1 00:00:01,402 --> 00:00:04,570 Josh: On this episode of "expedition x"... 2 00:00:04,572 --> 00:00:06,405 Jessica: I got something. Right there, right there. 3 00:00:06,407 --> 00:00:08,240 ...My team and I investigate sightings 4 00:00:08,242 --> 00:00:11,210 of a gigantic winged creature 5 00:00:11,212 --> 00:00:14,246 said to be terrorizing the midwest. 6 00:00:14,248 --> 00:00:17,016 Everybody sort of described a large bat-like creature. 7 00:00:18,619 --> 00:00:21,820 Woman: I just thought... 8 00:00:21,822 --> 00:00:23,389 Hang on. 9 00:00:23,391 --> 00:00:24,790 Josh: According to witnesses... 10 00:00:24,792 --> 00:00:26,058 You're not the only one 11 00:00:26,060 --> 00:00:27,860 who has seen something strange. 12 00:00:27,862 --> 00:00:29,461 ...The mothman... 13 00:00:29,463 --> 00:00:31,697 Whoa, whoa. That's huge! 14 00:00:31,699 --> 00:00:32,598 Josh: ...Is back. 15 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,267 -Holy... -What is that? 16 00:00:38,172 --> 00:00:40,639 My name is josh gates. 17 00:00:40,641 --> 00:00:45,077 In my travels, I've experienced strange things that defy logic 18 00:00:45,079 --> 00:00:47,279 and made me question everything. 19 00:00:47,281 --> 00:00:49,048 Oh, my god. 20 00:00:49,050 --> 00:00:50,682 Now, I've put together a team 21 00:00:50,684 --> 00:00:54,086 to investigate the stranger side of the unknown. 22 00:00:54,088 --> 00:00:56,221 Let's go! 23 00:00:56,223 --> 00:01:00,092 Phil torres is a scientist who hunts for rational explanations. 24 00:01:04,065 --> 00:01:06,331 Jessica chobot's paranormal research 25 00:01:06,333 --> 00:01:08,467 has made her a true believer. 26 00:01:08,469 --> 00:01:10,702 There is a monster living in this forest. 27 00:01:10,704 --> 00:01:13,505 Phil, phil, phil, I just saw something run across. 28 00:01:13,507 --> 00:01:15,674 Together we're searching for answers... 29 00:01:15,676 --> 00:01:17,176 Phil: What is that? 30 00:01:17,178 --> 00:01:20,946 ...To the world's most extraordinary mysteries. 31 00:01:20,948 --> 00:01:23,682 This is "expedition x." 32 00:01:23,684 --> 00:01:25,684 -- captions by vitac -- www.Vitac.Com 33 00:01:25,686 --> 00:01:27,953 captions paid for by discovery communications 34 00:01:27,955 --> 00:01:29,888 alright, phil and jess, the case that we're dealing 35 00:01:29,890 --> 00:01:32,324 with today is something that has actually been 36 00:01:32,326 --> 00:01:33,792 frightening a lot of people. 37 00:01:33,794 --> 00:01:34,927 It's a strange case, 38 00:01:34,929 --> 00:01:37,696 and frankly, it's pretty unsettling stuff. 39 00:01:37,698 --> 00:01:39,364 Well, you had me at "frightening." 40 00:01:39,366 --> 00:01:40,799 what are we dealing with here? 41 00:01:40,801 --> 00:01:43,969 Well, it's not exactly an unidentified flying object. 42 00:01:43,971 --> 00:01:45,237 This case involves 43 00:01:45,239 --> 00:01:47,473 an unidentified flying creature. 44 00:01:47,475 --> 00:01:49,408 Now, before you run out of the room, phil, 45 00:01:49,410 --> 00:01:52,010 I want to show you a video. Check this out. 46 00:01:54,348 --> 00:01:56,949 -Whoa! -Huh. 47 00:01:56,951 --> 00:02:00,119 Maybe a bird. 48 00:02:00,121 --> 00:02:01,954 Almost like a bat? 49 00:02:01,956 --> 00:02:04,156 What is that? 50 00:02:04,158 --> 00:02:05,424 Looks like a dragon. 51 00:02:05,426 --> 00:02:06,692 Right? 