I only read the first page but just to throw in my .02$ on the "why didn't they stand closer to the rocket" thing.

I am in the US Air Force, stationed at Vandenberg AFB and work on the Air Force Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Test Launch Program. Taken from the front page at www.vandenberg.af.mil :

Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Vandenberg Air Force Base is headquarters for the 30th Space Wing. The 30th manages Department of Defense space and missile testing, and placing satellites into polar orbit from the West Coast, using expendable boosters. Vandenberg is located on California's "Central Coast".

In the past 5 years I have been a part of the launch of about 15-20 Minuteman III and Peacekeeper ICBM's. When we launch any rocket from the western range all traffic is stopped and more then 10 miles from ICBM Launches. Depending on which launch site they are using for orbital flights they will decide where to block the roads at for those but no one ever gets closer then about 5 miles to a launch. It has nothing to do with how inherantly safe or unsafe the rocket is and everything to do with the fact that your launching 100,000lbs + of rocket into space. Make the rocket as safe as you want but getting from the ground to earth orbit is a dangerous job. I was standing on the roof of my office (formerly known as the Operational Test Launch Facility or OSTF when it was built in 1959) when we launched the last Titan IV. I was probably a good 8-10 miles away from that launch and you could feel the sound wave hit you in the chest when when it passed. I'm not sure I would have wanted to be any closer to it

In short, they keep a distance for safety sake. That is hardly proof that the rocket was a prop.