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Mount St. Helens
The aftermath
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Conspiracy theories abound in any genre and the bigfoot community is no different. I've thought about the Mount St. Helens conspiracy theory for awhile now. And now I'll ready to discuss what I've found and what I think so far.
First, let's set the scene with what happened May 18, 1980. We know a volcano erupted. Ash and boulders as big as buildings were blown up into the sky to come raining down on the earth. There were massive streams of mud and silt that had speeds of up to 70 mph that destroyed everything in their paths. There was a landslide, the largest debris avalanche in recorded history, that swept north down the mountain, with most of it turning to the west. It traveled as far as 14 miles down the valley of the North Fork Toutle River. It removed Mount St. Helens northern flank. The eruption removed nearly 1000 feet of the cone. The landslide triggered a lateral blast which devastated an area nearly 19 miles from west to east and more than 12 1/2 miles northward from the former summit. Six miles from the summit there were virtually no trees remaining from what was once a dense forest. Over a billion dollars worth of destruction. Fifty-seven people died.
Reported sightings of sasquatch activity went to zero and researchers feared that the disaster had killed them.
So, the question is : Were there bodies of sasquatch recovered from Mount St. Helens?
When did the rumors start? Who started the whispers of dead bodies recovered?
In 2012 a story made it's way onto the internet and social media said to be told by a former National Guardsman. He claimed to have been on site when some of the bigfoot body recoveries happened. This was all done under an extensive blanket of secrecy.
Additional "facts" were shared that not all the bigfoot were dead. Some were burned and injured, a few critically. And then we were told, as the story grew and spread, that the military was assisted by one or perhaps two unharmed bigfoot that were helping the military personnel by taking them to where there were injured bigfoot.
The rumor became a mushroom cloud, continually spreading, with "details" added here and there. It has become almost more an Urban Legend than a Conspiracy Theory. The only ties to a conspiracy are the whispers of cover up and the government and/or military being involved. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Of course, these stories couldn't stand alone. More "facts" had to be found to support these rumors.
So comes another story that began making the rounds (origin, time and place?) is that two bigfoot bodies were discovered as they were dredging out the Cowlitz River. This was said to take place about two months after the blast. An Army Corps of Engineers helicopter came and removed the bodies. During a later discussion of the alleged event, it was offered by one individual that he believed the alleged crane used for this dredging came from the Manatowaka Company. No follow up was offered on this.
Research shows that there is a company based in Wisconsin called Manatowoc. They are one of the world's largest crane producing companies in the world. So it is logically possible that one or more of their cranes were being used to dredge out this river. It doesn't mean that they were involved any further than that the Army Corps of Engineers purchased one or some of their cranes.
Reports do tell of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, based in Portland, dredging out the Cowlitz, Toutle and Columbia Rivers. The eruption and the resulting silt appears to have become a life long job for this group.
Upon completion of the study, dredging began at the mouth of the Cowlitz River in June of 1980 and continued until completion in May of 1981. In May of 2007 plans were being formulated for more of the continued dredging of the Cowlitz and Columbia Rivers and other surrounding waterways in order to keep the streams clear and reduce danger of flooding.
So the possibility of bodies being found is there. But the rumor appears to have been started much later. The Army Corps of Engineers use Black Hawk helicopters and are capable of carrying the weight of two large bodies along with crew.
We also have a story shared by an anonymous witness who was visiting his aunt outside the Spokane area, near the Fairchild Airforce Base. He claimed to see a large, double rotor helicopter fly overhead at around 100 to 150 feet with a cargo net hanging below that contained at least three dead bigfoot. He claimed to see hairy, grey ash-coated arms and legs. "I got a real good look at them," he is alleged to have said. He then claims he reported the sighting to several federal agencies. A few days later he further claimed he began receiving threatening phone calls that included the message: 'There were no Bigfoot or Sasquatch parts in there."
Okay, not denying that perhaps there was a helicopter and that perhaps he saw body parts in there. It depends on his eyesight, I suppose, on how much detail he could see. Two things stand out to me in this story. One: if this was to be so secret, why the flyover at a low altitude in occupied space without tarps or coverings if this was so secret, so 'hush-hush'? Second: Why report it to 'federal' authorities when a "double rotor" helicopter is flying towards the Fairchild Airforce Base? Wouldn't one assume that the "authorities" were already aware of the cargo in the net? Was that part of the story added just so the threatening phone calls could be added to lend authenticity to the story? You know, the typical Men In Black threats that are cropping up in almost all the Conspiracy Stories.
