1968 10 00 SAGA - John Keel - Mothman Monster

Magazine Overview

Title: MOTHMAN MONSTER
Issue: October 1967, Volume 37
Publisher: SAGA
Country: USA
Price: $0.50

This issue of SAGA magazine delves into the terrifying phenomenon of the Mothman, a creature that began terrorizing the Ohio and West Virginia region in November 1966. The cover headline poses the question of whether it is a bizarre behemoth from the earth or a winged visitor from outer space, emphasizing that its nocturnal visits are becoming more frequent and frightening.

The Mothman Phenomenon

The article, written by John A. Keel, describes the Mothman as a creature that is battleship gray, five to seven feet tall, with a pair of red eyes two inches in diameter that blaze like laser beams. It has wings that extend to 10 feet when spread and is known to chase automobiles. Over 100 people, including schoolteachers, businessmen, pilots, and members of the National Guard, have reported sightings. While witnesses call it "The Bird," newspapers have dubbed it "Mothman." The mystery is compounded by a simultaneous increase in "flying saucer" sightings in the Ohio Valley, with some witnesses claiming to have seen a rendezvous between a UFO and "The Bird."

Keel recounts his five visits to "Mothman country" since December 1966, during which he interviewed many witnesses. Although Mothman has eluded him personally, it has reportedly appeared twice in his immediate vicinity, and strange lights have followed him.

West Virginia is presented as a region with a history of assorted monsters. The article recalls the "Flatwoods Monster Case" from September 1952, where six glowing objects were seen, and one reportedly crashed, leading residents to investigate a strange, gray-green figure with pale blue beams for eyes.

Another incident from December 1960 involved a giant creature covered in black hair that leaped in front of a bakery truck. This creature left behind giant human-like footprints.

The article then broadens the scope to include other winged creature sightings, such as a report from 1877 in Brooklyn, New York, and similar accounts from Nebraska in 1922. A significant event in Houston, Texas, in June 1953, involved three witnesses seeing a six to seven-foot-tall man in gray, fitted with bat-like wings, surrounded by a dim gray light.

Key Sightings and Testimonies

The core of the Mothman narrative begins around midnight on November 15, 1966, when Mr. and Mrs. Roger Scarberry and Mr. and Mrs. Steve Mallette were driving through an abandoned W.W. II ammunition dump known as the "TNT Area" near Point Pleasant. They encountered a figure described as shaped like a man, but bigger (six and a half to seven feet tall), with big wings folded against its back and two big red eyes like automobile reflectors. The creature shuffled toward an old power plant, and the witnesses fled.

Deputy Millard Halstead of the Mason County sheriff's office took their report seriously, noting that the witnesses were known to him and had never been in trouble. The incident quickly gained international attention.

The following night, November 16, 1966, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Wamsley and Mrs. Marcella Bennett encountered a similar creature near the TNT Area. Mrs. Bennett described it as a big gray thing, bigger than a man, with terrible glowing red eyes, which rose slowly from the ground.

Further sightings continued. On November 21, 1966, a witness in Charleston, West Virginia, reported a "Batman" sitting on a roof, described as six feet tall with a wingspread of six or eight feet and great big red eyes. On November 26, 1966, Mrs. Ruth Foster in St. Albans, West Virginia, saw Mothman on her front lawn, tall with big red eyes. The next evening, Sheila Cain, 13, saw an enormous "something" standing next to a local junk yard, described as gray and white with big red eyes, about seven feet tall.

The Impossibility of Mothman's Flight

The article highlights the peculiar characteristics of the Mothman's flight, noting that its described wingspan of 8-10 feet would be inadequate for a creature of its size to glide. Unlike large birds that require a running start and flapping, Mothman was reported to take off straight up and fly without flapping its wings, achieving speeds that allowed it to pursue speeding autos. This defied scientific understanding of avian flight.

Additional Witness Accounts

Steve Farrell reported being chased by a "giant gray bird" on Route 7 in Ohio. Thomas Ury described a large gray man-like figure near the TNT Area that spread its wings and took off straight up like a helicopter, veering over his convertible.

Connie Carpenter, a student from New Haven, West Virginia, described a similar encounter where a large man in gray with 10-foot wings unfolded them and headed for her car. She noted its eyes were "fiery red" and described its face as "horrible... like something out of a science-fiction movie." She also experienced an eye condition similar to that of other UFO witnesses.

Keel himself recounts an experience on April 3, 1967, where an eerie circle of green and red light swooped down near his car, causing his eyes to become swollen and itchy for days. His police radio also activated strangely.

Investigations and Explanations

The first wave of Mothman sightings created a crisis in the TNT Area, with thousands of people descending on the site. Sheriff Johnson and his men were present but refused to comment. The area was eventually ruled off-limits.

Experts offered explanations, including Dr. Robert Smith of West Virginia University suggesting it was a rare Sandhill crane. However, this was dismissed by witnesses and zoologists, who noted the crane's habitat is in Canada and it had never been seen in the West Virginia-Ohio region.

Other explanations included Capt. Paul Yoder and Benjamin Enochs, who saw a large bird with big red eyes, and Marvin Shock, who observed four strange winged creatures in Lowell, Ohio. Pilots at the Gallipolis, Ohio, airport also reported seeing a winged form gliding low over the river at high speed.

The UFO-Monster Connection

The article posits that the UFO-Monster situation in West Virginia and Ohio was complicated, with a possible coincidence of giant, unidentified birds and unidentified flying objects invading the region. No photograph of the "Bird" was ever taken, and no single theory fit all sightings. The author suggests that the Mothman might eventually become part of West Virginia folklore.

John Love of Point Pleasant, who initially scoffed at sightings, later admitted to being shocked after a face-to-face encounter. The article concludes by suggesting that the Mothman, or similar phenomena, may represent a connection to a world of myth and fantasy, and that the sincere testimony of witnesses challenges scientific skepticism.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the mystery surrounding the Mothman, the numerous witness accounts, the connection to UFO sightings, and the scientific impossibility of the creature's described abilities. The magazine's stance is one of presenting the evidence and witness testimonies, highlighting the baffling nature of the phenomenon and the challenges it poses to conventional explanations. There is a clear emphasis on the sincerity and fear of the witnesses, suggesting that their experiences are real and warrant serious consideration, even if they defy scientific understanding.