Thanks, but No Thanks: Interrogation and Intimidation of Early Witnesses

Part of it was the lingering influences of a global war, part of it was an intelligence community fighting to get a toehold in a new post-war environment and part was the paranoia and diligence of a military whose innocence had been rubbed raw by a long war of multiple fronts and a present threat as a super-power was using everything its its arsenal to compete and conquer the west. 

All of it combined in the new mystery of the "flying saucers" and sent things into hyperactive levels - including the process of getting information from those who had witnessed the events.

They had one model: the alleged criminal and the police. So people who saw things were never labeled as "witnesses" but only as "observers" or 'Sources."  Seldom were they "interviewed" or "questioned", especially in the 1947 to 1955 time frame, but they were "interrerogated."

All of these word choices served, intentionally or subconsciously, to cast those who saw something and those who investigated the event on opposing sides of a conflict. The tension was inherent in the FBI influenced preinvestigations of those who reported something to weed out undesirables or pranksters in the early days or when related to super secret government projects. They focused on making sure the reputation of the witness and their character was above reproach. They preceded along the same lines as they did when reviewing backgrounds for government employment or security clearances.

In 1949 the following were used in investigations into reported sightings of unusual things in the skies.  Presented with this form, even if familiar with such phrasing due to work work or military service, they reflect a daunting commitment. Many people today would simply shove the paperwork back across the desk and say,"Thanks but no thanks!"  Those brave individuals who stepped up, signed these forms and made these statements should be applauded for their bravery. It is clear that to do so carried with it a lot more than a simple, 'I saw this object..."  It meant you had to be willing to be "interrogated". to sign specific forms, witnessed often by the very people who were asking the questions and then have your life viewed  under a microscope during a period of Cold War jitters, social/political anxiety, and widespread paranoia.

STATEMENT (1949)
"I,________________________, residing at ____________,___________,______________ have been duly advised of my rights under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America that I need not make any statement; that my silence in this respect will not raise any inference of guilt against me, that I make make a sworn statement or unsworn statement; and that any statement I care to make may be used against me in any proceeding, civil or criminal, which may arise from the facts  hereafter stated, do proceed to state as follows:".....

Witnesses to proceedings also had to sign a statement:
"Date:_________________
We hereby certify that we were present at_______________,___________________,__________, when ______________made the above statement and that he was fully advised of his rights as set forth above, that no promise of immunity or reward was made to him, that no force or durees was used or threatened, and that the above statement was freely and voluntarily made. We further certify that the said ______________________signed the above in our presence.

WITNESSED:
________________________________     __________________________________

________________________________     __________________________________"




Later, as investigative techniques, as well as interrogation tactics change, the polygraph will be used or recommended.  The Air Force will contract psychologists  who will provide them with checklists and indicators to use to identify people that can been ruled out as qualified witnesses, personalities that might be discounted as unreliable due to instability or "over active imaginations", or mental conditions that might be caused by long drives, high stress, nervous anxiety. In many of the reports in Project Blue Book profession, education, age and gender were often used, unofficially, to slant how a report was received or accepted.