Annie Jacobsen

And he wanted to bring that flag and take it around everywhere with him, as he explained to me later, to honor all of his friends who died there 50 years ago. And then when the trip was finished, he gave me that flag, and it's in my office. And that's the kind of

And he wanted to bring that flag and take it around everywhere with him, as he explained to me later, to honor all of his friends who died there 50 years ago. And then when the trip was finished, he gave me that flag, and it's in my office. And that's the kind of

relationship that you can develop with people as a reporter if you're willing to go the extra mile with them, to trust them, that they'll tell you things of value. And to me, something like that is as of value as any secret mission I'm able to get declassified, because we are a nation of people.

relationship that you can develop with people as a reporter if you're willing to go the extra mile with them, to trust them, that they'll tell you things of value. And to me, something like that is as of value as any secret mission I'm able to get declassified, because we are a nation of people.

relationship that you can develop with people as a reporter if you're willing to go the extra mile with them, to trust them, that they'll tell you things of value. And to me, something like that is as of value as any secret mission I'm able to get declassified, because we are a nation of people.

I think everybody wants to know about Area 51 because it kind of, it's like this American enigma, you know? It's like to some people, it's the Shangri-La of, you know, testbed aerospace programs, right? And to others, it's the place of captured aliens, right? And everything in between.

I think everybody wants to know about Area 51 because it kind of, it's like this American enigma, you know? It's like to some people, it's the Shangri-La of, you know, testbed aerospace programs, right? And to others, it's the place of captured aliens, right? And everything in between.

I think everybody wants to know about Area 51 because it kind of, it's like this American enigma, you know? It's like to some people, it's the Shangri-La of, you know, testbed aerospace programs, right? And to others, it's the place of captured aliens, right? And everything in between.

I had the great fortune of interviewing 75 people who lived and worked at that base for extended periods of time, mostly leading up to the 90s because everything since then is classified, right? So things get declassified after decades, not everything but some, and that allows you to piece together stories.

I had the great fortune of interviewing 75 people who lived and worked at that base for extended periods of time, mostly leading up to the 90s because everything since then is classified, right? So things get declassified after decades, not everything but some, and that allows you to piece together stories.

I had the great fortune of interviewing 75 people who lived and worked at that base for extended periods of time, mostly leading up to the 90s because everything since then is classified, right? So things get declassified after decades, not everything but some, and that allows you to piece together stories.

I mean, Area 51 is huge, by the way. And it's, you know, it's a secret, it's a top secret military facility inside a top secret military facility inside the Nevada test and training range, which is this massive, not secret facility, right? So you're just talking about layers, talk about peeling the onion in reverse. And it began as a place to test the U-2 spy plane.

I mean, Area 51 is huge, by the way. And it's, you know, it's a secret, it's a top secret military facility inside a top secret military facility inside the Nevada test and training range, which is this massive, not secret facility, right? So you're just talking about layers, talk about peeling the onion in reverse. And it began as a place to test the U-2 spy plane.

I mean, Area 51 is huge, by the way. And it's, you know, it's a secret, it's a top secret military facility inside a top secret military facility inside the Nevada test and training range, which is this massive, not secret facility, right? So you're just talking about layers, talk about peeling the onion in reverse. And it began as a place to test the U-2 spy plane.

And literally the CIA set up shop there to build this plane away from the public eye. And then that led to another plane. espionage platform called the A-12 Oxcart, which is, you know, anyone who's seen the X-Men movies knows about the SR-71. And that's a two-seater, right? And before that, there was the A-12 Oxcart. And that was the CIA's stealth Mach 3 spy plane.

And literally the CIA set up shop there to build this plane away from the public eye. And then that led to another plane. espionage platform called the A-12 Oxcart, which is, you know, anyone who's seen the X-Men movies knows about the SR-71. And that's a two-seater, right? And before that, there was the A-12 Oxcart. And that was the CIA's stealth Mach 3 spy plane.

And literally the CIA set up shop there to build this plane away from the public eye. And then that led to another plane. espionage platform called the A-12 Oxcart, which is, you know, anyone who's seen the X-Men movies knows about the SR-71. And that's a two-seater, right? And before that, there was the A-12 Oxcart. And that was the CIA's stealth Mach 3 spy plane.

You know, think about that in the early 1960s. It's astonishing. And I interviewed the pilots who flew it. What did they say about it? Oh, my God. I mean, you know, look, I describe in detail in Area 51. But also the amazing thing, Lex, about that was that, and, you know, I just look back on that with such fondness. This is like in 2009 when I was reporting that.

You know, think about that in the early 1960s. It's astonishing. And I interviewed the pilots who flew it. What did they say about it? Oh, my God. I mean, you know, look, I describe in detail in Area 51. But also the amazing thing, Lex, about that was that, and, you know, I just look back on that with such fondness. This is like in 2009 when I was reporting that.

You know, think about that in the early 1960s. It's astonishing. And I interviewed the pilots who flew it. What did they say about it? Oh, my God. I mean, you know, look, I describe in detail in Area 51. But also the amazing thing, Lex, about that was that, and, you know, I just look back on that with such fondness. This is like in 2009 when I was reporting that.