From Mantel's grandson.
Terry.M.Mantell@jci.com [
mailto:Terry.M.Mantell@jci.com]
Sent: Thu 5/25/2006 4:14 PM
To: Speier, Drew
Subject: Thomas Mantell
Hi Drew
My name is Terry Mantell and I am the Grandson of Thomas Mantell.
I live in Louisville and saw your story you did on him on the web site.
I wanted to tell you I thought you did a great job. My Grandmother
lives here in Louisville as well and she can not wait to come over to
my house to watch it on the web. Just a little bit more info on the
story....my dad was 2 when this happen and his brother, my Uncle was 4.
I really think Thomas thought this was very important to the US. I know
that with me being a father of a 3 year old, I would not doing anything
to risk my life, unless it was important. I just wanted to say hi
and say you did a really great job.
Thanks
Terry Mantell
Sales Representative
JCI Parts & Repair Center Sales
JOHNSON CONTROLS INC.
Tel. 800-482-2778
Fax: 800-811-1338
Direct: 502-671-7314
Email - terry.m.mantell@jci.com
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Sent: Wed 5/24/2006 6:21 AM
To: Speier, Drew
Subject: Tom Mantell
Drew,
Nice piece on the
Tom
Mantell story. Just a couple things, Mantell was not a WWII Ace,
he flew transports during the war. I worked with the folks
down in Franklin, Simpson County, Kentucky a couple years ago to
establish a historical marker near the site of the crash. Additionally,
his body was recovered and he is buried in the Zachary Taylor National
Cemetery in Louisville.
One of the
most
interesting points I discovered in my research was the fact that
Mantell was not from Louisville. At the time of his birth the
family was living in southern Kentucky. There were complications
with his birth (at home) his mother was taken to the nearest hospital
(located in the adjacent county) where she gave birth and a few days
later returned to their home. When still a child the family moved
to Louisville where he would spend the majority of his life.
Following his WWII service he returned to Louisville, eventually
joining the newly organized Kentucky Air National Guard. His
flight was near Godman Field, Ft. Knox when they were asked by the
field tower to check out the object in the sky that they (Godman Tower)
had been tracking for some time. When Mantell's airplane crashed
it was within within 3 or 4 miles of where he had been born in Simpson
County. From what I was able to discover the only time he had
been in Simpson County was when he was born and when he died.
Interesting
story,
don't believe we will ever discover what really happened.
John M. Trowbridge
Military Historian/Archivist
Kentucky Historical Society
100 West Broadway
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From one of the General's
Ed Tonini
Sent: Wed 5/24/2006 8:19 AM
To: Speier, Drew
Drew
Wow, this is some excellent work! What would be a good time
to call and ask you how you did some of the things I see?
Congratulations on an extremely well produced piece, I think you have a
future in feature length films.
Ed Tonini
Gen. Tonin,
We aired the two stories on the Mantell case yesterday at 6 PM and 10
PM. This email should have a link to the first report. To view the
second report just click the photo "Big Mystery." If you have any
problems, let me know. Drew
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From the
General...How about this!!!!
From: Ed Tonini
[mailto:dukedad@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Thu 7/27/2006 12:22 PM
To: Speier, Drew
Subject: RE: www.14WFIE.com : Mantell Stories
Drew –
Wow!
Very interesting work, you’ll be working for one of the major networks
soon enough. Please keep me updated as more is learned. I
am not beyond changing my mind with enough strong evidence.
<>
Ed Tonini
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Hi Francis
That is a great site you sent me.
I would guess you know alot about the case. What people I
think forget sometimes, is Thomas had 2 kids at home when this happend
and i really do not think he would risk his life unless he thought it
was something very important. My dad was only 2 when this happen and my
Uncle was 5. They both live here in Louisville, as does my grandmother
(Thomas's wife). I look forward to talking to you. My cell
number is 502-767-6840. The best time to call me is anytime after 6:00
pm or 2-3/2:30 to 3:30 during the week. If you have a number I
can try to reach you as well.
Thanks
Terry Mantell
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Mr. Ridge --
<>Thanks for the note. I look forward to any further developments
in the Mantell Case. As I told Drew originally I joined the KyANG
in 1969, so the Mantell case was just something that was talked
about by the "old timers"...I have no first hand knowledge of the
incident.
Brig Gen (Ret.) Ed Tonini
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2006 2:32 PM
To: Ed Tonini
Subject: Mantell Directory
Dear Mr. Tonini,
<>Keeping your address confidential I just wanted to tell you that I
was VERY reluctant to pursue the first interview because all my
colleagues and I had written the Mantell case off as a Skyhook. We
have around 1500 better reports right from Blue Book files that are
listed as unknowns. But, like a defense attorney, sometimes you have to
defend lost causes. We were surprised to find what we did, and it isn't
over.
<>As a rapid deployment team head in 1960 I had a techical adviser by
the name of Lewis G. Blevins, a GS-11 in 1960, who had worked on the
secret Project SIGN. He told me then that the Mantell incident was
still unexplained and had shaken a lot of people up. Being involved in
civilian investigations I just let it drop and did my thing.
<>Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that we are not what some
people would refer to as "believers". We do serious reserach. We just
found the Popular Science article written at the time of the
Mantell incident and released in late April of 1948, which although it
mentions a secret PROJECT, it shows the Skyhook balloon that was
launched the day before (6th) and was located over Nashville the next
day.
<>Hope we get to do our third update before Drew gets promoted to
bigger and better things <GRIN>.
Francis Ridge
NICAP Site Coordinato
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