52 00:02:06,694 --> 00:02:08,594 I mean, those wings are huge. 53 00:02:08,596 --> 00:02:10,129 Wow. It's a dragon. 54 00:02:10,131 --> 00:02:12,397 So whatever this is has not been identified, 55 00:02:12,399 --> 00:02:13,866 but it's one of a number of reports 56 00:02:13,868 --> 00:02:16,401 that people have come forward with seeing flying, 57 00:02:16,403 --> 00:02:19,004 often humanoid-looking, creatures. 58 00:02:19,006 --> 00:02:20,839 And most of the people who see this stuff 59 00:02:20,841 --> 00:02:21,740 are terrified by it. 60 00:02:21,742 --> 00:02:23,008 Well, that makes sense. 61 00:02:23,010 --> 00:02:24,476 I think there's something very primal in us 62 00:02:24,478 --> 00:02:27,913 about being afraid of giant predators in the sky. 63 00:02:27,915 --> 00:02:30,249 And there's also something just naturally menacing 64 00:02:30,251 --> 00:02:33,552 about a dark, webbed-winged, humanoid object 65 00:02:33,554 --> 00:02:35,654 flying through the sky. It's scary. 66 00:02:35,656 --> 00:02:38,690 Well, that brings us to the case in question. 67 00:02:38,692 --> 00:02:40,893 People in two different parts of the country 68 00:02:40,895 --> 00:02:43,929 are recently reporting encounters 69 00:02:43,931 --> 00:02:46,832 with not just a flying creature, 70 00:02:46,834 --> 00:02:51,403 but the most famous flying cryptid of all time, mothman. 71 00:02:51,405 --> 00:02:53,405 Yes! I was hoping you were gonna say that. 72 00:02:53,407 --> 00:02:55,707 You love mothman? I love mothman. 73 00:02:55,709 --> 00:02:57,276 Phil? I don't know about this one. 74 00:02:57,278 --> 00:03:00,746 This is next level, phil. Let's bring you up to speed. 75 00:03:00,748 --> 00:03:03,215 Josh: It's a story that begins in point pleasant, 76 00:03:03,217 --> 00:03:07,753 west virginia, November 1966. 77 00:03:07,755 --> 00:03:09,755 That's when two young couples driving home 78 00:03:09,757 --> 00:03:11,523 after a double date reported 79 00:03:11,525 --> 00:03:14,593 seeing a menacing, winged, humanoid creature 80 00:03:14,595 --> 00:03:16,862 on the edge of town. 81 00:03:16,864 --> 00:03:19,031 They said it had glowing red eyes, 82 00:03:19,033 --> 00:03:21,166 and it attacked them from the air, 83 00:03:21,168 --> 00:03:25,237 scratching the roof of their car as they tried to escape. 84 00:03:25,239 --> 00:03:27,306 Mothman sightings around point pleasant 85 00:03:27,308 --> 00:03:30,509 continued for the next year, culminating with the creature 86 00:03:30,511 --> 00:03:33,679 being reported on point pleasant's silver bridge 87 00:03:33,681 --> 00:03:38,650 shortly before it collapsed on December 15, 1967. 88 00:03:38,652 --> 00:03:43,222 46 people died and many blamed mothman. 89 00:03:43,224 --> 00:03:47,693 According to reports, he was spotted in ohio in 1975, 90 00:03:47,695 --> 00:03:50,295 twice in 1981, in pennsylvania. 91 00:03:50,297 --> 00:03:53,832 He was reportedly seen in kentucky in 1986, 92 00:03:53,834 --> 00:03:58,270 then three more times in 1994, back in west virginia. 93 00:03:58,272 --> 00:04:03,442 After that, things were relatively quiet until now. 94 00:04:03,444 --> 00:04:04,977 Over the last two years, 95 00:04:04,979 --> 00:04:09,915 there have been 87 sightings of mothman in and around chicago. 96 00:04:09,917 --> 00:04:11,283 And in the point pleasant area, 97 00:04:11,285 --> 00:04:12,651 in the last three months alone, 98 00:04:12,653 --> 00:04:15,254 there have been nearly a dozen sightings. 