Witchcraft in Cameroon Society
Witchcraft in modern Cameroon.
In Peter Geschiere’s book, “The Modernity of Witchcraft: politics and the occult in postcolonial Africa” he explains about djambe and the witches associated with it, to see how they use Witchcraft to shape the way politics, and their social and personal relationships. The African nation of Cameroon is the back drop of this study in which we will explore the use of witchcraft by, the Maka. A tribal group of people that where studied in Geschiere’s book. This book deals with how the Maka comes to terms with modern morays and conventions while providing answers for modern day problems facing their society. They use witchcraft in a very efficient way to circumvent societal changes and to control of trial members. They way the Maka uses witchcraft allows them to equalize society, accumulate power, and even influence politics in modern day Cameroon.
According to Geschiere, a djambe is a spirit that dwells within people’s bellies (p38). This spirit allows the user to see the djambe of other people, and their djambe has the ability to grant special powers for themselves (p.1). The examples used by Geschiere in chapter five shows that djambe are synonymous with the acquisition of wealth which also manifests jealousy toward others who have power or wealth. Their creation myth hints that the djambe may be used for good or evil purposes; one of the creation stories to explain the origin of the djambe has a character use the djambe to get rich. He would give this djambe meat from his hunts and in exchange his djambe provided the skills to kill more animals than anyone else. The hunter’s wife while wondering why he was so successful discovered the djambe in the woods. The djambe enticed the wife to hide him in her belly. Because of the wife’s greed for power was so great the djambe was able to manipulate the wife until she ended up eating her children. This how the djambe is abel to inhabit their bellies. Witches who use their djambe to get power or to take it away from others because of their jealousy, like the woman in the origin myth, eat their own children. Cannibalism is taboo by the Maka, even though, the cannibalism of other non related people is acceptable (pp. 40 - 41). I believe that this is cultural tact to control society so that its members will not be tempted to use their djambe’s power for evil or personal gain, since this would make you immoral. Binary oppositions exist between the outside of the village in the deep forest (this is the dangerous place, because it out side the comfort of the village in a highly unfamiliar realm), and within the confines of the village (which is the safe place, near family). This conveys that the witches must be dangerous and use their djambe for evil purposes, while people in the village are normal, good, and their djambes are used for good; such as protecting one‘s self and one‘s family.
Djambes can be used to cause trouble or make people sick, Geschiere tells us that witches with a powerful djambe are blamed as the source of the problems that afflict people after an event happens; much like witchcraft is the scapegoat in other societies around the world. People can use their djambe to create a double of themselves to do the perform mischief at night, while they are asleep. The cultural equalizer in this case is that the double’s actions are known by the possessor. Therefore, some believe that the possessor of the djambe can control the actions of the double, so the possessor may be held responsible (p.41).
Geschiere also brings up the idea that since the djambe can be used to gain power, some people will become fearful of those with power, even if they are within their own family group. The Maka are engrained to the fact that only family members can be always trusted. However this may cause problems within a family when one of the members is a witch. The presence of a witch within a family may so strain the family structure so much, that interpersonal relationship within the family may to crumble. These failing relationships may be driven by feeling of jealousy that comes from fear of inequality caused by the member who uses their djambe to gain wealth (p 42). The creation idea enforces the notion that greed causes one to devour their kin heightens tension within the families. There is also the fear that the witch family member may give relatives to other witches as payment to curse someone else for whom they are jealous (p 110- 111). A contradiction in this belief is brought up by Geschiere. The same djambe that were used to break familial ties may also be used to protect and repair them (p 42). A person may use charms or amulets to protect one’s family, and people may also use their djambe to keep themselves safe from attacks by other witches (p 110 - 111).
An example that Geschiere uses to explain why he thinks that some witchcraft helps familial ties is the healer. Healers are the people who cure harm caused by other witches. To be come a healer one must first sacrifice one of his kin. But once he has done this he will be able to protect his family and cure them, if they get attacked by other witches. The out come of the attack depends on who has the most powerful djambe (42 - 43). In politics this same rational is supposed. Persons with considerable power must therefore have a powerful djambe, or must have protectors with powerful djambes. Thus the powerful politician is protected from attacks or from being killed by opposing witches.
