Jim Romansky
Jim Romansky (often referred to as "Romansky" in official reports) was a volunteer fireman for the Kecksburg fire department and one of the most credible firsthand witnesses to the 1965 Kecksburg UFO Crash. A seasoned machinist by trade, Romansky provided detailed technical observations of the crashed object and became a passionate advocate for disclosure despite facing government pressure and consequences for his family.
| Role | Volunteer fireman and eyewitness |
|---|
The Night of December 9, 1965
On the evening of December 9, 1965, Romansky was part of the volunteer fire crew dispatched to search for what was initially believed to be a downed aircraft in the woods near Kecksburg, Pennsylvania. After the first search team radioed that the crash site had been discovered, Romansky and his team rushed to the location. Instead of aircraft wreckage, they found a large metallic object half-buried in the ground, surrounded by a 25-foot trench and broken tree limbs indicating a controlled descent at approximately a 30-degree angle. No fire damage was present.
Romansky and the fire crew spent approximately 15 minutes inspecting the object before being ordered to leave by men in trench coats with crew cuts who arrived on scene. Within minutes, military personnel in full uniform — Army, Air Force, and men in civilian clothing — flooded the area.
Description of the Object
As a professional machinist with nearly 30 years of experience, Romansky provided uniquely technical testimony about the object's construction and materials. He described it as:
- Shape: A large bronze or off-gold metallic acorn or bell, measuring 10 to 12 feet in length and 8 to 10 feet in diameter
- Construction: Seamless, rivetless, with no doors, windows, or visible propulsion systems; the bottom was perfectly flat
- Material: The object appeared to have been "made from a liquid metal mold," a single continuous piece unlike any fabrication method Romansky had seen. He stated: "Never in my life have I seen the color of that metal in any shape or form."
- Raised Band: A ring or "bumper" approximately 8 to 10 inches wide encircled the object at its widest point
- Markings: Strange symbols along the raised band, described as "characters of broken and straight lines, dots, rectangles, and circles," resembling Egyptian hieroglyphics but definitively not Russian or Polish
Romansky's father was originally from Kiev and spoke Russian and Polish fluently. Romansky explicitly stated to investigators that the markings he observed were not Russian or Polish script, contradicting theories that the object was a Soviet space capsule.
Going Public
Romansky remained silent about his experience for over two decades, fearing ridicule. In 1987, he first approached researcher Stan Gordon to tell his story publicly. He appeared on the Montel Williams show in 1993, delivering passionate testimony about not only what he witnessed but the lasting consequences his family faced due to his involvement.
Impact on Family
During his Montel Williams appearance, Romansky revealed disturbing details about how the U.S. government monitored and intimidated his family:
- His daughter, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps, was required to sign a statement pledging she would never request information about Kecksburg after her father's name appeared on a military computer system
- His son, who enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, was also required to sign two statements and was explicitly barred from requesting duty at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base — the alleged destination of the Kecksburg craft — because of his father's involvement as a witness
Romansky's testimony on Montel Williams was marked by frustration and defiance. He challenged authorities' claims that nothing had been found, stating: "The government is covering this up. They don't want no one to know. They want no one to get access to anything because they're afraid people will find out the truth."
Credibility
Romansky is widely regarded as one of the most credible witnesses in UFO crash retrieval history. His technical expertise as a machinist lent authority to his material and construction observations. His independent account matched that of civilian witness Bill Bully Bush, who had no known contact with Romansky and described the same object, location, and markings. Researcher Leonard Stringfield and Stan Gordon both considered Romansky a reliable and passionate witness whose testimony was consistent over decades.
Sources
- Video - The 1965 Kecksburg, Pennsylvania UFO Crash
- Stan Gordon, Kecksburg: The Untold Story (1998)
- Montel Williams Show, 1993 episode on Kecksburg