99 00:04:15,256 --> 00:04:17,189 So jess, what do you make of this? 100 00:04:17,191 --> 00:04:18,757 He's back, baby! Yes! 101 00:04:18,759 --> 00:04:20,626 Mothman is back. 102 00:04:20,628 --> 00:04:22,561 I'm into it, I'm stoked for this. 103 00:04:22,563 --> 00:04:25,097 Jess, why are you so into mothman? 104 00:04:25,099 --> 00:04:26,932 Well, I think it stems from when I was little, 105 00:04:26,934 --> 00:04:28,433 and I'd go to the library, 106 00:04:28,435 --> 00:04:31,870 and I'd sit there and read all these books on the supernatural. 107 00:04:31,872 --> 00:04:35,207 And for some reason, mothman, as a cryptid, 108 00:04:35,209 --> 00:04:36,441 really spoke to me. 109 00:04:36,443 --> 00:04:38,810 I found him super-scary, with the glowing red eyes, 110 00:04:38,812 --> 00:04:41,046 the fact that he was chasing these teenagers down, 111 00:04:41,048 --> 00:04:42,781 and he was still being seen today, 112 00:04:42,783 --> 00:04:45,017 and he was kind of a harbinger of doom, right? 113 00:04:45,019 --> 00:04:46,585 Right. It affected this entire town, 114 00:04:46,587 --> 00:04:48,353 and everybody said they saw something. 115 00:04:48,355 --> 00:04:50,856 Okay, so clearly, you're in the believer column here. 116 00:04:50,858 --> 00:04:51,957 I'm in the believer column. 117 00:04:51,959 --> 00:04:53,625 Now, phil, I could guess 118 00:04:53,627 --> 00:04:55,661 that you're a little bit more skeptical here, 119 00:04:55,663 --> 00:04:57,162 and I think you and I are in the same column. 120 00:04:57,164 --> 00:04:59,498 This is a really wild story, right? 121 00:04:59,500 --> 00:05:01,099 But what we can't deny 122 00:05:01,101 --> 00:05:03,502 is the sheer number of sightings. 123 00:05:03,504 --> 00:05:06,305 It is a lot of sightings, and I can agree 124 00:05:06,307 --> 00:05:09,041 that these people are seeing something, but seeing what? 125 00:05:09,043 --> 00:05:10,842 I mean, there's more drones flying around us now 126 00:05:10,844 --> 00:05:12,778 than there are planes in the sky. 127 00:05:12,780 --> 00:05:14,046 Right. 128 00:05:14,048 --> 00:05:17,049 But planes and drones don't flap their wings 129 00:05:17,051 --> 00:05:19,217 and have glowing red eyes and chase you. 130 00:05:19,219 --> 00:05:21,086 That is true. 131 00:05:21,088 --> 00:05:23,021 She's got you there, phil. She does. 132 00:05:23,023 --> 00:05:26,124 And look, this really is the heart of this mystery. 133 00:05:26,126 --> 00:05:28,894 Could so many people that are so adamant 134 00:05:28,896 --> 00:05:31,330 about what they're seeing be wrong? 135 00:05:31,332 --> 00:05:33,632 Is it a case of an unidentified creature? 136 00:05:33,634 --> 00:05:36,101 Is it misidentification? Is it hysteria? 137 00:05:36,103 --> 00:05:37,469 Is it some sort of folklore 138 00:05:37,471 --> 00:05:39,338 just working on their imaginations? 139 00:05:39,340 --> 00:05:41,173 And that's what I want the two of you to find out. 140 00:05:41,175 --> 00:05:42,240 Okay. 141 00:05:42,242 --> 00:05:43,408 I think you've got to go to chicago, 142 00:05:43,410 --> 00:05:45,243 but you've got to start in point pleasant. 143 00:05:45,245 --> 00:05:47,779 You've got to go to where the mothman story began 144 00:05:47,781 --> 00:05:49,014 and see if you can find 145 00:05:49,016 --> 00:05:51,550 some correlation between those sightings 146 00:05:51,552 --> 00:05:53,051 and the ones happening in chicago. 