An example: was a very successful farmer of cocoa named Mbon,. After attaining a mass amount of wealth and when he didn’t get sick or die, but lived a good life. It was believed that he must have a powerful djambe, and that he knew how to defend himself against the witches that would become jealous of him and his success. On the other hand a person who doesn’t display or become noticeably successful would not incur the jealously of a witch (pp144 - 145). This notion of an equalizing sprit answers or naturalizes the inequality in the stratification of the northeastern society in Cameroon.
Geschiere also tells us that the Maka are very concerned with procuring titles. They believe that receiving a title should be a major goal for every man because having a title gives people power so that they may live a better life. As mentioned before djambe can be used to get power, so people can enlist the help of a powerful djambe, or use their own, to help him get a title. Becoming powerful is dangerous for people in the Maka society, because it may catch the attention of jealous witches who would kill them (pp 83- 85). I believe that Geschiere wanted to show this may help deal with the idea of the people in power being corrupt, or may even keep them from abusing their power. Since power given to people by djambe is such a dangerous thing, most people with it may want to keep witches from getting mad at them, so they may tread lightly. I believe this is what Geschiere meant when he said that “ djambe betrays a deep mistrust of any form of power in these societies.”(p 95) Myth Magic and Ritual.`Brian Hall
Geschiere, in chapter 3 and 4, shows us why he believes that the djambe have a hand in politics by looking at the way that the new rich in Maka and the people they left in the villages interact. Those who are known as evolues are distinguished by having a political influence, and access to political institutions, they also have access to more wealth. These peoples separate themselves from their villages so that they cannot be cursed by witches. This is not to say that they never go to their villages, they just tend to stay away from them, they fear that people in their family will become jealous and try to kill them. He has quotes from people saying that people need to stay away from their villages to keep from being eaten, and as Geschiere points out, they are talking about witchcraft(eating your own kin). This also deals with the influence that the Maka have against the politicians that come from their village, they can threaten them with djambe (p108-110). Myth Magic and Ritual.
He uses the example of what will happen when they anger people they live near in the village by talking about Fuma, a powerful person that returns to his village. Even after shielding himself with witchcraft of the house, he falls sick because of a sickness that is incurable by Western doctors. This point to witchcraft as a cause. He was attacked by a person that was displeased with him. This causes people to live apart from one‘s home village so that they cannot be attacked (pp 109 -111). This is one reason that the government in Cameroon has prosecuted witches as subversives. Witchcraft is also a way that these people can equalize the power of these evolutes with witchcraft, but the evolutes can use it to, they use it to protect themselves, and it goes both ways.
To keep the social order, persons with titles who have a strong djambe, may use that djambe to influence others. One example of this is when at a discussion of a dispute; Mpal a person that was to deliberate and decide who was correct was assaulted by a younger member of this society, Moboma. When Moboma tried to speak against Mpal, he stuttered and could not say any thing, after happening a second time he left. When Geschiere asked what had happened he said that Mpal’s authority of witchcraft had prevented him from being able to speak out ( p 91 ). This is a great example of a leveling force that allows politics to run a little more smoothly, even though it stratifies a few people.
After the introduction of modern western culture and economics witchcraft has been used to explain why people have power, and to also equalize the level of the people in that area. People who are afraid of being targeted by jealous witches because of there success may try and get rid of their wealth. This in turn equalizes the wealth of the people around that person, because it not only brings the donator down in status but raises people up to his stature. An example of this is the Bakweri and the way they prevent witches from becoming jealous of their wealth. When a family procures enough wealth they try and get rid of it by giving it away in “big potlatch-like ceremonies (p.146)”.This distributes the wealth amongst the other families in the area, raising them up in status, while bringing the host family down. This allows people to keep from getting an Embarrassment of wealth (pp 146 - 147).
Witchcraft, in this way, is used to make sure that no one tries to become better than anyone else, but the second that the witches leave, people are willing to express how much wealth they have, because there is no negative backlash from jealous witches (p. 149). This shows that witchcraft is used to maintain an egalitarian society, even after a non egalitarian consumerist lifestyle is introduced by the west (p.146). This ends up actually causing everyone in this area, who participates in these ceremonies to raise steadily in their quality of living. This allows them to continue living in the traditional way that they lived before the Germans came in, a highly egalitarian society (p. 146).
