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| Frank C. Feschino, Jr. Flatwoods Researcher and Author |
The "Monster" was a "Machine"
and Feschino was Right.
So? Here you go "armchair" investigators, "clueless" critics, and "noisome" naysayers! Let's have some real history about the so-called "monster," a history we only know as a result, solely the reader is reminded, of illustrator/researcher Frank Feschino's deep-drill due diligence investigations... and his dogged on-site inquiry! Resolved, readers! We "have the meat," the receipts, and some effusive citations!
by Alfred Lehmberg
For decades now, Flatwoods author Frank Feschino has been criticized, sans all support or justification, for changing the very appearance of the original 1952 Flatwoods Monster! This was the "skirt-wearing" and "claw-waving" TV show drawing forever "popular" on the internet. The upshot is that it was HE who had no justification for "turning it into" the very historically described, and correct, metallic figure. These fatuous criticisms of Feschino's work are but silly and untethered risibles of the ludicrously uninformed. Posted.
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| Original, and inaccurate "We The People." rendering |
So? Here you go "armchair" investigators, "clueless" critics, and "noisome" naysayers! Let's have some real history about the so-called "monster," a history we only know as a result, solely the reader is reminded, of illustrator/researcher Frank Feschino's deep-drill due diligence investigations... and his dogged on-site inquiry! Resolved, readers! We "have the meat," the receipts, and some effusive citations!
Posted! Feschino's correct illustrations are only based on the Flatwoods records that were largely lost, and so ignored, over hoary time! Feschino, one discovers, spent the aforementioned decades we've alluded to investigating this incident, working with the actual eyewitnesses, and he composed drawings and paintings with these eyewitnesses—forensically aspiring to the truth of the matter! That was his training! Indubitably, he has become THE authority and subject matter expert on this close encounter case!
The reader will be reminded that, in reality, this incident involved a huge entity reported as encountering a group of hapless civilians after its damaged craft went down in Flatwoods on September 12, 1952. We also remind the reader that the craft damage was ostensibly a result of presidential orders to shoot UFOs down, that whole summer!
The constant reader will recall that, back in that September 12 of 1952, A. Lee Stewart, Jr. was the co-owner, publisher, and lead reporter of the "Braxton County Democrat," a newspaper in Sutton, West Virginia. On the night when the "Flatwoods Monster" incident occurred, eyewitness Mrs. May contacted police authorities about her encounter, but they were unable to respond to her call for assistance! Strange flying things (UFOs!) had all the area's cops out of the office and on the road doing... different things!
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| A videotaped A. Lee Stewart, the first official on the scene at Flatwoods. Feschino has video of MANY of the principles! |
As a result, Mr. Stewart, a photojournalist who worked with the police on various cases, was sent out on their behalf! This was a regular occurrence. A community pillar, Stewart was always on call for this type of civic duty.
On that night, Stewart was actually the first person of authority to reach the accosted May home! This was just after the encounter happened! He arrived to pandemonium! Indeed, during an interview with Feschino he stated, "It was sheer turmoil"!
Upon his arrival, Stewart would even lead an armed posse onto the Fisher Farm where the incident occurred! He coaxed the two oldest and visibly shaken boys onto the farm to the site of their encounter. One of the boys, whimpering like a pup, had to have Stewart's hand on his neck to encourage him along! The boys were scared truly spitless!
Stewart would analyze the encounter site area in a newsman investigative mode. He told Frank, "We just spotlighted around because not one of us was inclined to hunt for something we didn't know what it was in the dark. We decided we would go back to the Mays. We were on the mountain probably thirty to forty minutes."
Additionally, Stewart was also the first person to interview all of the eyewitnesses, still shaken and highly upset, that weekend! He also had the separately interrogated boys draw pictures of the figure they saw.
Stewart was almost abusive in his interrogation of the boys. He wanted early confirmation if the affair was an unclever ruse, just to quell any unnecessary hubbub. The boys and adult witnesses; however, held firm. Indeed, Stewart was unsettled by how shocked and terrified they all were. In closing, there was no quelling of the hubbub. That hubbub would only be exacerbated.
Stewart would also break the "monster" story to "The Charleston Gazette" newspaper in an article dated September 14, 1952, "Did It Ride Meteor?—Boys Spot Appalling Creature Near Flatwoods, Link It To Passage of Fiery Object in Skies." Mr. Stewart was also credited with the story and a byline, "Special to the Gazette." In this article, the "Flatwoods Monster" was actually referred to as an "appalling creature," as "this thing, and as "the object."
It gets better! In a "Monday Morning, September 15, 1952" follow-up article, Stewart reported additional information. He gave the accurate and true appearance of the so-called "monster" for the first time. The article, "Braxton Monster Left Skid Tracks Where he Landed," also named the "monster" for the first time as "The Phantom of Flatwoods." Stewart reported the following information, according to Mrs. Kathleen May. In that article he reported the monster's appearance" as follows, it "Wore a suit of green armor. Looked like a mechanical man" and "Was 10-feet tall, four feet wide. Had a blood-red face." The reader may have noticed this early use of the word... "mechanical."