147 00:05:53,053 --> 00:05:54,086 Sound good? 148 00:05:54,088 --> 00:05:56,688 Sounds good. Sounds like a plan. 149 00:05:56,690 --> 00:06:00,459 Josh: The team is traveling 540 miles southwest 150 00:06:00,461 --> 00:06:02,761 to point pleasant, west virginia. 151 00:06:02,763 --> 00:06:04,262 Jessica: This place, I love it. 152 00:06:04,264 --> 00:06:06,732 It's fantastic, it is super-crazy, 153 00:06:06,734 --> 00:06:08,200 definitely a weird vibe. 154 00:06:08,202 --> 00:06:12,104 It is steeped in mothman lore. 155 00:06:12,106 --> 00:06:15,807 Point pleasant is the epicenter of mothman mythology. 156 00:06:15,809 --> 00:06:18,009 While thousands come from all over the world 157 00:06:18,011 --> 00:06:20,746 for the annual mothman festival, 158 00:06:20,748 --> 00:06:24,416 many locals see the creature as a genuine threat, 159 00:06:24,418 --> 00:06:27,486 and that's why they're obsessed with mothman, 160 00:06:27,488 --> 00:06:29,521 and I do mean obsessed. 161 00:06:31,492 --> 00:06:34,192 Jeff wamsley is a researcher who has spent decades 162 00:06:34,194 --> 00:06:37,295 gathering evidence about the mothman phenomenon. 163 00:06:37,297 --> 00:06:38,630 Wamsley: These are probably some of the rarest 164 00:06:38,632 --> 00:06:40,198 archives we have in the museum. 165 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:42,901 These are the handwritten police reports 166 00:06:42,903 --> 00:06:45,203 of those original four witnesses. 167 00:06:45,205 --> 00:06:47,072 After they saw this thing, 168 00:06:47,074 --> 00:06:49,608 they went immediately to the sheriff's department. 169 00:06:49,610 --> 00:06:51,943 We're trying to wrap our heads around that first incident 170 00:06:51,945 --> 00:06:53,612 and how it connects to all the other ones... 171 00:06:53,614 --> 00:06:54,880 Exactly. ...In chicago. 172 00:06:54,882 --> 00:06:57,082 So can you break down the events of that evening for us? 173 00:06:57,084 --> 00:07:00,419 Sure. In November 15, 1966, 174 00:07:00,421 --> 00:07:02,087 you had the two young couples, 175 00:07:02,089 --> 00:07:03,955 and they were just riding around. 176 00:07:03,957 --> 00:07:05,490 Josh: They were driving along a road 177 00:07:05,492 --> 00:07:06,725 that bordered the southern edge 178 00:07:06,727 --> 00:07:09,594 of the west virginia ordnance works, 179 00:07:09,596 --> 00:07:12,964 a former tnt plant on the outskirts of town. 180 00:07:12,966 --> 00:07:16,935 That's where they encountered what they thought was a man. 181 00:07:16,937 --> 00:07:18,437 But as they drove closer, 182 00:07:18,439 --> 00:07:21,973 they saw its 10-foot wingspan and glowing red eyes. 183 00:07:23,844 --> 00:07:28,246 Suddenly it took off, flying over the top of the car. 184 00:07:28,248 --> 00:07:31,416 Terrified, the driver tried to outrun the creature, 185 00:07:31,418 --> 00:07:35,353 but even at 75 miles an hour, he couldn't shake the talons 186 00:07:35,355 --> 00:07:38,490 that were clawing at the top of the car. 187 00:07:38,492 --> 00:07:40,659 Once they got to the city limits, 188 00:07:40,661 --> 00:07:42,494 it veered off into a field. 189 00:07:42,496 --> 00:07:45,530 That was the first official local sighting here. 190 00:07:45,532 --> 00:07:47,332 Minutes after they came into town, 191 00:07:47,334 --> 00:07:49,835 they were scared enough to go to the police department. 