Witchcraft is also used to bring people all the way down, just to keep people all on the same level, in the next example the way witchcraft is used is different, but the out come is almost the same. During the banana boom, and a few people where becoming rich, accusations of people being witches started to arise. The way that witchcraft was used to control this inequality changed from jealous witches will kill you, to if you become rich suddenly, you must be using your djambe to get you money. People who are witches are identified as such by the way they live.
If A person has just become rich then they can be accused of being a witch. The reasoning that the author says that these people use is that djambe are synonymous not only with jealousy, like it was used in the last example, but the gathering of wealth. Witchcraft can cause a person to become rich very quickly, and this idea is supported in the myth of the origin of the djambe. The djambe that was first found was found by a hunter, and when that hunter gave that djambe a piece of meat to eat, the djambe rewarded him by allowing him to have a bountiful hunt, and therefore caused him to become rich. The witches in this example use djambe in a way similar to this. Instead of eating their kinsmen like most witches, they turn them into a kind of zombie, know as a vekongi. These zombies are forced to work on “invisible plantations” so that they are able to make money for the witch, making him rich very fast, and are traded like slaves between witches (pp. 147 - 148)
Another way to tell if a person is a witch is if the have a Metal roof, since only people that have more money than everyone else. This can be used as proof that those people may have gotten the wealth they have, not because they are good at business, but because they have been using witchcraft. By taking all the wealth away from these people the Obasinjom, a shaman that gets rid of witches, can say that they have lost their power. The wealth that was taken from the person accused of being a witch may be redistributed. This allows the other people to rise in level, economically (pp. 147-151). This way of getting rid of witches allows the entire population to continually increase their quality of life. Even if it is only by getting a better roof, it still improves these peoples lives.
Geschiere points out that this way of dealing with nyongo, the name of the witches in this area, appeared only after the west showed up in his area, therefore it is safe to assume that these are responses to modern problems (p. 148). I believe that he used this to how that the problems that are introduced by the Western influence of the Maka are being dealt with. By having the ability to reduce the power of others it can be a great leveling force in society, while still allowing advancement to occur.
Djambe are a huge player in the way that the Maka live in Cameroon, it is a way of leveling the society, and also a way for people to impose rules in that society, as well as heal those in need. It is also used as a way to keep people from causing a disturbance in society, for fear of the repercussions. Djambe are a major factor in how the Maka deal with modern problems.
Brian Hall
Myth Magic and Ritual.
Kansas Fall Night 19
Kansas Fall Night 1970
I received an email from a reader, who wishes to remain anonymous, because he’s afraid of repercussions, from the U.S. Air Force. As we know, Project Blue Book was closed about the same time this takes place and it was passed on from person to person that any Air Force personal. Repeating what they had learned, heard or seen would bring upon themselves repercussions from censorship, court martial, loss of benefits or even imprisonment. This, then Airman was assigned to SAC Missile Command, as a Security Policeman. His duties were to provide missile security to the 24 Titan missile complexes located around the country side of Wichita Kansas.
His story goes : This particular cool Kansas fall night in 1970 approximately 23:30hrs, my sergeant and I had parked our patrol truck upon a hill over looking the Kansas country side being night the darkness was dotted with lights from the farmhouse yard lights. In the distance you can see the highway with the head and tails lights moving along the road. We were listening to the radio, eating our boxed lunches and discussing world problems. Of course the major topic was how many of the squadron had received orders to Viet Nam and wondering who was next on the list. There was a long stretch of silence when the patrol radio beckoned our call sign. The sergeant answered after a brief pause. “You have a SAM at K12, motion detectors no further, code 2 authorized.” We acknowledged with “10-4 K12”. This sounded like any other routine SAM (Security Alert Message). Except that this one allowed us to proceed over the posted speed limits without sirens.
