Ep 5. Roswell: First Witness, Part 1
- December 12, 2020
In History's Greatest Mysteries season 2 episode 5, titled "Roswell: First Witness, Part 1," viewers are taken on a journey to one of the most infamous UFO sightings in American history. The episode begins with a recap of the events that took place in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947 - a UFO allegedly crashed, the military covered it up, and conspiracy theories have been swirling ever since.
The focus of this episode, however, is on the testimony of one man who claims to have been the first witness to the crash. His story has never been told on television before, and it sheds new light on the mysterious events of that summer in Roswell.
The man's name is Jesse Marcel Jr., and he was the son of the Roswell Army Air Field's intelligence officer, Major Jesse Marcel. Marcel Jr. was just 11 years old at the time of the crash, but he claims to have accompanied his father to the crash site and saw the wreckage firsthand.
Throughout the episode, Marcel Jr. describes what he saw in great detail, using drawings and diagrams to help illustrate the scene. He remembers seeing strange metal debris scattered across the desert floor, with no signs of a conventional airplane crash. The metal was thin and lightweight, with unusual markings that Marcel Jr. describes as being similar to the hieroglyphics found in ancient Egyptian tombs.
Marcel Jr. also recalls seeing strange symbols etched onto the metal, which he describes as being like "writing that we didn't understand." He claims that his father initially thought the wreckage could be of extraterrestrial origin, but that he was ordered to keep quiet about his findings and was eventually forced to retract his statements to the press.
Throughout the episode, the filmmakers interview other witnesses to the Roswell crash, including military personnel, scientists, and even a former CIA agent. They explore the various theories about what really happened in Roswell, from the official government explanation that it was just a weather balloon, to more outlandish claims that aliens were involved.
In addition to exploring the history of the Roswell incident, the episode also delves into the psychology of conspiracy theories and why they persist even in the face of official explanations. Marcel Jr. describes the toll that his father's involvement in the Roswell incident took on their family, with neighbors and colleagues accusing him of making up stories and being a traitor to his country.
Overall, "Roswell: First Witness, Part 1" presents a compelling case for the idea that something unusual and unexplained happened in Roswell in 1947. Whether viewers believe in extraterrestrial visitations or not, the episode is sure to spark conversations and debates about the nature of truth and the power of belief.
