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137 during which time he was seen on the streets of Roswell with an official escort. While his behavior aroused the curiosity of friends when he passed them without any sign of recognition, none was motivated to do or say anything about it. Military secrecy was a way of life in New Mexico in those days (and still is, to a considerable extent), and even civilians having no con- nection to the government were security-conscious and as- sumed the government had good reasons for doing whatever it was doing. Just what techniques the USAAF used on Mac Brazel to keep him from talking are not known. But they were effective, as there is no suggestion that he said anything substantive on the subject for the rest of his life. Several people have testified that right after the event, Mac seemed to have a lot more money than usual, suggesting he was either given a lump sum or something in the nature of a pension. He is reported to have bought a new truck and then left the ranching business to open a public cold storage locker. But others who knew him insist Mac would never have submitted to bribery. The military continued to keep an eye on civilians in the area. A casual remark by Bill Brazel in a recreation hall a few weeks after the crash led to the confiscation of a cigar box full of small bits of wreckage. When it came to civilians who had even indirect knowledge of the recovery of bodies, the military was a lot tougher. It went so far as to threaten witnesses with jail if they talked, and even hinted that their families might be placed in jeopardy. The press was not spared, either. Calls were made to Roswell radio stations, allegedly from New Mexico politicians in Wash- ington, which made it clear that FCC licenses would be canceled promptly if secrecy was not maintained. More than one case of reporter's notes vanishing from desk drawers has been reported. Today, such behavior on the part of the federal government would almost certainly backfire and lead to protests and even exposes. But in the New Mexico of 1947, the atmosphere was one of total, unquestioning cooperation with the government, even if the principles of a free press had to be compromised. THE GREAT COVER-UP