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| "Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River." |
The Incident At Strange Creek!
by Alfred Lehmberg
A new year looms. I'm reminded that the now long passed 2014 iteration of the New Year got off to a fast start for "Saucer Summer of '52" researcher, Frank Feschino, Jr! Engage!
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See, he'd received a phone call from still another witness in West Virginia who claimed, and convincingly so, that he had perhaps been an additional person to see the so-called "Flatwoods Monster" in Braxton County, way back in that very mid-century and non-apocryphal September! Verily, and some meat appears to be on that bone!
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For Feschino, it was the latest first-hand witness to personally come forward and speak to him in several years. Feschino had called me almost immediately to communicate the bird's-eye on the low-down. Buckle snugly!
For Feschino, it was the latest first-hand witness to personally come forward and speak to him in several years. Feschino had called me almost immediately to communicate the bird's-eye on the low-down. Buckle snugly!
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He began that this current "Monster" sighting report, according to the eyewitness, did not occur in Flatwoods. Moreover, it did not even occur on the night of September 12 in 1952 as had the well-regarded May's!
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Foreshadowing the story, Feschino said the witness claims to have seen a, now familiar, tall "metallic-looking" figure in an atypically small town of "Strange Creek" during the early morning hours of... September 13, 1952, the day after Friday! This was about 3:00 am EST the day subsequent to the day history now knows only too well... when it cares to! ...Care warns of other days... I digress.
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Strange Creek, West Virginia in 1952. A town named for the stream running through it, and the stream named for one William Strange, a renowned hunter of fox, buffalo, and bear, who became lost, or otherwise FUBARed, in the forest, and died at the foot of a large beech tree, it's said, 1792 or 1793 or thereabouts. A few years later his skeleton and gun are found, the man to be seen again, some hyde and trace of hair... Carved on the tree, it is reported, was the bizarre ditty, "Strange is my name and strange the ground, and strange that I cannot be found." This then explains the aforementioned atypicality. ...Weirdest town lore for provenance this writer has ever heard.
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Here was where our witness is a small boy in a tiny unincorporated little township located just southwest of Frametown and Glendon, West (...by God!) Virginia. These are quaint little towns nestled along Route 4 and the Elk River in southern Braxton County, near the Clay County border. This Strange Creek townlet is about 21 miles southwest of the somewhat larger Flatwoods.
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Here was where our witness is a small boy in a tiny unincorporated little township located just southwest of Frametown and Glendon, West (...by God!) Virginia. These are quaint little towns nestled along Route 4 and the Elk River in southern Braxton County, near the Clay County border. This Strange Creek townlet is about 21 miles southwest of the somewhat larger Flatwoods.
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| From Flatwoods (Upper Right) To Strange Creek (Lower Left)... |
Feschino went on, "At first, as with any stranger or witness, I was cautious and apprehensive about the man and his testimony. There are a lot of hoaxers, pranksters, and skeptics out there who would try to put one over on a guy, so as to ruin hard-won reputations."
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Feschino is informed of the caller's name from the caller ID. It comfortably matched who the caller said he was.
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Feschino reports, "...After the first few minutes of shaking hands in our conversation, I bombarded him with a lot of additional questions to flesh or flush him out." There's a nice turn of phrase.
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Feschino is informed of the caller's name from the caller ID. It comfortably matched who the caller said he was.
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Feschino reports, "...After the first few minutes of shaking hands in our conversation, I bombarded him with a lot of additional questions to flesh or flush him out." There's a nice turn of phrase.
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Feschino then said,
Cutting to the chase, did this witness know a lot of personal stuff that an outsider or stranger wouldn't likely have known! Yes, this guy seemed to be genuine and he really knew the area better than Feschino did, Feschino would report. Bona Fides seemed to pan out and musters passed! Due diligence was given its obligatory nod, reader.
"The man told me that he grew up in Strange Creek and went to elementary school in Frametown. I questioned him pointedly about the Frametown area, nearby territories, several small landmarks in the mountains, and assorted territorial what-nots. I also had questions with regard to some of the people from the area, past and present residents—their historical lore—that sort of thing. I really grilled this guy and as it turned out, he knew many of the same people I did! He actually dated one woman I knew of when he was young man. Additionally, he also worked for a guy I met in Flatwoods, who has since passed away, as well.".
Cutting to the chase, did this witness know a lot of personal stuff that an outsider or stranger wouldn't likely have known! Yes, this guy seemed to be genuine and he really knew the area better than Feschino did, Feschino would report. Bona Fides seemed to pan out and musters passed! Due diligence was given its obligatory nod, reader.
