From: Don Ecsedy <don.nul>
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2012 13:42:07 -0400 (EDT)
Archived: Mon, 23 Jul 2012 05:55:36 -0400
Subject: Re: Dating Arnold


I've been reading the Spring 1948 Fate article about Maury
Island by Kenneth Arnold, and The Coming Of The Saucers (TCOTS),
taking the deaths of Davidson and Brown as the fixed point. Both
versions have the correct date.  The 'time dilation' is enabled
by setting the evening interview and trip to the house of Dahl's
secretary on the 29th, rather than the 30th. The Fate article
does not include going to the house, however, a bad edit leaves
in some dialogue between Arnold and Dahl that occurs at the
house and does not fit at all in the hotel room.

The following day, Arnold calls Emil Smith. In Fate, Arnold
specifies he called Smith and Brown, but Brown first.  In TCOTS
the events of the 31st are set on the 30th, except for calling
Brown which is deferred to its actual spot the following day,
the 31st. Much of TCOTS 30th involves Smith. Arnold calls him,
Crisman drives Arnold to his plane, Arnold flies to Seattle,
gets Smith, and flies back to Tacoma. Smith decides to stay,
Crisman drives him to Seattle for his car and an overnight bag,
and they drive back separately to Tacoma.  For Crisman driving
Smith to Seattle, Fate's 31st only has it that Smith and Crisman
went out.

TCOTS 31st has the same statement, even though they had already
driven to Seattle on TCOTS's 30th.  This, I think, indicates we
are reading two draft versions of the 31st. In comparing the two
day's in TCOTS against the version in Fate, the only evidence in
TCOTS 30th and 31st that cannot be accounted for in Fate's 31st
is the breakfast with the boat crew which is a nothing scene.
The rest is filler, meals and waiting about. In TCOTS there is
information about the fragments brought to the room. At first I
thought this might have been an addition to the original story
because I could not find another witness statement about these
fragments, however the AF and FBI reports affirm there were such
fragments.

What I think we are reading in TCOTS is an article made out of
several drafts of the same material that had not been finalized,
rather than an example of poor memory or fabulation by Arnold
(or Palmer). Palmer might have been aware of the issue because
in his secton of the book, he refers to Maury Island on three
occasions, including Arnold's account. Palmer does not refer to
any dates.

Not knowing what the relationship was between Ray Palmer and
Kenneth Arnold in producing the book, I can't guess how Arnold's
story ended up as a kludge. Palmer might have made the best of
the situation.  I really doubt he did anything more to Arnold's
story except perhaps to organize the material as best he could.


Regards,

Don
foreshadower.net



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