Wernher von Braun
Wernher von Braun WORKED AT Griffiss Air Force Base?
DATE SUBMITTED: 01/12/14
NAME: Michael Smith
WHAT TOWN IN THE MOHAWK VALLEY ARE YOU FROM: Utica, NY
PLEASE TELL YOUR EXTRAORDINARY TALE ABOUT THE MOHAWK VALLEY:
In 1970, I just graduated from High School and I went to Griffiss Air Force base with my father for a visit. My Dad was a highly decorated member of the military. I was considering joining the Air Force before eventually enrolling at LeMoyne. My Dad had a bunch of connections there and we got a nice tour. As we walked around, we met a group of folks who looked very prestigious. In the middle of the group I was introduced to a very tall man, who my father said invented rockets. It was none other than Wernher von Braun, the former Nazi scientist, now working for the US.
I never found out why he was there but it truly disheartens me that we would bring the Nazis here to work for us. This was called Operation Paperclip. The fact that he was in Rome is still puzzling 40 plus years later. What part did Griffiss play in the space race or arms race? Why was he there?
This was during what we called the first wave of UFO’s coming to our area as well. I never saw one personally but the word around town as buzzing with people seeing things at night in the sky that were unexplainable.
