Robert Miller Montague Robert Miller Montague ( August 7 , 1899 – February 20 , 1958 ) was a Lieutenant General in the United States Army . He achieved prominence as the deputy commander of Fort Bliss , Texas and commander of the Sandia Missile Base in New Mexico during the start of modern ufology and head of the U . S . Caribbean Command . Early life . Montague was born in Portland , Oregon on August 7 , 1899 . He attended the University of Oregon and then transferred to the United States Military Academy , from which he graduated in 1918 with a commission as a second lieutenant of Artillery . World War I . Having graduated in November during a wartime expansion of the West Point student body , Montague began his career too late for active combat in World War I . As many other students from his class did , Montague carried out a European observation tour for most of 1919 , enhancing his professional knowledge by visiting battlefields in France , Belgium , and Germany , compiling after action reports , and interviewing battlefield veterans . Post World War I . Montague completed the Field Artillery Basic Course in 1920 . He then carried out numerous assignments throughout the United States , including serving as an instructor at the United States Military Academy in the 1930s . In 1933 Montague graduated from the Field Artillery Advanced Course . Montague completed the Command and General Staff College in 1938 . World War II . From 1944 to 1945 Montague was commander of the 83rd Infantry Division Artillery in the European Theater of Operations . He also served as acting division commander on several occasions . Post World War II . From 1945 to 1947 Montague served as deputy commander of the Army ’ s Air Defense Artillery Center at Fort Bliss , Texas . From 1947 to 1951 Montague was the commander of the Sandia Missile Base near Albuquerque , New Mexico . Montague served as the head of plans , operations and training , G - 3 , for the United States European Command from 1951 to 1952 . From 1952 to 1955 Montague was assigned as deputy commander of Army Field Forces , based at Fort Monroe , Virginia . Montague commanded the U . S . I Corps in South Korea from 1955 to 1957 . Connection to UFO studies . As deputy commander of Fort Bliss with supposed jurisdiction over the White Sands Missile Range at the time of the Roswell Incident , and later as commander of the Sandia Base , Montague is presumed by many UFO researchers to have been made aware of an alleged spacecraft crash near Roswell , New Mexico or to have had a hand in covering up evidence of the alleged crash , and his name routinely appears in UFO magazines , books and other media . Commander , U . S . Caribbean Command . In 1957 Montague was appointed to command the U . S . Caribbean Defense Command , the post he was still serving in when he died . Death . General Montague was stricken with an intestinal illness in January , 1958 after traveling extensively in South America . He did not recover , and died on February 20 from a cerebral hemorrhage at Gorgas Hospital , Balboa , Panama Canal Zone . Robert M . Montague is buried at Arlington National Cemetery , Section 30 , Site 533 RH . Awards and decorations . General Montague received the Distinguished Service Medal , the Legion of Merit and two awards of the Bronze Star . Memorials . Montague Road at Fort Sill is named for him as is Montague Loop at Fort Bliss . Personal . Robert Miller Montague was the father of Brigadier General Robert M . Montague , Jr . , ( October 22 , 1924 – October 15 , 1996 ) , who graduated from West Point in 1947 and was one of the early U . S . strategists of the Vietnam War . After retiring from the Army the younger Montague served as executive director of the Joseph P . Kennedy , Jr . Foundation and the Special Olympics .