LCOL Jesse A. Marcel Sr USAAF W5CYI*1907-1986* To Theodule (laborer oysterindustry) and Adelaide Bergeron Marcel, ofBayou Blue, Houma, Terrebonne Parish, La. TheMarcel children consisted of 4 brothers Jesse,Paul, Willey and Dennis Marcel - Sisters
Laurentine, Lucy, Louise and Jennie.
It appears you are going to receive more material
than you probably want to know, but bear with us.
First we view the location Blue Bayou, it strikes
me as a hit tune that was a nationaltreasure written by Roy Orbisonand Joe Melson in the early 60s
and later a national hit by Linda
Ronstadt in 1977. Many of ourdear friends loved that song andour subject Jesse Marcel was bornthere. I could easily retire off theresiduals that song still brings.
Jesse was a grad of TerrebonneHigh School Huoma Louisiana.
After high school our subject worked as adraftsman for La Dept of Transportation. While
there in Baton Rouge in the 30s Jesse attended
State University specializing in physics.
In those days the physics department sponsored aham radio club. For Jesse it was love at first sightand he remained an active ham (W5CYI) until hisdeath in 1986. He also was employed by the Corpsof Engineers and Shell Oil Company as acartographer, specializing in map making fromaerial photography. In a conversation Jesse had,
we learned he did mention earning his ham radio
ticket in 1930 and held it for the remainder.
Along the pathway he served two, three year
enlistments in the National Guard, from 1925 to28 in La, then in Texas 1936-1939. The Marcel’s
were living in Texas when WW2 broke out. He
eventually earned a nuclear physics degree fromGeorge Washington, Univ Wisconsin, New YorkUniversity and Ohio State Univ. Columbus, Ohio.

sent to Harrisburg, Pa for training as a combat
photograph interpreter/Intel Officer.
Our subject requested combat October of 1943
and was assigned to the 5th Bomber Group
command in S.W. Pacific Theater New Guinea.
For two years Marcel served first as a SquadronIntel Officer then Group Intel Officer,
participating in several campaigns that resulted in
the retaking of the Philippine Islands. Marcel had
a total of 468 hours of combat time, wasintelligence officer for bomb wing,
flew as a pilot, waist gunner andbombardier at different times. Was
downed one time, the third mission
out of Port Moresby, his chest packchute saved his life. His
co m man der rew ar ded hi s
dedication and abilities with 5 air
medals, The Bronze Star and a
promotion to Captain and then toMajor in May 1945. He hadcommendations from U.S. Navy Air Force Intelligence Office, for A-Bomb tests inSouth Pacific and Kwajalein.
Just before the 1945 Atomic Bomb initial
incident over Japan Major Marcel was transferredto the States to receive training in the use ofairborne terrain mapping radar systems. When thewar was over, Jesse Marcel was reassigned inJanuary 1946 to the 509th Composite Group at
Roswell Army Air Base (RAAB) which would
shortly be known as Walker Air Force Base,
Roswell, NM. We have a 1948 U.S. Call Bookand Jesse is listed as W5CYI Roswell Army Air
Base, NM. He enjoyed the !0-10 program on TenMeters, his number was 5605.The famous 509th
held in esteem because of their preparation for theWW2 Atomic Bomb delivery project andassociation with Col. Paul Tibbets K4ZVZ pilot ofthe Enola Gay. Also not forgotten was the seconddelivery of the 509th Group Bockscar piloted by
Maj C.W. Sweeney on 9 Aug 1945 over Nagasaki.
Life constantly changes; Continued on page two.

In March of 1942 at age 35 Jesse applied for acommission which was granted the rank of 2nd LT
in the U.S.A.A.F. This was based upon hisexperience analyzing aerial photography. He wasMajor Marcel, Roswell Army Air Base Intelligence Officer is suddenly interrupted at lunch on the 7th of July
1947 - It was the Roswell Sheriffs Office on the phone conducting an interview at their office with a rancher
Wm Brazel who was the foreman of the J.B. Foster Ranch, a 80 Square mile sheep and cattle operation. Itwas located a considerable distance north of Roswell. The rancher found a debris field of considerable sizea few days prior. (There is a discrepancy when the material was first found) “This might be well worth yourwhile since you are the Intelligence Officer.” Said the Sheriff.
Marcel met the ranch foreman at the sheriffs office that afternoon. Major then informed his CO, ColBlanchard, Roswell Base Commander. Marcel was ordered to go out and investigate taking along who everneeded to assist pronto. Means just that, on the double. Marcel was noted in saying on the way, “It’s a goodthing we are following Brazel or we would never find the place.”
On July 8h the RAAF (Roswell Army Air Field) P.I.O. Lt. Walter Haut issued a press release. It was revised
in short order by the 8th A.F. General Ramey – Then Major Marcel was ordered to pose with staged material
that he would regret for a life time. This was the start of a very difficult long enduring, highly volatile case.
It is now 2013 and not much more is known. The major players are gone now and Dr.Jesse Marcel Jr just
expired and was noted to say in a recent interview, “I would hope that full disclosure will be made in mylifetime, but even if it isn’t, I know what the truth is.” The truth simply was, Major Marcel Sr brought partof the wreckage home before he returned to the Air Base, from the J.B Foster ranch. Marcel woke up hiswife and 11 year old son with the once in a lifetime chance to see wreckage they felt was not of this world.
We might add Dr. Jesse Marcel Jr., was highly educated and also a military officer. He graduated from LSU
Med school in 1961 - Joined the Navy in 1962 and retired 9 years later, joined the Montana National guard,
became a flight surgeon in 1981 - He was called back to active duty in Oct 2004 to Iraq for over a year
having earned the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army. Marcel Jr., expired unexpectedly at his home in Helena,
Mont., 23 August 2013 at age 76. QSL’s via K8CX and W9JCB estate.

I’m going back someday, Come what may, To Blue Bayou! W8SU 2013 added 2019