From our advantage point we could see K12’s Christmas Tree Lights. The Christmas tree was a very tall and large VHF antenna that required navigational lights for aircraft. As we looked toward the missile site we could see that the site lights were on but they were much brighter then usual and lit up more of the area then we thought possible. At the same time the word “Sh---“ left our mouths. The ride there was very quiet not a word was spoken just prior to reaching K12 the base was calling for a status check. “All clear, approaching access road” the sergeant responded. We rolled up onto the entrance road and turn off our head lights. Strangely the site lights were turned down; only the two area lights were on. Then sergeant turned to me and said “This one by the book”. I got out of the patrol truck and started the long walk the access road toward the missile site. Taking up a combat crouch I searched one side of the road then the other, as the sergeant weaved the truck back and forth following me up the road.
Our training took hold and with the precision of countless rehearsals, we started the surface search. The sarge pulled the patrol truck to the side of the road and took up a concealed position by the truck and weaved me on. His duty was to observe me while conducting the surface search while maintaining radio communication with the base. I ran to the entry, picked up the gate phone, which rang the launch center deep inside the missile silo. After relaying the password and identifications, the nervous voice said” We don’t know what going on up there, all sector motion detectors when down and the same time and didn’t reset until a few minutes before you arrived. At that, the main surface lights came on and the gate unlocked. I opened the gate, stepped in and closed the gate behind me. I kneeled on one knee and began to look over the site from one side to the other. At that moment, it dawned on me how unusually quite it was. Normally, I could hear the low hum of the lights and the Kansas insects chirping. It was so quite it was deafening, I started my way to the access portal again I noticed I can only hear the crunching of the gravel behind my feet. I reached the portal and looked through the window peering at the stair case leading downward into the darkness. I opened the door, and flipped the light switch. The dim light came on and I saw the grey concrete steps and walls; the area was empty all but. Normally when I checked the portals, a cool breeze would come from the bottom of the pit this time it was still and the cold concrete felt warm. A chill went up my spine, like a low current of electricity. I turned allowing the door to shut behind me; again on one knee I surveyed the launch cover. Suddenly, a squelch came from my radio; I must have jumped a foot. “- All clear –” I whispered back. I proceeded to the north side of the hatch searched the cover for any foreign objects, shown my flashlight down the exhaust events checking the wire seal. The seal was not broken, but I noticed the low drone of the equipment deep inside the silo, and beside the quite I started to beware, that is was warm, that the air temperature was about 10 degrees warmer on the site then it was on the access road. My mind was registering that things were not right, but nothing concrete to put my finger on. I searched the three other sides of the cover with the same results, nothing here. After calling the sarge on the radio with an “All Clear” began the perimeter search checking the motion detector cones and stands, then to the fence line. As I was walking along the fence checking for breaches, any digging or tunneling. As I was doing this, I noticed the temperature on the outside of the fence was definitely cooler, this continued to bother me, so I studied very feature both sides of the fence before I approached them. I made the complete circuit, of site with nothing really to report. I called down to the launch center and reported the site was clear. The voice asked are you sure? “Yes, why” I said? A pause of silence then, “well nothing”. The gate unlocked, and I stepped out, by this time the sarge had moved the truck to the gate I secured the gate and got in the truck. “Well”, the sage urged, “Nothing there, nothing at all, nothing was wrong” I replied not to reveal my intrusion or gut feeling that this was very strange. We started to drive around the perimeter road checking the barbed wire outer fence, and the lagoon system. Suddenly the sergeant slammed on the brakes, stuck his head out the window and said “shhhhh do you hear that?” I sat motionlessly listening for whatever. After a few seconds I said, “No what?” He waved to me to be quite. We sat looking and listening to everything, the road in the lights of the truck, the shadows in the lagoon, and the stars. “The locusts are making noise again, I can hear the corn rustling in the breeze, why there’s a breeze again”, sarge ranted. I felt comfortable again; at least the sarge had noticed the oddities of the night like I did. We than exchanged the feeling we both shared. As we left the site, he said we should go into town and come back later.
