Eric Carlson

First Lieutenant, United States Air Force

Eric Carlson served as a Deputy Missile Combat Crew Commander with the United States Air Force at Malmstrom Air Force Base during the March 1967 Echo Flight missile shutdown. Alongside Missile Combat Crew Commander Walt Figel, Carlson was on duty in the underground Launch Control Center when all ten Minuteman I intercontinental ballistic missiles assigned to Echo Flight unexpectedly entered a 'No-Go' condition.

Carlson participated directly in the response to the unprecedented missile outage and remained involved as maintenance teams investigated the failures. While declassified Strategic Air Command documents confirm the missile shutdown, Carlson has consistently stated that he does not personally recall receiving reports of an unidentified aerial object during the incident. His recollections differ from those of other former personnel who have stated that security guards reported a glowing object near one of the launch facilities.

In later interviews and public discussions, Carlson has emphasized that the missile failures themselves were genuine and highly unusual but has urged caution when discussing events that he did not personally witness. His testimony is frequently cited alongside those of Walt Figel and Robert Salas because it provides an important firsthand perspective from an officer directly involved in the documented Echo Flight incident.

Carlson's account illustrates one of the defining characteristics of the Malmstrom case: while the missile shutdown is well documented, witness recollections regarding reported unidentified aerial phenomena differ in certain respects. As a result, his testimony remains an important component of a balanced historical record.