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Encouraged by the seeming legitimacy, Feschino took some copious notes during their subsequent conversation, asking many questions about this remarkable encounter one early morning back in that strange September of 1952, checking and back-checking. We won't cover all that here.
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Rather, and buckled as noted earlier? Now for a distillation of the encounter, itself.
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The witness, who was a young boy at the time of the sighting, remember, had disclosed his ID, location, and experience to Feschino, but asked him not to reveal his name. He said that even his own family didn't believe him, and he had been ridiculed by his friends and classmates for decades about what he saw on that early Indian Summer morning. He didn't want to stir, inordinately, all that up for another unpleasant go with friends and family... but he had to "self-actualize," for himself, eh? Nice twist, near the end of a conjectured highly ordinary life, to find out you might be wrapped up in the history of momentous events. I'm reminded of Earl Fulford , and myself, frankly.
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The witness, who was a young boy at the time of the sighting, remember, had disclosed his ID, location, and experience to Feschino, but asked him not to reveal his name. He said that even his own family didn't believe him, and he had been ridiculed by his friends and classmates for decades about what he saw on that early Indian Summer morning. He didn't want to stir, inordinately, all that up for another unpleasant go with friends and family... but he had to "self-actualize," for himself, eh? Nice twist, near the end of a conjectured highly ordinary life, to find out you might be wrapped up in the history of momentous events. I'm reminded of Earl Fulford , and myself, frankly.
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The witness exclaimed to Feschino,
Feschino respected the man's wishes, of course, but asked if we couldn't retell the story publicly without putting him off. The witness said he didn't mind if Feschino told the tale... as long as his name wasn't used. Posted.
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Feschino reports to me that his conversation with the man lasted for nearly 2 hours and the guy was sincere to the high nines about what he said...
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...Hold up a moment... A digression called for.
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Let me take a moment to qualify these assertions. I've known Feschino for over 20 years, myself, and never observed an untruth or an uncalled for "stretch to truth" from him. He's been straight and discounted or poo-pooed by no one serious in the field currently living, this writer says true, and his few detractors at any time were ill-informed a result of a publishing betrayal and deliberate cost-cutting cock-up... completely apart from Feschino.
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...Or imagine if you will, reader, the book that you laboriously researched and then painstakingly wrote was torpedoed by your own named West Virginia publisher, a publisher you'd chosen largely, anyway, to keep the investment in a needy West Virginia... ...is not the book submitted that is published, oh no, but is instead a book replete to FUBAR with well over a hundred disqualifying errors nearly ruining a decade's work, forgetting reputation...
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This writer watched it happen, encountered the persons concerned, and did his own due diligence. Feschino was sorely wounded, a torpedo amidships below the waterline from a ship in his own fleet! One would presume the literal end of Frank Feschino, Jr. and the Flatwoods Monster.
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To the contrary, Sir and Madam. Feschino would struggle back to legitimacy and reputation buoyed by the facts of history as witnessed and recorded. He would be redeemed. For reference, his luminary celebrators now include Dolan, Friedman, Hastings, Robbins, Strieber, Schmidt, Birnes N & Birnes B, Salas, Guiley, Andrews... and a list goes on... I've no reputation as a liar, for my part. One can do the math. Feschino has his bona fides, and he can bestow them.
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We come to the end of this qualifying digression. ...Back at the ranch...
"It was frustrating to know that I saw 'it' and no one believed me. After all of these years, they joked about it and poked fun at me! I don't want to go through that again!".
Feschino respected the man's wishes, of course, but asked if we couldn't retell the story publicly without putting him off. The witness said he didn't mind if Feschino told the tale... as long as his name wasn't used. Posted.
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Feschino reports to me that his conversation with the man lasted for nearly 2 hours and the guy was sincere to the high nines about what he said...
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...Hold up a moment... A digression called for.
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Let me take a moment to qualify these assertions. I've known Feschino for over 20 years, myself, and never observed an untruth or an uncalled for "stretch to truth" from him. He's been straight and discounted or poo-pooed by no one serious in the field currently living, this writer says true, and his few detractors at any time were ill-informed a result of a publishing betrayal and deliberate cost-cutting cock-up... completely apart from Feschino.
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...Or imagine if you will, reader, the book that you laboriously researched and then painstakingly wrote was torpedoed by your own named West Virginia publisher, a publisher you'd chosen largely, anyway, to keep the investment in a needy West Virginia... ...is not the book submitted that is published, oh no, but is instead a book replete to FUBAR with well over a hundred disqualifying errors nearly ruining a decade's work, forgetting reputation...