Stewart also reported the figure, "Sported a black, spade-like cowl, which extended a foot or more above the head." This was the first public announcement of what the so-called "monster" was said to have looked like. Even though this information was made available to the public through the press on September 15, 1952, many people were unaware of that particular article. This might explain how our clever critics, naysayers, and so-called investigators... missed it.
Shortly after, the "The Phantom of Flatwoods" story hit the (U.P.) news wire service! Articles began to appear in various newspapers on Monday, September 15, 1952. Overnight, the incident became a hot news story around the country and the world... but these United Press articles failed to mention the "mechanical man" description of the "Phantom of Flatwoods"!
Just days later the "North American Newspaper Alliance" syndicate contacted biologist, zoologist, and noted author Ivan T. Sanderson about this UFO incident. They asked Sanderson to go to Flatwoods, WV. to investigate the story. In short order, he left New York for Flatwoods with his assistant in tow to evaluate the strange tale.
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| Ivan T. Sanderson |
Upon arriving in Flatwoods late that Friday morning, September 19, 1952, they both went to the Fisher Farm where the encounter occurred and they inspected the area. Additionally, Sanderson also met and interviewed five of the boys who saw the "Flatwoods Monster." Though, he did not meet with Mrs. May, A. Lee Stewart, Jr., or Gene Lemon. These principals had already left Braxton County and were away on a trip to New York! They would be interviewed there for the "We The People" talk show later that night.
It would be on that Friday night, September 19, 1952, that the history of the "monster" of Flatwoods was distorted and corrupted! The monster was incorrectly (even dismissively and unbelievably!) portrayed on that live nationally televised TV talk show!
Before the TV show aired, as we've mentioned in previous articles, a sketch artist interviewed the two primary witnesses and drew an illustration of the "monster." The problem was that this artist had misinterpreted their descriptions of it and so muffed its depiction!
This tall structure, which, "Wore a suit of green armor" and was said to have "Looked like a mechanical man" ...was incorrectly illustrated by the TV artist! He actually drew the figure as a ridiculous "monster" entity wearing an equally ridiculous ensemble topped with a pointed cloth hood, covered with a tunic-style top, wearing a pleated dress, and having bony arms and claws! This incorrect drawing was the image of the "monster" that was to be remembered by the public for many years to come.
On the following day back in Flatwoods, Saturday, September 20, 1952, Ivan Sanderson and his assistant continued their investigation. They were joined by some other researchers Sanderson had called in, as well as some locals who assisted them in their Flatwoods investigation.
They also looked into other areas of Braxton County where additional UFOs were sighted on September 12, and then interviewed many of those witnesses. Sanderson and his assistant would depart Braxton County late that Saturday night, and then drive to Charleston, WV to investigate other September 12 sightings that had been reported in the press there as well.
On the next day, Sunday, September 21, they interviewed many UFO witnesses and spent the entire day in Charleston. The two men then departed Charleston at 4:30 pm and drove, for reasons undisclosed, to Washington, DC. They arrived on Monday morning, September 22, completed THAT business... then returned home to New York.
As a result of his investigation and interviews with the boy witnesses and their drawings, Ivan T. Sanderson realized the figure they saw on the farm was not a "monster." He would publish his findings.
On September 25, 1952, "The Pittsburgh Press" newspaper ran the story about Sanderson's Braxton County UFO investigation, which was datelined, "SUTTON, W. Va. Sept.24." In this "North American Newspaper Alliance" article Sanderson concluded the following about the "Flatwoods Monster."
The "critics," "naysayers," and contrary "investigators" might take an opportunity to gird their flaccid loins. A hugely respected Sanderson stated it "was not a man or a monster. It was some sort of machine like a diving bell." The reader may have noticed the use of the word, "machine."
Yes, Mr. Sanderson states very early in the history of this affair that the so-called "monster" was actually a "machine." With regard to the "black, spade-like cowl, which extended a foot or more above the head," this was mentioned in Stewart's article ten days earlier.
Sanderson would add that it had, "a circular transparent window in front of it." This black cowl was actually an outer helmet that encased a red inner helmet. A. Lee Stewart's article accurately described the giant figure, "[looking] like a mechanical man," and likewise, Sanderson had said, "It was some sort of machine like a diving bell." Sanderson was correct in his assessment that it "was not a man, or a monster," which matched Stewart's original description.
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| Taken from the full article... |
Even though this factual information was made available to the public by the press, not many people were aware of this information and believed the Flatwoods entity to be a West Virginia "monster" folklore story. Fast forward many years later, Illustrator Frank Feschino, Jr. would investigate the "Flatwoods Monster" incident and research it for decades.
