It was rather strange that an Admiral was flown in from Washington on the day after the TWA800 tragedy and he took over all the press conferences.
I have never seen a high ranking military officer, of any service, do press conferences immediately after a tragedy, that might involve the military.
Kallstrom took over later, but the immediate Coast Guard chain of Command that were conducting the Rescue & Search efforts were completely shunned!
I believe the timing with respect to the Olympics and the visiting heads of state, necessitated a complete slid being placed on the truth.
I am reminded of the story that went around after the JFK assination: The question was asked, what happened to the elephant that walked into the Dallas Police Station; the answer was NOTHING, THEY DIDN'T SEE HIM!
Most assumed a "shootdown" at the outset too (including James Kallstrom) because of the initial reports of a fiery streak followed immediately by a
huge fireball. However, a U.S. satellite detected that Massive Fireball explosion
about a mile above the surface, NOT at 13,800 feet where the Initial Event took place at 8:31:12. In short, the fiery events observed by the witnesses took place
much later and
much lower in the sky than initially assumed. The timeline and location of the major events of the TWA 800 disaster was approximately as follows:
8:31:11 Intact and climbing 747 approaches 13,800 feet.
8:31:12 Initiating Event at 13,800 feet followed immediately by the commencement of the decapitation process.
8:31:43-8:31:47 Streak of light appears.
8:31:47 Explosion of Massive Fireball at 5500-7500 feet.
8:31:55-8:31:57 Splashdown of the Massive Fireball flames.
Source - The "Missile Witnesses" Myth.
None of the "shootdown" websites include a sequential timeline todate although their authors have had well over six years to try to put one together that would support the "shootdown" notion. Simply put, it can't be done. However, on 4 September 2002, Swordmaker tried his best here in FreeRepublic and his "shootdown" sequential timeline - and how it conflicts with your own Star "shootdown" witnesses' reports - can be reviewed in its entirety by clicking here.