Wilbert B. Smith
Before the sighting
Genuine senior Canadian government engineer.
During the sighting
Authored Nov 21 1950 'Top Secret' memo to Controller of Telecommunications recommending UFO research project. Operated Shirleys Bay observation station 1953-54 — produced one anomalous magnetometer reading before being shut down. Reported Sep 1950 meeting at Canadian Embassy in Washington with Dr. Robert I. Sarbacher, in which Sarbacher allegedly confirmed UFOs were real, ET-origin, and a small US group under Vannevar Bush was studying them at higher classification than the H-bomb.
After the sighting
1953-54: more openly ET-conclusion. 1958-1962 (final years): explicit CONTACTEE-style claims, descriptions of communicating with 'the boys topside', metaphysical content. Died 1962 of cancer (precluded walk-back).
Research notes
Existence of Project Magnet and the 1950 memo are well-documented facts useful for archival cross-referencing. But substantive claims sourced through Smith (US classification above H-bomb, Bush study group, recovered debris) rest on thin Sarbacher chain that even Sarbacher partially walked back. Use existence + institutional role as fact; treat Sarbacher-derived claims as single uncorroborated channel; discount post-1956 contactee phase.