192 00:07:49,837 --> 00:07:51,770 They didn't want to, but they did. 193 00:07:51,772 --> 00:07:52,904 Did they sequester them all in different rooms 194 00:07:52,906 --> 00:07:54,039 to get these...? 195 00:07:54,041 --> 00:07:55,440 Yes, they did. Got it. 196 00:07:55,442 --> 00:07:57,909 I have three of those four people's original reports 197 00:07:57,911 --> 00:08:00,412 right here. 198 00:08:28,008 --> 00:08:30,876 And how long did the activity, as far as the sightings, 199 00:08:30,878 --> 00:08:33,211 go on for before the silver bridge collapsed? 200 00:08:33,213 --> 00:08:36,314 13 months to the day that that original sighting. 201 00:08:36,316 --> 00:08:38,650 It's the worst bridge disaster in u.S. History... 202 00:08:38,652 --> 00:08:40,719 Phil: Wow. ...And 46 people perished. 203 00:08:40,721 --> 00:08:44,322 I've talked to people who said they saw a creature, 204 00:08:44,324 --> 00:08:47,292 or a bird, on top of the bridge. 205 00:08:47,294 --> 00:08:49,628 Josh: It has long been rumored that mothman was sighted 206 00:08:49,630 --> 00:08:53,899 atop the silver bridge before it collapsed and killed 46 people. 207 00:08:53,901 --> 00:08:57,469 This event cemented mothman's sinister reputation. 208 00:08:57,471 --> 00:09:00,005 Where he appears, tragedy follows. 209 00:09:00,007 --> 00:09:01,907 People claim that mothman popped up 210 00:09:01,909 --> 00:09:04,910 before the chernobyl disaster in 1986, 211 00:09:04,912 --> 00:09:09,014 and in mexico during the swine flu epidemic of 2009. 212 00:09:09,016 --> 00:09:13,618 And many say he's often trailed by other mysterious figures. 213 00:09:13,620 --> 00:09:16,187 So I've often heard that when the mothman would show up, 214 00:09:16,189 --> 00:09:18,690 that you would get some men in black activity, too. 215 00:09:18,692 --> 00:09:20,158 Yeah. 216 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:21,927 People coming in and knocking on doors and asking questions. 217 00:09:21,929 --> 00:09:23,361 Did you see something like that? 218 00:09:23,363 --> 00:09:25,664 Yeah. The men in black were notorious 219 00:09:25,666 --> 00:09:28,934 for just showing up unexpectedly. 220 00:09:28,936 --> 00:09:31,870 My own mother, she saw the men in black. 221 00:09:31,872 --> 00:09:33,138 Point pleasant residents 222 00:09:33,140 --> 00:09:34,940 who claimed to have seen mothman 223 00:09:34,942 --> 00:09:38,410 reportedly received a visit from federal agents. 224 00:09:38,412 --> 00:09:42,080 It's unknown what the agents said, but after those visits, 225 00:09:42,082 --> 00:09:46,151 the witnesses never spoke of mothman again. 226 00:09:46,153 --> 00:09:48,620 If the reports are true, what drew 227 00:09:48,622 --> 00:09:52,657 these so-called men in black to this small west virginia town? 228 00:09:52,659 --> 00:09:56,328 Were they trying to cover up a top-secret military project, 229 00:09:56,330 --> 00:09:58,029 or were they attempting to silence 230 00:09:58,031 --> 00:10:01,132 any talk about a real-life cryptid? 231 00:10:01,134 --> 00:10:04,803 So is it possible for us to go there to where it all began? 232 00:10:04,805 --> 00:10:08,707 Sure, the area is still accessible. 