General William Hugh Blanchard
(February 6, 1916 – May 31, 1966)
United States Air Force officer who attained the rank of four-star general.
Served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from 1965 to 1966.
As a Colonel, Blanchard was base commander of Roswell Army Air Field in July, 1947.
On July 8, 1947, Colonel Blanchard issued an official Army Air Force press release stating that the base intelligence office had recovered a so-called “flying disc” or “flying saucer” from a nearby ranch, it had been found “sometime last week,” and they were flying it to “higher headquarters.” Hilarity ensued.
References
- wiki: William_H._Blanchard
<li><a href="http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=4708">air force biography: General William H Blanchard</a></li>