There is also the email that is said to have been received at bigfootevidence.blogspot.com. It was addressed to Shawn.
The writer felt compelled to write after reading the stories about "Mt. Saint Helen" on the message boards and wanted to share his story, but only if his name was not revealed.
He claimed to have been a National Guardsman at the "Mount Saint Helen site" while living in Spokane, Washington. He was 24 at the time. He was placed on a "special clean up crew" farther up the mountain. [which side? Farther up than what? How did he get there?] A large tent was set up there that was being guarded by armed soldiers, not part of the Guard. He added that there were "numerous" soldiers there that were not members.
He and the others attended a briefing from a "
soldier" who told them that afterwards they would forget about him and everything he would tell them. This "witness" and four other members of the Guard were instructed to follow a group of soldiers and to remain totally silent. No sounds. They were instructed to get into a jeep and wait. After about a half hour another jeep arrived with a civilian passenger and a member of the military. The civilian entered the tent and then emerged after a few minutes with a "large hairy creature." He claimed it "looked like a large man covered in fur" and the best way to describe it was like "Beast" from the X-Men, only it was brown.
He continued his description saying that there appeared to be burns and a bandage on the creature's arm. When he saw the eyes of this being, he sad it just looked "sad and somber". They got into the back of a pickup. The civilian and the hairy being were speaking in a "weird language" that the witness had not heard before. The being would cough at times while they followed the truck to different areas. The vehicles stopped a total of five times. Each time the men were instructed to follow the civilian and the being. Each time they entered rocky areas where there were caves. The being would make a sound and they would listen.
At the first area, there was no response and they went on. The next stop there was a response to the sound. After a few minutes two soldiers emerged from the cave carrying a badly burned creature just like the one with the civilian. [were these soldiers from the jeep? Or were the soldiers already in the cave?] The first being bent down and looked over the badly burned one for about five minutes. Then it is said to have spoken softly with the civilian. It turned and walked back to the truck and the guards were told to follow. As they walked away they heard a shot and knew one of the soldiers had put "the creature out of its misery".
The third and fourth sites yielded no responses but at the fifth area, there was a return response to the sound. This time soldiers carried our a creature with a badly burned left leg. Everyone, apparently, in the jeep were ordered to help with a very large stretcher that was in the truck and help put the creature on it and carry it back to the truck.
The vehicles then returned to the "base camp" where the creature was carried into the tent. The first being and the civilian spoke together outside of the tent. The Guard were ordered to stay in the jeep until they were debriefed. The first being turned to walk back into the tent. He turned and looked at the jeep and made a waving gesture with its hand. The witness assumed it was a thank you for their help.
This is what he claims they were told in their debriefing, from a different "high ranking soldier" than the first one. "Look, do you all really want an explanation? You saw what we were doing. These creatures live in these areas; they mean no harm and want to be left alone. Do you really want to do anything that may cause them trouble? They are like us in a lot of ways. If you need or want to talk about this just wait about 30 years, by that time there will likely be no reason to keep them a secret". [this seems to me to be a most unlikely form of debriefing advise, to wait about 30 years and then talk about it.]
They were then ordered back to "the guard camp'. Says the witness: "they were breaking it up so nobody saw too much and knew everything that happened." The men didn't speak of it and after a few months, our witness decided that "these things live out there and honestly my life is no different because of it. I only bring it up now because people have been writing a lot about MT. Saint Helen and I believe that the whole story should be told." [Interesting that the sight of such an unusual, unique creature would result in such a blasé reaction to it. "My life is no different". ]
Holes, holes, holes. What else do I add. With all the soldier power reputed to be there, where was the need to send 5 more to the site? Much less 5 men from the National Guard. They were not sent there because of the need for their "special skills". This appears to be a more detailed version of the original story of the National Guardsman who helped recover bodies.
The background story leading to this event took place on August 6, 1999, when the Battle Mountain exploded into several simultaneous range fires. More than 100 fires were reported in the area extending around Battle Mountain, with a total of four on the mountain itself which burned out over 200,000 acres.
This story was sent on to the BFRO and although it was later dismissed, Powell (author and science teacher) continued to believe it really happened and that the government was covering the whole thing up.
