Payne Jennings, Jr.

Who was Payne Jennings, Jr.?

Payne Jennings, Jr., a World War II and Korean War veteran, probably best known for his involvement with the 1947 Roswell UFO Incident, was a highly decorated United States Air Force officer.

Born in Chicago, Illinois and received his high school education in La Jolla, California and two years of technical training at the General Motors Institute of Technology in Flint, Michigan. His military training included: Spartan School of Aeronautics, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Basic Flying, Randolph Field, Texas; Advanced Flying Kelly Field, Texas; Bomb Commander Training, Sandia Base, New Mexico; and, Radar Bombing Indoctrination, Mather AFB, California.

After receiving his commission in 1940, Jennings was assigned as flight instructor at Randolf Field; followed by Maxwell Field, Alabama; and, then Hendricks Field, Florida. At Hendricks he served as Director of Flying at the Combat Crew School, and Commanding Officer of the Instructor's School.