Thomas G. Goduto Interview, 20 February 2001
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| TG: | I was never in fear that we were unsafe, and I don't believe the pilot's were, and the airplane was in a safe configuration and I didn't feel that we were in jeopardy, but McCaslin might've felt that way. | |
| INT: | Well, I think McCaslin's comment was they'd never seen anything approach that fast. And then when they realized how large it is, and that it was pacing them—I mean that implies an intelligence. | |
| TG: | Okay, he had more information to process than I did, or Cagle did. I felt safe. I didn't see the gunner panicking. I do remember an excitement from downstairs. Whether that was both Ritchey and McCaslin—although excitement, you know, you live together with these guys and all of a sudden something exciting happens enough to wake me up and be alert, yeah, there was stuff going on. I didn't feel concern for safety. | |
| INT: | Were you ever invited to the cockpit to look at the object? | |
| TG: | No. I know I never had an inclination or impulse to unstrap and go see it. You don't unstrap from an ejection seat low altitude by procedure, you know, so you'd been doing something not by the book if you did that. | |
| INT: | But look at the drawing on the 3rd page there. [Looking at Runyon's drawing]. | |
| TG: | Jeez. Brad—I didn't know all this happened. Again, my recollection is that the object was out Brad's window 'cause Brad was the one seeing it. Which would've meant the right side of the airplane. This shows the left side of the airplane. Even according to his drawing. | |
| INT: | Do you recall that object being described in that fashion? | |
| TG: | No. | |
| INT: | Brad never talked about it? | |
| TG: | Brad's description that came over intercom was it was kind of a reddish, orangish football shape. And so he got more specific by seeing that and if Jack Partin didn't see this, I don't understand that. If Brad said it, it's good. | |
| INT: | Yeah. How long did you guys fly together? | |
| TG: | I'd say a minimum of a year but probably more like a year and a half, maybe 2 years. | |
| INT: | Qualify that—I mean why do you say that about Brad? |
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