope something comes of your search.

Honestly, that is what always gnawed at me, and told me something was up. Always the same response. Every time.

I lived in the DC area for a little under 25 yrs. I am used to finding out people are not who they say they are. Tons of FBI, CIA, DEA and NSA crawling all over the place. You indirectly ask something innocuously, such as where they work...and they give you an answer such as "The US Passport Agency"...and well, you just know not to push. There's nothing there to delve after that they will divulge.

But when you ask very direct and pointed questions, and they come back with such a blatant story...it gets hard to swallow.


- SN

iwontrun

Sorry to here about your Mum. Want to hear a hauntingly familiar story!

Thank you for your kind words It was hard to deal with for a short time, but it was in the cards eventually. She lived alone, didn't eat right, didn't get enough social interaction, and she was only 67. I was already making plans to have "a talk" with her...and get her to move into the area so I could keep an eye on her, let her see her granddaughter on a regular basis, etc. Well, it is what it is.

I can definitely relate to your family story. My father passed when I was 12, so I cannot ask him what he knows. At least you can talk to your sister and try to get more information. It sounds like your father was in the know, and that he had some juicy stories to tell! I would have been an evil son and plied him with liquor !!!!!


- SN

Was this the show ?

I haven't seen it and took a single search to find it, so I'm thinking if it wasn't that then it must be a very unknown show.

reply to post by SadistNocturne
Family mysteries are so fun are they not? I can empathize with you, My father had his mysteries too, I was fortunate enough though because about 7 years before his death we had some very interesting talks, but so many questions still remain. People do not realize the moxy it takes to seek information in a public forum. Star and flag for that. My father wasn't involved in Project Blue Book BTW...His matters dealt in government pay offs and shady Government dealings in the USA & MIDDLE EAST...Best wishes on your search.

I am entirely confused...

As to my knowledge, PB was never "secret" in any way, HOWEVER it may well be possible that the main work was conducted in gvt/military facilities...so things like retrieving typewriter ribbons MAY be..somewhat...possible/thinkable. But I don't remember/think there was anything secret about the study whatsoever.

However, what puzzles me:

WHY should you mom make-up this story? Just for sh!ts and giggles telling you that she worked on "project bluebook" and then make it deliberately appear as if it was something extremely secret, so as to impress you as her son??????

Alternative scenario:

IF she really had worked at PB as a typer (which may very well possible)..then why would she not tell you ANYTHING remotely about the work, the people she worked with etc...etc..

I mean PB was a UFO study with Hynek as the head..so let's assume her story was true..what she did was typing and typing one after the other UFO report for PB...and she NEVER mentioned anything but just repeated "I type 150wpm so I have no idea what I was working on"

reply to post by SadistNocturne


He never drank, But I tried during his diabetic episodes....nothing.

Tidnabnilims
Was this the show ?

I haven't seen it and took a single search to find it, so I'm thinking if it wasn't that then it must be a very unknown show.

That looks about right!

Sounds like what I watched...shame there's no screen captures....


- SN

NoRulesAllowed
I am entirely confused...

As to my knowledge, PB was never "secret" in any way, HOWEVER it may well be possible that the main work was conducted in gvt/military facilities...so things like retrieving typewriter ribbons MAY be..somewhat...possible/thinkable. But I don't remember/think there was anything secret about the study whatsoever.

All I've gotta say is, I am utterly amazed at how much a fair proportion of you guys are making a mountain out of a mole hill on this issue.

Again, do YOU know FOR A FACT that your parents worked WHERE THEY SAID THEY WORKED ?

If no, do you think they had a valid reason to lie to you ?

Really, all I can do is laugh at this...for #'s sake....



-SN