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This writer watched it happen, encountered the persons concerned, and did his own due diligence. Feschino was sorely wounded, a torpedo amidships below the waterline from a ship in his own fleet! One would presume the literal end of Frank Feschino, Jr. and the Flatwoods Monster.
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To the contrary, Sir and Madam. Feschino would struggle back to legitimacy and reputation buoyed by the facts of history as witnessed and recorded. He would be redeemed. For reference, his luminary celebrators now include Dolan, Friedman, Hastings, Robbins, Strieber, Schmidt, Birnes N & Birnes B, Salas, Guiley, Andrews... and a list goes on... I've no reputation as a liar, for my part. One can do the math. Feschino has his bona fides, and he can bestow them.
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We come to the end of this qualifying digression. ...Back at the ranch...
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...Feschino observes, "The guy was a little kid at the time of the sighting but he actually described a true likeness of the so-called Monster, regardless." Feschino added, "It never made sense to him, of course, because the "thing" he saw was in Strange Creek, not Flatwoods, and he saw it about seven hours after May and the boys saw their (?) monster."
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| What Was Seen In Flatwoods |
Feschino added, "To complicate matters for the witness, the 'thing' he saw in Strange Creek didn't look much like the original drawing depicted by the days later television coverage via the We the People artist's rendering... which was, of course, drawn all wrong."
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Feschino said, "To this witness, the odds were stacked up against him, he felt; the location of his sighting wasn't in Flatwoods, the time of his sighting didn't fit the timeline, and the description of the huge 'thing' that he saw wasn't exactly the same as the one people saw on TV..." Ironically, all this would support and not detract from the witness' credibility.
Feschino added, "...See, nobody believed him because his sighting in Strange Creek didn't fit the pattern or report of what was publicly known at that time."
Feschino added, "...See, nobody believed him because his sighting in Strange Creek didn't fit the pattern or report of what was publicly known at that time."
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| Inaccurate "We The People" rendering for TV... |
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Years later, the witness was given a copy of Feschino's book by a family member, which he had read voraciously, not-to-be-put-down, over the holiday season. After the reading his experience started to make sense to him. He began to connect the dots within Braxton County like Feschino had, and he soon realized that his terrifying encounter in Strange Creek WAS perhaps linked to the "Flatwoods Monster" incident!
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Subsequently, the witness was excited about his newly discovered findings. He decided then to come forward and contact Feschino about his own affair occurring that early morning in 1952.
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Let me explain, briefly. During Feschino's exhaustive research, he used several documented sources and plotted numerous location points of the "Flatwoods Monster" craft after it departed the Fisher Farm in Flatwoods on September 12, 1952, as has been pointed out in previous treatments.
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From Flatwoods, Feschino was able to establish the craft's flight path trajectory as it flew southwest over Braxton County, flew along the Elk River and eventually crashed in Frametown, about 17 miles away, atop of James Knob Hill ["Flatwoods to Strange Creek" map view above].
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From Flatwoods, Feschino was able to establish the craft's flight path trajectory as it flew southwest over Braxton County, flew along the Elk River and eventually crashed in Frametown, about 17 miles away, atop of James Knob Hill ["Flatwoods to Strange Creek" map view above].
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| Snitowsky Affair In Frametown... |
Now, reader, like most people in 1952 Braxton County, this "Strange Creek" witness was totally unaware of the George Snitowsky incident occurring in Frametown on the already noted night of September 13. Snitowsky's story was not revealed until 1955, when it appeared in the July issue of MALE Magazine written by Paul Lieb.
Upon reading this article years ago, Feschino located, phoned, and then talked extensively to George Snitowsky, himself. Feschino tells the entire story about George's own alien encounter in his Braxton County Monster book. Feschino states, "The Snitowsky incident was a lost part of the aggregate Ufology and was forgotten by most. The story was told one time in Lieb's article and only edited pieces of it appeared in print later... until I wrote about it in 2004."
Upon reading this article years ago, Feschino located, phoned, and then talked extensively to George Snitowsky, himself. Feschino tells the entire story about George's own alien encounter in his Braxton County Monster book. Feschino states, "The Snitowsky incident was a lost part of the aggregate Ufology and was forgotten by most. The story was told one time in Lieb's article and only edited pieces of it appeared in print later... until I wrote about it in 2004."
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Here, Feschino's research into the September 12 and 13, 1952 Braxton County UFO incidents revealed a solid timeline and tighter story-line showing how the so-called "Monsters," sighted in each of the Flatwoods and Frametown incidents, were actually the same entity, it can be reasoned. Yes, friends and neighbors; there is a plausible connection! The new witness, moreover, would seem to firm that connection up, somewhat.
