Colonel William "Butch" Blanchard was, according to many of the Roswell books, a key player behind the scenes in the recovery of the Roswell disk and developing the cover-up conspiracy that many maintain still exists today.

A West Point graduate, Blanchard rose rapidly through the ranks during World War II, and by 1947 was considered a rising star in the Air Force.  By 1966, he was a 4-star general, Vice Chief of Staff, and a "sure bet" for the Joint Chiefs.  Unfortunately, he died from a massive heart attack at the Pentagon, cutting short his illustrious career.

Despite his achievements in the Air Force,  Blanchard is best known today as the Commanding Officer of  the 509th Bomber wing and Roswell AAFB during the Roswell Incident.

The Roswell Incident first became public when the now famous Press Release was sent out by RAAFB Public Information Officer Lt. Walter Haut on July 8, 1947.  It is widely believed by many UFO researchers that Col. Blanchard had been ordered by the Pentagon to issue the news released as part of a carefully calculated plan to cover up the recovery of a real extraterrestrial spaceship and its alien crew.  The news of a "captured Flying Disk" prompted many reporters to try and contact Col Blanchard for comments, but all they got from his office, during the afternoon of July 8th, was that "no further details were available".

By the the late afternoon of July 8, callers to the office of Col Blanchard were told that he had "left on leave"!!  Roswell proponents have long claimed that this leave was just a ruse to get Blanchard out of the limelight while he commanded the effort to complete the recovery efforts and send the debris and bodies to more secure areas.  This claim is based on surmise, and the comments from some (but not all!) of The Witnesses interviewed by researchers.  

So where was Col Blanchard during first two weeks of July, 1947?

(This article is based in part on the work of UFO Researcher Robert Todd.  His complete analysis can be found in his Cowflop Quarterly newsletter of July 5, 1996 (pdf)

Researchers have over the past 20 years scoured countless FOIA documents, newspapers, and unit histories looking for the "smoking gun" that would prove their claims.  Regarding the whereabouts of Col. Blanchard, their efforts have turned up some interesting information:

There is decent evidence that Col Blanchard and his wife were on vacation for a little over two weeks, starting on July 9, 1947!

Lets look at the evidence accumulated to date.

-  In the Morning Report of the Roswell Army Air Force Base for July 8, 1947, we find that Col Jennings, who was second in command of the 509th, officially assumed command of the 509th and the Roswell AAFB.  This is standard procedure on a military base when the Commanding Officer leaves the base for an extended period of time.  

-  Next, we have the content of a telegram dated July 9, 1947 informing the Commanding General of the US Army Air Force that Blanchard had an appointment with the Gov of New Mexico on the 9th of July to ask him about proclaiming Air Force Day in New Mexico.

Regarding TWX AFDOI One Five Zero dated Seven July Colonel William H Blanchard and Mr. Oliver LaFarge have appointment with Governor Mabry for Nine July to request his proclaiming of Air Force Day pd.

-  Then there was this AP item in the July 10th edition of the Albuquerque Journal datelined Roswell, NM, July 9:

"William Blanchard, commanding officer of the Roswell Army Air Field, left here today for a three weeks vacation in Santa Fe and Colorado."

Also, according to the July 9th edition of the Albuquerque Journal, The Gov and Mrs. Mabry were scheduled to leave on July 9th on a weeks automobile trip to attend the governor's conference in Salt Lake City. So apparently, Blanchard drove up to Santa Fe and was to see Mabry prior to Mabry's leaving for Salt Lake City, but Mabry didn't sign the Air Force Day proclamation as he didn't have the time or they hadn't been able to get together for the photo op.

Acting Governor Montoya today (July 14th) proclaimed Aug. 1 as Air Force Day in commemoration of the Army Air Force's 40th anniversary, and the week of July 21 to 27 as New Mexico Aviation week.... 

Col. William H. Blanchard, commanding officer of the Roswell Army Air Field, and Oliver LaFarge, Santa Fe author who was with the Army Transport Command during the last war and who now represents the Air Force Association, a national organization of ex-air force men which is trying to organize a 'wing' in New Mexico, were present.

-  Page one of the July 25th, 1947 edition of The Atomic Blast carried a photo of Acting Governor Montoya signing the Air Force Day proclamation, with Lafarge and Blanchard witnessing him signing it.

So Blanchard seems to have been in Santa Fe on July 9th and was there on July 14th and was probably there during all the days between. The telegram was probably sent from Albuquerque to Roswell since on the 11th of July the competition ended and Blanchard would want to know the outcome of this important event to his group.

Finally,  in a 7/90 video-taped interview with Haut conducted by Fred Whiting for the Fund for UFO Research, Whiting asked Haut if he could remember Blanchard ever mentioning the "flying saucer" matter after the official weather balloon line was established. Haut replied that he did, at a staff meeting a week or two later. He recalled Blanchard opening the meeting with a comment something like this: "Well, we sure shot ourselves in the foot with that balloon fiasco. It was just something from a project at Alamogordo, and some of the guys were here on our base later, too.  Anyway, it's done and over with."

Keep in mind that Haut made this statement long before Bob Todd was able to link the NYU team at Alamogordo and the Mogul project to the Roswell Incident!