The letter to the BFRO begins like this :
In a letter to BFRO dated "7 August 1999, Battle Mountain, Nevada" the anonymous government employee, states:
"I observed an animal wounded by fire moving on all fours not like a bear. More like ape. Fire fighters captured animal, contacted local vet and medical doctor. U.S. Department of Fish and Woldlife, Department of Interior, and Bureau of Land Management on the scene.
Animal tranquilized and moved to unknown location. Those at scene told not to talk about what they saw.
Animal approximately 7.5 feet long/tall, human like arms and legs, face not like man or ape but mixed between. Genitalia: male, uncircumcised and human-like. Hair covering most of body except chest, chest has hair but sparse, hands with sparse hair, palms bare, with five digits with human opposition of thumb and 5th digit.
Multiple burns
Speech - attempted to communicate with care-givers once it realized they were attempting to care for it. Multiple burns on hands, feet, legs and body; some 2nd and 3rd degree burns, using "rule of nines" approximately 45 per cent of body with burns.
Doctor and Vet working together providing care and moved it to unknown location locally. This notice given in violation of orders given by BLM, DOI and DF&W. Witnesses numbered in the area of 30-25. Word is out in the government agencies, and among the firefighters, since an M.D. was called out. Many thought a firefighter was injured.
Please note that I am a government employee of one of the listed agencies fighting bruse fire in wilderness area of Nevada (large scale fire approximately 70,000 acres burned) and under orders not to disclose information.
Powell goes on to say that he interviewed the witness, giving him a pseudonym of "Marty". Marty was worried about keeping his government job. He said that those who were witnesses to the event had been debriefed and told not to discuss the event.
The event took place in the early afternoon with 20 firefighters directly involved. The injured "patient" [how Powell and Marty designated the being] apparently wandered within sight of the crew and was then surrounded by them. The patient seemed to understand he was captured and "he just gave up", sitting down on his buttocks. He was laid out on the ground and examined. The injuries seemed serious; burns to hands, feet, legs and trunk with much singed hair.
The medical team soon arrived which included the regular M.D. who was treating the fire crews, a veterinarian, and one or two paramedics. The veterinarian seemed confused at having to work on the human-like animal and allowed the M.D. to do most of the work. Demerol and morphine were administered. He was put on a spine board, which was too small, and then placed on a regular ambulance stretcher. The sides were left down because of the size of the body; the feet gung over the end. An intravenous line was attached and fluids given. The patient was said to moan, groan and grumble. Marty who claimed to be within three feet of the patient said he heard the bowel make sounds. The patient seemed to be especially responsive to a young Native American woman who was helping treat him. He was eventually removed from the scene in the back of a utility truck, not an ambulance. It was claimed they did not wish to alarm the people in the town or the news media by having them think that a fire fighter had been injured. The entire event took place within three hours, initial sighting to final removal from scene. No one appeared to know where he was taken.
Marty said that most of the body was covered by brownish hair, no grey in sight. There were no matted areas. He had a strong odor, similar to equine. The head was not "sloped", the forehead "heavy boned; large lips but human like; ears against the head with earlobes attached, not dangling; "strong jawed"; thought eyes were brown; hair on face, but not on palms or soles of feet. Bulk to the body, but not fat. Marty claimed the body did not match "that film with the one running into the woods". He called that film a hoax. [The Patterson Film, I presume??] Five fingers and five toes. Opposable thumb on hand.
When Marty finally returned to the scene on September 26 [after much asking and encouragement] to recover blood and hair discarded during treatment, he claimed the area was bulldozed over. "Dozer has torn up the area. Nothing left. Word is there is still life. Location unknown. Believe within couple hundred miles. Later, Marty."
When contacted by Powell three years later, Marty had this to tell him.
1. Confidential under penalty of felony arrest and jail time.
2. Immediate loss of Government Service rank, loss of retirement, and benefits.
Several meetings were held in reference to "him". I do respect his rights of life and will always be a believer of their existence beyond any shadow of a doubt as seen with my own eyes, smelled with my own nose and heard with my own ears.
Native man
His image is still visible as it was then. No monster, no animal but a linage of native man. His trust in us to take care of him and recognize him that harm was not meant when contact was made, knowing that care would be given to him... I am sure that Department of Interior knows where he may have been released.
What more can I say? Specifics, features, anatomy? Well, stand in front of the mirror and think of man's evolution".
