In the 612 Radar Sq, Ajo AFS, Arizona, usually you relieved the departing height radar maintenance man in the AN/FPS-26 Tower. One Saturday morning things were a little different. The mid shift tech was nowhere to be found in the tower although I found the shift checks clipboard lying on the floor. I picked them up and laid them on the desk.

I started for the Ops building when I met the tech at the bottom of the outside Tower steps. He said he had not taken his last shift checks and asked that I accompany him. I agreed and when we entered the Tower he went to the desk, picked up the clipboard and performed the shift checks. With the checks completed we went outside and I asked what had happened. He said someone or something had slapped his face. The slap had been so hard it had almost knocked off his cap. I realized that he was serious, that he was convinced this had happened. I didn`t know what to make of it but I knew he wanted to leave so I relieved him and watched as he started his car and drove down to the cantonment area.

Once inside I looked all through the tower. Satisfied that I was alone I started to work on straightening the test equipment shelves. I was about finished with this job when I heard a heavy thud from the second deck. I listened but did not hear it again. I went about doing the things I was supposed to do and a couple of hours later I again heard the sound and again it was overhead. I went to the second deck and searched for the cause of the noise but there was nothing unusual. I started for the first deck and then the sound came again and it was from the antenna deck. I entered the radome, put the system on safe and inspected everything and found nothing. Then the sound came from below. I went to the second deck, searched, and again heard the sound coming from below. I went to the first deck and found nothing. I waited for some time and did not hear it again.

At the desk area we had a double door safe where all our classified material was stored and we usually had the doors unlocked but pushed closed. I was sitting at the desk and had my feet propped up on another chair. As I sat there reading I sensed something moving. I turned and watched as the safe doors slowly swung open and slowly closed.

I went to the Ops area and had a cup of coffee with the radar operator. I waited for a while then returned to the tower. Nothing unusual happened for the remainder of my shift.

Almost everyone had strange things happen in the 26 Tower. Caps disappeared, equipment was moved, weird things occurred. Many occasions I heard the noise and felt something. It was rumored that a part of Childs Mountain was sacred to the Papago Indians.

The troop I had relieved on that Saturday morning would always have someone accompany him during shift checks. He would never again stay alone in the tower.