The small Kansas community was abandoned, as usual the sidewalks are rolled up and the streets are vacant. We cruised the main street up and back a couple of times and decided to return to K12. When we got there, the sarge pulled the truck into the middle of the access road turn off the lights and got out. “Need to water the lily pads.” Slammed the door and unzipped his pants. We stood on opposite sides of the truck, and just looked around and listened to nothing but, bugs and wind. We drove around the perimeter road, with the same results. He stopped again, the entrance to the access road and said, “Ah, hell” and drove away. We went back to his favorite parking place sarge and found a comfortable spot behind to wheel and snuggled in. “Hold the fort”, he as he settled down. I began the wait listening to the hiss of the radio and the occasional snore from the sage. I was thinking of K12 and what happened while stirring at its Christmas tree. I noticed a faint glow what I thought was a semi going down the highway, when I realized that there was no road in that area it moved slowly low to the ground crossing fields of corn and headed directly to K12. I woke the sarge, “look, look, look” unable to say more. He jumped up and looked around the truck thinking something else. Finally, he focused on the glow which got brighter as in hovered over the site.
The radio rang out the SAM and we took off this time, we were speeding to the site, not even slowing for stop signs. I tried to watch the site as long as possible, but with the curves, and corn fields it was impossible. We squealed on to the access road, total darkness greeted us the area was again silent and still. We followed procedure again, this time, looking up more often. I felt uneasy, like I was being watched like the feeling you get when someone is looking over your shoulder. When back at the gate phone the voice was, more aggressive, make sure you check the motion detector cones, and vents. I made the same sweep as before, stopping only to look up. I checked the vent seals and hasps as before nothing was out of place. I checked the cones, deflectors, and any exposed wiring other than being slightly warm to the touch nothing was out of place or tampered with. I picked up the phone and it rang, the all clear was given and I explained my visual results of the cones and vents. The closing was done as usual the gate opened, I climbed in the truck and we drove to the back of the site, turn off our lights. The surface lights were turned off and we sat in the dark. After about fifteen to twenty minutes the surface lights came back on. We jumped from the truck and started to survey the night sky. The portal access door crept open and a captain appeared. He walked around the launch cover and inspected the vents then walked to each of the motion cones. He stood by the portal door for a little while and then disappeared through the door. The surface lights went off and we left alone with the chirping insects. Without a word the sergeant started the truck and slowly drove without lights down the access road and on to the road for a few hundred yards and pulled into a farmer’s field hiding next to the corn rows and some over grown bushes.
Sarge turned down the radio and we sat watching the site and the night sky. After what seemed to be an eternity the morning sky was coming and sun started to appear on the eastern horizon. Our shift was over, sarge cranked the engine and back to base we went. On the way there we re-lived our exciting night and laughed nervously. We wondered if anyone was going ask about our night. We arrived at the base washed our truck, exchanged equipment with the on coming team, and passed on our SAM information about K12. The on coming shift and no questions, we turned in our weapons to the armor, and passed by dispatch and operations all without a word or inquiry. We decided for the best we would never speak of this.
I reported to duty the next evening and at guard mount the sarge and my self were teamed together and in the same sector. As a routine, teams are rotated and missile sectors are changed so that no one gets into a routine. We asked the Flight Sergeant, what’s up; we were teamed together last night. His response was simple, “Is there a problem with this?” In one voice we answered, “Oh no, we’re just wondering.” As a side note he said “besides ops called this one.” He turned and walked away; we looked at each other and walked to our vehicle this time we were given a new patrol car, what’s with this? I thought. Our exchange was normal and the SAM information did not include K12. We drove to our sector and started our routine rounds to each of the four sites in our area. All were “go” except for the last one K12. The site had fuel trucks and a crane within the fence. We called down to the launch center and they told us that the war head had been removed from site for routine maintenance. They also, requested that we check on the site more often because the motion detectors were down because of the on site equipment. This was strange, because many times at other sites, with equipment on site the motion detectors were still operable, if they weren’t a guard is posted on the surface. New car, we being teamed together two nights in a row, war head gone, no guard posted something must be going on.
We drove into town and stopped by the Dairy Queen, for some soda and conversation with the girls that gather after school, wasting time before they have to go home. This was a good time for us because most of the boys were in football practice, or home on the farm doing chores. We listened mostly to school girl gossip, of who’s dating who, who’s cheating who and how boring Kansas is and where they want to go after graduation, which was any place but Kansas. We left town and was headed to K10 when we received a SAM from K9, with the new car we flew to the scene. Arriving was uneventfully, we decided that any SAM would be treated more seriously and with extra caution especially after last night. We completed the search; this one was just like any other routine check. The insects never missed a beat, and the cause was a lonely rabbit, setting off only one sector motion detector. We swung by K10, drove around the site and set out for K11. When we received a call from base that K12 requested a perimeter check especially the lagoon and lagoon fill pipes.