[Rather a more confident, self assured, response to Powell. Change from the fearful, more timid talk during the first talks.]
Now, you may ask why I included this lengthy story here. Because there some who have taken some of the basics from this story and combined them with basics from the other stories of Mount St. Helens and have woven another tale for us.
This one emerged in September 1999. [same time as Battle Mountain Complex Fire. I don't believe in coincidence]. This story was also alleged to have been taken to the BFRO and dismissed. This time the story is being told by Fred Bradshaw, the son of the man who witnessed Mount St. Helens events as a supervisor for Weyerhaeuser. [Weyerhaeuser Company is one of the largest private owners of timberlands, owning or controlling nearly 12.4 million acres of timberlands in the U.S.] The elder Mr. Bradshaw was sent to the Spirit Lake area, north of Mount St. Helens, to help keep bystanders out of the way of the helicopter landing zone.
Mr. Bradshaw spoke of watching the National Guard [not the Army or Army Corps?] as they collected the carcasses of the animals killed in the event. They were placed in piles, separated by species, to be destroyed later by fire, via Napalm. Mr. Bradshaw was placed in charge of one particular pile which was heavily tarped. No one was allowed to come near it. There were armed National Guard there to ensure it. When it was time to move the pile, Mr. Bradshaw was told to keep quiet about what he would see. The tarps were then removed. Underneath were the bodies of some badly burned bigfoot and some bodies not so burned. They were all placed in a large net and lifted into the back of a truck which was then tarped. Bradshaw asked a guardsman what would happen to these bodies. He was told : "They'll study them or whatever. I don't want to know. It's like other stuff, you don't ask." Later that day, Bradshaw and the others there were debriefed and told not to talk about it and then sent home.
Many elements of this story is the same as the one coming from Battle Mountain. The National Guard, the truck removal, the debriefing and warning not to talk, and then being sent home.
You can't help but notice that what appears to have started out as a much shared and talked about but simple story has somehow evolved into a twisted and multiple scene episode. And it currently resides in probably even more twisted forms in the middle of all the government conspiracy forums on the government/military coverup of bigfoot.
The governments response to inquiries on these events : "There were no documented reports of big foot (sic) or Sasquatch carcasses and there were no projects to attempt to locate and/or recover any bodies." They also declared that there was no known infrastructure to deal with any animal corpses, either two or four legged.
Of course, one has to look at a key word in the response from the government : "documented". If there are no official reports made, it would be undocumented.
They did provide documents that showed that two research groups outside of the Forest Service were there locating dead elk and deer for studies. One was a study done which included the area overseen by the Weyerhaeuser Company by the College of Forest Resources out of Seattle. They located and examined the bodies of 80 elk and 9 deer "located exactly where the individual was at the time of the blast." They did not gather the bodies together in one location.
Last I give you a story told of a Vietnam veteran helicopter pilot who was given [or requested. Or was the pilot of the helicopter for the tour. Not made clear in the story] a tour of the devastation of the Mount St. Helens region in 1985. He mentioned a tale saying there were military helicopters that choppered out nets full of burned and semi-burned elk, deer, bear and something with hairy charred arms hanging out of drop nets. They were taken to a common pit where the bodies were burned to avoid disease and contamination of the rivers.
This might be true. But it seems a nice mix of the stories previously told. The bodies of the animals and of them being burned from the Bradshaw story. The helicopter nets with the dangling hairy arms from the man who was visiting his aunt in Seattle. And, if only a story and not true, it is a nice touch to add a Vietnam Veteran to it.
None of the alleged retired or former military or government personnel have revealed their names or any sort of proof of their enlistment or employment at a military or government level. We are left to take their word for the event, trusting that the truth is there. And it seems odd to me that with so many "witnesses" to these events that there is not more corroboration of the tales. Not even anonymously.
Yes, the government may be conducting a cover up. It is possible. It is even possible that stories shared anonymously like this are a deliberate tool of the government to further muddy the waters, so to speak.
I'll let Loren Coleman make the closing statement : "Really, the military could care less. They're not looking for Bigfoot -- they're looking for spies, terrorists, even illegal immigrants. It's not that the government and military services are stupid -- it's that they have only so much brain power and memory, both technically and legally. That is closer to the truth. It's not an over cover-up. [It] is what happens in bureaucracies and government. It's not a cover up -- there are simply disconnects."
Nancy
"I'll spark the thought; what you do with it is up to you."