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After the "Flatwoods Monster" landed on James Knob Hill in Frametown on Friday night, September 12, George Snitowsky, his wife and baby... encountered the hovering "Monster" in the same Frametown area on the following night—about 23 hours later!
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According to Feschino, during the September 13, 1952 Snitowsky encounter, the being was also only partially clad in its hovering metallic-like mechanical spacesuit, the upper torso portion and helmet conjectured as removed.
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According to Feschino, during the September 13, 1952 Snitowsky encounter, the being was also only partially clad in its hovering metallic-like mechanical spacesuit, the upper torso portion and helmet conjectured as removed.
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Feschino informs, "Now Alfred, we have this new witness who saw something in Strange Creek, which is only about four miles southwest of Frametown along the same Elk River and only about two and a half to three miles from James Knob Hill." Feschino goes on, "After my initial questioning and grilling, I talked to this new witness for nearly two hours and he was hugely excited about a possible three-way connection involving his encounter in Strange Creek, the James Knob crash, and the Snitowsky incident in Frametown!
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Feschino said, "He'd wanted to talk to me to see if I might have the same takeaway as he did, which is that some connection concerning the new witness' encounter was falling into the timeline of events as those other Braxton County UFO cases." It's no real stretch and a reasonable one, if so.
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Feschino said, "He'd wanted to talk to me to see if I might have the same takeaway as he did, which is that some connection concerning the new witness' encounter was falling into the timeline of events as those other Braxton County UFO cases." It's no real stretch and a reasonable one, if so.
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Feschino then explained what occurred in Strange Creek at about 3:00 am on September 13, 1952, according to the witness. Feschino states, "I gave this guy my word that I would not disclose his name or even a partial name. He has a very unusual name, you see." He wouldn't even tell this writer.
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Feschino adds, "The encounter occurred on a property of this man's family, and, because he wants to remain anonymous, I even chose to leave out some of the explicit details of the land's layout. It would easily pinpoint the location or the name of the family in Strange Creek." Feschino then narrated the incident as told to him:
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"The witness said the family house was a two-story affair set far off of the road from the Elk River. There was a long driveway leading up to the house which was bordered by trees on the left side but cleared on the other. A wood fence bordered the right of way, and there was a car-port at the end of the driveway, near the house."
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Feschino adds, "The witness, a young boy, reported that his bedroom was located on the second floor of the house and situated over the entrance of the front porch overlooking the driveway. He said the front porch was enclosed as well."
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Feschino continues, "The guy told me that he was suddenly awakened about 3:00 am in the morning. He didn't know what stirred him out of his sleep. He quickly got out of bed, went directly to his window and looked out. To his horror, he saw a 'huge figure' he described as being 'about eight or nine feet tall, floating' up the driveway toward the house.' He also added, the driveway was 'gravel.' " There was no sound.
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"The startled witness told me, 'It was coming up the center of the driveway and heading to the house! It was about 40-50 feet away when I first saw it.' "
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Feschino asked for a description and was told, "The overall impression of it was that it was cone-shaped and it flared out at the bottom."
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Subject reports, "It looked like a machine—it was metallic-looking." He also said it was, "gray in color, like metal." Feschino asked, "What makes you think it was a machine?" The subject answered, "It's like seeing a car, you just know it was something that was made or manufactured, and it looked like some type of metal."
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Subject reports that the upper torso area was cylindrical and fluted, "...like a garbage can, but the lower area flared out." Subject reports that the bottom, "Had to be at least four feet across."
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Subject reports, "It looked like a machine—it was metallic-looking." He also said it was, "gray in color, like metal." Feschino asked, "What makes you think it was a machine?" The subject answered, "It's like seeing a car, you just know it was something that was made or manufactured, and it looked like some type of metal."
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Subject reports that the upper torso area was cylindrical and fluted, "...like a garbage can, but the lower area flared out." Subject reports that the bottom, "Had to be at least four feet across."
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Feschino said to this writer, "Alfred, the witness was very adamant in telling me that the thing was floating. It was floating a few inches above the ground... the driveway. It was raised over the ground and coming straight at the house." All this certainly rings a bell regarding similarity with the other cases...
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Feschino asked the witness, "How did you see it so clearly at night?" Subject answered, "'The front porch light was on and I could see it pretty good, but the thing was also luminous. It was glowing and had an aura of light around it." As an adult, he explained how he had worked in the electrical field. He fully understood what an "aura" was.