He worked with the actual witnesses as was pointed out. He wanted to know what the giant "monster" actually looked like so he could illustrate it. Feschino interviewed witnesses Fred May and Kathleen May and was told by them that the 1952 "We The People" drawing was absolutely wrong.
Fred May told Feschino , "The overall body was metallic, not cloth" and further added, "The figure was made of metal." Feschino asked Mrs. May, "Did it look cloth-like or metallic?" She answered, "No! It looked more metallic." Fred May also stated, "It was mechanical; it was not alive. Maybe inside the thing—there could have been something that was alive." He concluded, "What I saw was either a small spaceship or suit of some kind. Something it was wearing. It was mechanical." Feschino also learned from Sanderson's research that the color of the figure's metal body was "aluminum in color." The "suit of green armor" as described by Mrs. May and reported by Stewart was likely a reflection of the nearby tree foliage and bushes.
Feschino then went to work and with the assistance of the witnesses began to work on a series of illustrations. Feschino, a "Paier School of Art" trained forensic illustrator and graduate (and a much better artist than the 1952 TV artist) did several illustrations that more accurately portrayed the true likeness of the so-called "monster." As a result, the West Virginia "monster" folklore story and its INACCURATE image has now been cast aside and the public can see the true image of the "Flatwoods Monster."
Mr. Stewart and Mr. Sanderson's accurate reportage of the story from the very beginning had been long-forgotten, but it was verified years later by Frank Feschino's follow-up investigation. The illustrations Feschino did working with the actual eyewitnesses shows how inaccurate the original drawing was, thus making the story convoluted, which turned the "Flatwoods Monster" into a silly and forgettable folklore tale.
Feschino also interviewed Colonel Dale Leavitt, the commander of the West Virginia National Guard. This was a military person who received a phone call from Washington, D.C. the night of the cosmic kerfuffle! The Air Force had ordered Colonel Leavitt to the farm, told him to cordon it off, investigate the site, and collect soil samples and any debris.
Leavitt and about 50 armed troops taken from a larger force deployed to the farm. He's been ordered to collect soil samples, some debris, and also found a strange oil-like substance. This "oil" had leaked from the "mechanical" monster near the tree of the encounter site.
Leavitt stated, "It just sat down. It just sat down under a limb." He added, "Where it sat, it had some 'oil' coming out. Whatever it was." He told Feschino, "I got some of this oil, the little bits of this and that [debris] to see what it was and I never did know what it was."
Feschino asked, "Now this oily substance that was on the ground, did you have to take samples of that also?" He replied, "I did, I did, and took dirt and leaves and some of the wood." ...What became of these samples we wonder?
At this point, it was apparent that this so-called "monster" was actually some kind of a machine, a mechanical apparatus resembling a small spaceship that was capable of hovering. Furthermore, this machine also seemed to be damaged and was leaking oil! Leavitt told Feschino, "Well, there was something here that could fly backward or anywhere it wanted to go, as long as it didn't tear up its equipment." Monsters are in need of what kinds of "equipment" we wonder anew?
Yes reader, Frank Feschino, Jr. was right all along! Critics, naysayers, and so-called investigators? These can pound experiential sand.
A postscript on our erstwhile critics, naysayers, and investigators... Interest is fine and more research is admirable, even desired. Feschino is likely confident that "new" and "groundbreaking" research would only bear his contentions and assertions about air war with UFOs out. ...But therein lies the rub. "Critics" will "hear" things and "read" things apart from Feschino about the Flatwoods affair... as a passing interest non-consuming and of little import. Then these will produce forgettable assertions based inadequately on Feschino's uncredited work to prosecute whatever raises the boats in their personal harbor... but, these boats are not factually based, easily take on water, sink, and are forgotten... uninteresting, non-consuming, and of little import.
Consider that it is a fact that the summer of 1952 mirrored a world spike in UFO activity, that these UFOs were regularly impinging on protected air space in the United States, and that President Truman ordered the Air Force to shoot these UFOs down! Further... that there were many sorties of state-of-the-art jets launched against these UFOs... where the loss of men and equipment occurred in what one top official described as "lurid duels with death..."
These considerations have NOT been of "passing interest," "non-consuming," or "of little import" to Frank Feschino. To the contrary, Feschino, truly the soberest and sanest person this writer (who once commanded a military service academy) has ever known, has made this affair his life's work. Indeed, Feschino has made this still ongoing research his all-consuming occupation for well over twenty years, making no small sacrifices in that pursuit, and has produced for his effort a well-supported work that is so astonishing that if it was up the reader's nose they'd feel bootheels on their f'n chins.
No... Feschino was the one on watch and making his seminal report. Everyone else slept in, missed breakfast, and are making it up as they go along. Their boats? We'd made it clear they don't float.
