In 1954, [one] received changes to a manual generally in the form of a document which had the changes-to-be-made written out, instructing the manual's owner to add, cross out, or change items in the manual. For example, such instructions might be:

Change 1, dated 5 November 1957, to SOM1-01, 1954:

Page 22, paragraph 2.c.2 change the words: 'send to the nearest ASF collections point.' To: 'send to the Centralized ASF collection point, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.'

After the change had been made in the manual, the owner would write on the page 'Changed by Change 1 dated 5 Nov 57,' and indicate the date changed and his initials. Generally, the fact that the manual has been changed appears at the beginning of the paragraph changed. As some of these changes could change just about every page in the manual, the absolute minimum annotation would be 'C-1 12 Nov 57 JLA..' Most changes in the 1950s were made by hand written annotations, but even back then, there were tear-out pages which required the old page(s) be removed and new pages inserted. The new page would be have the change number indicated on the page.

[Despite these formal Army requirements,] SOM 1-01 indicates in the front cover that a number of changes were made, but nowhere in the manual are any of these changes indicated or annotated. Also, the requirement is that the outside cover of the manual be annotated with 'Change 1 dated 5 Nov 57 posted 12 Nov 57 JLA.' Such annotation on the cover indicates to the user who might be different than the manual's owner or custodian, that the manual was up to date with all relevant changes posted.

With a classified manual [like the allegedly genuine SOM 1-01], not posting or properly annotating the postings could be considered a security violation...

2. Manual Style. Paragraphs, Sub-paragraphs:

If you have a sub-paragraph, e.g. 2.a.1 then it must have a paragraph 2.a.2 as a minimum. If you don't, then the subparagraph (or, in this example, the sub-subparagraph) is not required. That is a military style requirement. However, a change could supersede subparagraph 2.a.2, but again, that the change was made should be annotated on the page.

3. Recovery Operations:

The manual instructs that operations be conducted so that the press and public cannot gain access or know what is going on. [But] it does not instruct the recovery team to utilize camouflage nets or tentage to preclude viewing from higher ground or from aircraft such as the press might hire to have a look about what is going on.

4. Recovery Operations and Technical Intelligence:

The manual does not tell recovery teams to set up a gird, photograph the scene and tag each item for future reference. (Identifying material and where it is found is, of course, basic to technical intelligence.)

5. Organization and Equipment:

The manual does not explain what specialized gear, what protective gear, what type of personnel occupational specialties, and what specific training would be required for recovery teams.

6. Logistics, Transportation, Communication, etc.:

There is no guidance about supply rates, consumables, etc.; material handling gear and transportation, and communications.

7. Chain of Command:

Who does the recovery team report to?
[There is no mention of any kind.]

8. Special conditions:

How are liquids, gasses, fires and hazardous material handled in he recovery operations.
[There is no mention of any kind.]

9. Standards:

The manual says that the site will be cleaned to the satisfaction of the commander in charge of the operation. This goes without saying and is not guidance at all. Military manuals of all epochs, since at least WWII, despite differences in wording and policy at the time, all contain elements of conducting military operations which are readily identifiable: That is 'Task' (what is to be done); 'Conditions' (under what kind of environment is the task to be preformed); and 'Standards' (what are minimum acceptable outcomes of the task). Basically, all military manuals can be analyzed in this manner...

In addition, I offer an opinion that in such [UFO] recovery operations, there would probably be instruction about removing soil from the area of a crash site. Interestingly enough years later, I obtained some information about a case of an explosion over western Maryland in he 1970s. Lou Corbin looked into before he died. The farm in question was showered with metallic fragments after the explosion. The farmer and neighbors picked some up. Corbin found that the military arrived at the farm, scraped off all the soil with earthmoving equipment, carted it off and replaced the farmer's soil. Corbin had the fragments analyzed by a NASA scientist. They were of earthly origin. However, the point is that SOM 1-01 is lacking in details for operations that the military actually engages in.

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