Even though our official code response was a 3, sarge, spared no time in getting from site to site. When we arrived at K12, the sun a well set in the west and there was only a faint glow in the distance. We contacted the launch center that we had arrived and was headed to the lagoon. Sage asked, if was there any thing indicating anything wrong. The launch center said that it was only that they felt the area should be rechecked from their last check. We assumed that, because night was falling they only called us, to make sure we came back to check in with them. We drove around to the back side and with flashlights in hand, searched the over fill pipe that was protected by a heavy metal grate, padlocked and sealed. The fill pipe was a small pipe about 4” in diameter with a goose neck about 12 inches up the pipe. We also checked the banks of the lagoon, as expected nothing out of the ordinary. Sarge reported our findings back at the gate and assured them that we would be back every hour to hour and a half to check in with them. At that we received another SAM from K9 and off we flew.
With tires squealing, to a stop at the access road, this time the surface lights were already on so the site was lit up like day light, any element of surprise was gone and this meant that we could be easily seen when approaching the gate phone. We rolled down the windows and with our heads out as far as we could, we searched the road from side to side and it seemed with every twist of our heads it was skywards. This time we circled the site first, seeing if anyone was top side they would seen us by now. Sarge called down to the launch center and uttered the password as expected. Sage called to me and said one sector again. I made a thorough check of every inch of the surface, and found that rabbit bouncing along the fence looking for an escape route. We opened the gate and chased the critter out. This put us at ease; we called down and explained the rabbit, and asked about the surface lights. They apologized; and explained they must have forgotten to turn them off since their last top side check. The sarge told me what they said and I belted out, “What those lazy SOBs never come up except for relief.” He shook head in disbelief and shrugged his shoulders.
We drove back to K10, drove around the perimeter, again at K11 and then to K12. At K12 we called the launch center, to let them we were here and drove the perimeter road and out to the country road right to the farmer’s field and bushes. One long hour passed by, with the wind pickup up more, and a cloud cover moving in. We went back to K12 called and circled the site, nothing but nothing. Sarge called down, told them that we were headed into town before for the Dairy Queen closed. The drive-in was almost ready to close when we got there, Sarge smooth talked the girl in to the left over French fries, and she filled the sack to the top with hot oily fries. Sarge went to pay and she waved him on, “I would have thrown them away any way”. We drove the long way around to K11 munching on the fries, until they were cold. Drove around the site and called down to the launch center, they seemed to be grateful for our call. A few minutes later we were on the road again back to K12. At K12 this time and launch center was upset, that we were late in checking in, we told them where we were. On the way back to the car, Sarge was mumbling under his breath. Without a word sarge, started the car pointed down the access road, out on the country road. We pulled up to our favorite hillside parking spot, watered the lilies and sat back. This time sarge was positioned at the wheel as ready to spring into action. The rest of the cold fries where devoured, when that dim glow again appeared and moved across the corn rolls and came to a stop over K12, we did not even wait a second and we sped off dust following us until the paved road. We barely heard the radio from the road noise, we received the SAM and acknowledged. “Wait a minute I thought the motion detectors were down.” I said excitedly. The sky opened up and the rain began to fall there was enough rain that the patrol car was spraying a rooster tail of water behind us. As quickly as it started the rain stopped and the wind pickup.
