William E. Smith Interview, 11 July 2001(a)

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JK

Yes. Now this is something that I wanted to ask you about. Usually I kind of save it until the end because some of the aspects of this are a little disturbing. I just wanted to ask you before I forget. I want to go back a little bit and make a couple remarks about what you said to me and what I had come across in my investigation.

WS

Okay.

JK

In one of Colonel Werlich's reports regarding the break-in at the missile site, he reported and I have this document in writing saying that the gate was found standing open, unlocked and standing open and that the personnel access hatch was unlocked and standing open, and that the combination lock had been moved.

WS

Okay.

JK

Now, he reported that to another headquarters, so I suspect that's reliable.

WS

Sure. That's not my recollection of those events, but that's okay, because a lot of things did happen. I know there was a major investigation after that but I did not recall that. We did get a penetration alarm but it was a local penetration and not the other type of penetration.

JK

Now, the document says outer and inner-ring alarms. Now, that goes to your capsule, doesn't it?

WS

That goes to the capsule, yes. All the alarms go to the capsule.

JK

Right. And then they would report that to you.

WS

Yes.

JK

Okay. Well, let me say one thing. I have worked on another case that occurred the year before at Malmstrom. And the fellow that came to me with that case was a Deputy Combat Crew Commander. He was down in the capsule. From what he's told me and the people that I have interviewed on that case, I have got some understanding of how things were arranged and how the crews were.

WS

Sure. I understand that. I just don't recall the outer door being opened—of the missile or of the other thing, and again, that could have escaped me because I was there after the fact. In other words, our team had responded and then we made the report. So that could be blurry.

JK

Well, one of the guys, one of these maintenance guys that was at November-7, either O'Connor or Isley, said when they were returning to the base—of course, they would drive north to Highway 5. They would go east on Highway 5 until they hit 83. They would then go south on 83 to the base. They said as they were going east on Highway 5 they passed a launch facility where the security police team was just arriving, and that

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