Joseph Jablonski was born in Lackawanna, NY. He enlisted in March 1967, completed Security Police School at Lackland AFB, Texas, and was assigned to Minot AFB in missile security. Following the UFO events, he was transferred to the Panama Canal Zone until November 1970.
During the UFO events, Jablonski was on duty at the November-1 Launch Control Facility, about 26 miles northwest of Minot AFB. Following a UFO report by a maintenance team he also observed the UFO hovering above the N-7 Launch Facility at 3:08 a.m. Along with his partner Adams, he was dispatched to N-7 to assist the maintenance team. While on the road they observed multiple UFOs. On site, Jablonski took over communications with Base Operations and was in contact with FSC Bond. Following the B-52 radar encounter, they went on patrol, and continued to observe the UFO in the west until 5:18. He was interviewed during the official investigation and completed an Air Force Form 117 questionnaire.