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Feschino asked the guy if he'd been scared and inquired how long it was that he'd watched it. Subject reports, "A few minutes... I was looking down on it from above the porch and I felt safe being on the second floor of the house... but as it got closer to the house, I got more scared." The witness told Feschino, "I saw it float and move up the driveway for about 15 more feet before I stepped back from the window."
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Feschino asked the witness, "How did you see it so clearly at night?" Subject answered, "'The front porch light was on and I could see it pretty good, but the thing was also luminous. It was glowing and had an aura of light around it." As an adult, he explained how he had worked in the electrical field. He fully understood what an "aura" was.
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Feschino asked the guy if he'd been scared and inquired how long it was that he'd watched it. Subject reports, "A few minutes... I was looking down on it from above the porch and I felt safe being on the second floor of the house... but as it got closer to the house, I got more scared." The witness told Feschino, "I saw it float and move up the driveway for about 15 more feet before I stepped back from the window."
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The witness went on, "When I looked back out the window a few moments later, it was gone." Feschino asked where he thought it went, subject reports, "It must have moved toward the carport near the house. That's the only place it could have gone. It disappeared that fast."
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So, in other words, it continued up the driveway and was getting closer to the house when the subject stepped back away for a few moments, to which subject replied "yes."
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He also said, "It wasn't moving that fast and I would have seen it moving away from the house. The way our property was laid out, I would have seen it moving away in the other directions." Then he said, "I ran out of my room and into my parent's room and yelled and woke them up. I told them what I saw and they said, You must be dreaming—go back to bed." Heavy sigh, eh?
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So, in other words, it continued up the driveway and was getting closer to the house when the subject stepped back away for a few moments, to which subject replied "yes."
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He also said, "It wasn't moving that fast and I would have seen it moving away from the house. The way our property was laid out, I would have seen it moving away in the other directions." Then he said, "I ran out of my room and into my parent's room and yelled and woke them up. I told them what I saw and they said, You must be dreaming—go back to bed." Heavy sigh, eh?
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Feschino then asked the witness if he saw the head area of the floating subject. This was to be key.
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The witness reports that he did not see a distinct head shape but he said the body of the "thing" looked like Feschino's book cover illustration and interior drawings, otherwise. Subject reports that he did not see the red round head and black exterior helmet as correctly portrayed in Feschino's illustrations. Feschino observed, "The subject would have noticed that big black ace-of-spades covering above it." ...Interesting to note that the witness, less than earnest I think, would have confabulated that well known big hood and red face...
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The witness offered, "Maybe the helmet was taken off at the time I saw it." He'd add, "The body of the figure was glowing and that is what I was fixed on—the aura around it... but it was metal-looking."
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At this point, Feschino told me he was impressed with the Strange Creek incident and its corroborative value. He chatted with the witness about other points of the incident... and then rehashed the story, over and over again looking for confabulation. Throughout the conversation; however, the guy stayed true and repeatedly stated, "Thank you Frank, for writing your book and vindicating my story."
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Feschino agrees with the Strange Creek witness. He probably had seen the "Flatwoods Monster" about seven hours after its craft crashed in Frametown at James Knob the night before. Moreover, if this scenario is correct, then this indicates that the "Monster" was moving throughout the Frametown, Glendale and Strange Creek areas, escaping and evading, for nearly a full day before Snitowsky encountered it, and perhaps an alien rescue ship, in his affair on the night of September 13, 1952.
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In closing, Feschino told me the witness stated to him, "Frank, you nailed it—you are right on!" He's kept me interested, this writer reports. Verily, unlike some other UFO events which tend to evaporate the closer one gets to same or farther away in time from same, Flatwoods only gets more substantial and fleshed out. No flush. here.
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In closing, Feschino told me the witness stated to him, "Frank, you nailed it—you are right on!" He's kept me interested, this writer reports. Verily, unlike some other UFO events which tend to evaporate the closer one gets to same or farther away in time from same, Flatwoods only gets more substantial and fleshed out. No flush. here.
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A teasing buttress, then, to a startling conjecture, and the ETH just a little further up one's nose, am I right? Something highly strange, which shouldn't be there at all, if you listened to the mal-informed naysayer, but that it is right where it would need to be if it was going to be there at all! From a reluctant first-hand witness, reader, and fewer and fewer of those all the time, eh?
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What's the bird's eye lowdown on this caper... Feschino's still looking and will keep us informed. Read on!
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What's the bird's eye lowdown on this caper... Feschino's still looking and will keep us informed. Read on!
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