We turned off our lights several yards from the site and drove on to the access road, and rolled to a stop all was quiet like the night before, the wind even slowed to a stop. We repeated, our drill to the letter, the weaving search of the access road, the call down to the launch center, portal, launch cover, vents, detectors and fence line including a search of the extra vehicles topside. The stillness, the soundless bugs, and the warmness were also the same, except one more oddity. My boots and pants legs was wet from the grass searching the access road, but when I stepped onto the site surface, it was bone dry, with the crunch of gravel beneath each and very step. I called in the all clear to the launch center and I was told to meet a member the crew at the gate after our perimeter check. The check was uneventful; the surface lights were not turned off, so it was easier to search the lagoon and barbed wire. By the time we returned to the gate it was misting rain again. We waited for about 15 minutes and the portal door opened and a major walked to the gate phone called down and unlocked the gate motioning us to drive in. We drove to the portal parking area, and got out. We saluted and he greeted us, “Say boys we thought it would be a good idea, that you remained top side the rest of your tour. The other teams will cover your sites. Meanwhile let’s go over the site together.” The rain started to fall heavier, and the wind picked up cooling down the site. The major, checked everything right behind us, satisfied we walked back to the portal, as he entered the door and it was shutting behind him he said, “Good night, boys”. “Boys my ass, I’m not your boy, I’ll show you boys”, as the sarge flipped him off. The portal light went dark, and then the surface lights. Back to the car and we sat quietly, only with a few mumbles from sarge about boys. Occasionally, we would leave the car looking up to survey the sky, but it was cloud covered, with some sprinkles now and then.
The rest of the night was boring, and cold. We talked a little about the past two nights until the sun start up, we called down from the portal about leaving for relief, they said fine and opened the gate and we headed to base. We were dumping the trash and was washing the car, when the flight sergeant came up and told us to turn the patrol car into opts, that the other team was all ready gone. After we turned in our weapons, the police operations captain, called us into his office. Nervous, we waited for pending trouble, instead, “Sergeant, missile command wants you two, topside K12 for the next two nights. I was told to tell you, nothing should be said, now I don’t know what you’re doing or what you’re up to, I was told not to ask. Now leave”.
The next evening, after guard mount, we were shuttled to the helicopter pad and flown to K12. We passed on the passwords and we were greeted at the portal, by the same major, “You boys, are doing such a good job, we asked for you guys while the site was down.” Sarge said reluctantly, “Major Sir, We were told that the detectors were down last night, but we got a SAM.” “Well, ah ah they were down but they reset and held steady until the SAM and they won’t reset again” said the major slowly. We saw the lie, but kept quite. The rest of that night and the next night, nothing happened, only chirping bugs and the nights were getting cooler. The third evening, was rotation, with two days offs.
Guard mount commenced and sarge was assigned to another sector with another airman, but I was teamed with an older tech sergeant in the same sector. Besides not going to the Dairy Queen and cruising main street, we went from site to site, ate our boxed lunches behind K10 and just roved the country roads. We would circle K12 many times; the site was clear of all the vehicles and appeared normal. The tech sergeant tried to sneak in questions about how we patrolled. But, it was like being asked questions without being actually being asked, you know talking around the subject. There were no SAMs and nothing to pass on to the next shift. The next guard mount I was sent to another sector and my sarge was assigned as the second man and was teamed with the older tech sergeant. It was several rotations before the sarge and I were reassigned together, this time in another sector.
Finally the sarge and I were reassigned together, in another sector. The evening went well with little activity at all. We drove to the Sonic Drive-in and ordered our dinner and drove to the City Park to eat. We sat under the tree, on the park table and started to at first only skirted our experience. Then we started to put things together that bothered us. What was the light we saw? We didn’t see any lights until they got closer to the ground and that they seemed to hover across the corn rows and stop over the missile site. The SAM alerts were strange in that all the motion detectors went down at the same time and they would not reset immediately. We discussed the weird stillness of the night and the warmer ambient air only within the silo fence and not around the outside of the missile site. The quite insects and no sight of smaller animals around the area not even the usual rabbits. The windy rainy night that left the surface of the site dry. Then the missile site was taken off line before its scheduled maintenance. Why did Air Force, have us investigated? Was it they believed we had something to do with it or kept us together to make sure no others experienced the same thing? I believed that they wanted to keep the incident as quiet as possible. The older Tech Sergeant was a plant to see if we would talk to others about the incidents. Or maybe to see if we know more that what we were saying. I think the Air Force know more about what was happening.
All I know is some kind of phenomena happened; I can not even say for sure what it was, even after experiencing it. Was it a UFO? I did not see anything to believe that it was solid or hovered more than several feet above the surface. Was it a natural phenomenon? Why did it choice a nuclear missile site. I do not know!
