I have a question. Knowing how anal retentive the government is about records and record keeping, wouldn't the GAO or the USAF procurement office have the records as to what exactly was used by the office staff of that era?
I mean somebody had to order the equipment and typewriters to stock the facility.
My understanding is that when the Military orders something... ANYTHING... it is ordered in bulk, it is the cheapest item that will perform the essential functions of the job, and it is purchased at the best price they can get.
That being said the odds that a $3000 typewriter is going to be purchased for common use at a National Guard Reserve base in Houston Texas is beyond unbelievable.
These typewriters were designed to make documents look "professional." Since when did the military ever concern itself about the asthetic value of anything, much less a "memo to file."
I say the burden is on CBS to produce other military documents from Col. Killian's office that were produced on this same machine.
I won't hold my breath.
I have been saying the same thing. I also question the possiblity that the ANG was using the top of the line, newest techonolgy available equipment in the office. I suspect they were using surplus junkers.
There is a thread around here someone form last night that has a 100% authentic, indisputable memo from Killian, typed by his secretary (because he didn't type) and it is not even close to what the CBS memos look like.
Just how I remember it....:o).
Stay safe !
I was in the service from 1972-1993. I would swear on a Bible that there would have to be a clerk that signed for every highly valued item in each office. there would be paperwork transferring accounts from one clerk to another with signatures. Around that time frame I would suspect that the most advanced typing equipment would have been a IBM Selectric II.