233 00:10:08,709 --> 00:10:11,309 Jessica: Hearing about where the sightings happened is one thing, 234 00:10:11,311 --> 00:10:13,812 but we want to see it for ourselves. 235 00:10:13,814 --> 00:10:16,615 Ground zero for mothman phenomena -- 236 00:10:16,617 --> 00:10:19,184 the former west virginia ordnance works. 237 00:10:19,186 --> 00:10:20,251 Phil: This is the area 238 00:10:20,253 --> 00:10:21,920 where there was a huge cluster of sightings, 239 00:10:21,922 --> 00:10:23,622 and it's like sighting, sighting, sighting, 240 00:10:23,624 --> 00:10:25,423 sighting all the way around the perimeter. 241 00:10:25,425 --> 00:10:27,225 So I figured this is the perfect place for us 242 00:10:27,227 --> 00:10:29,527 to poke around a little bit. 243 00:10:32,332 --> 00:10:33,531 Josh: Over the years, 244 00:10:33,533 --> 00:10:35,400 there have been dozens of credible witnesses 245 00:10:35,402 --> 00:10:38,403 who describe seeing a winged human-like figure 246 00:10:38,405 --> 00:10:42,440 either coming out of, or disappearing, into this area, 247 00:10:42,442 --> 00:10:45,443 and those sightings continue to this day. 248 00:10:45,445 --> 00:10:48,179 Retired air force veteran and military police officer 249 00:10:48,181 --> 00:10:49,414 dave spinks 250 00:10:49,416 --> 00:10:51,583 has investigated the mothman phenomenon 251 00:10:51,585 --> 00:10:53,485 for more than two decades. 252 00:10:53,487 --> 00:10:56,755 He has a unique theory about what these people are seeing. 253 00:10:56,757 --> 00:10:58,723 Jessica: So it looks like an abandoned city. 254 00:10:58,725 --> 00:11:00,258 That's pretty much what it was. 255 00:11:00,260 --> 00:11:02,293 You are standing in the heart of the west virginia 256 00:11:02,295 --> 00:11:04,396 ordnance works here in point pleasant, west virginia. 257 00:11:04,398 --> 00:11:06,765 So when you saw ordnance, you mean explosives? 258 00:11:06,767 --> 00:11:08,933 Yes, exactly. 259 00:11:08,935 --> 00:11:13,004 Josh: This eerie tract of land just outside of point pleasant 260 00:11:13,006 --> 00:11:14,739 was an 8,000-acre facility 261 00:11:14,741 --> 00:11:18,243 that manufactured tnt during world war ii 262 00:11:18,245 --> 00:11:21,646 and stored it in 100 concrete bunkers. 263 00:11:21,648 --> 00:11:23,848 But rumors have swirled for decades 264 00:11:23,850 --> 00:11:25,517 that there was more going on here 265 00:11:25,519 --> 00:11:28,219 than the military was admitting. 266 00:11:28,221 --> 00:11:31,589 And they actually manufactured the explosives 267 00:11:31,591 --> 00:11:33,058 for the atomic bomb here. 268 00:11:33,060 --> 00:11:34,159 Wow. 269 00:11:34,161 --> 00:11:35,393 What's your personal take 270 00:11:35,395 --> 00:11:37,262 on the mothman sightings in this area? 271 00:11:37,264 --> 00:11:39,064 I believe it could be some type 272 00:11:39,066 --> 00:11:40,932 of military clandestine project. 273 00:11:40,934 --> 00:11:42,667 Josh: Though a military mothman 274 00:11:42,669 --> 00:11:44,469 might sound like science fiction, 275 00:11:44,471 --> 00:11:46,237 it's a fact that during the cold war, 276 00:11:46,239 --> 00:11:49,274 the united states funded a number of highly unusual 277 00:11:49,276 --> 00:11:52,510 top-secret programs, many with animals. 278 00:11:52,512 --> 00:11:55,213 Project pigeon deployed bombs with pigeons 279 00:11:55,215 --> 00:11:59,384 acting as guidance mechanisms, and project acoustic kitty 280 00:11:59,386 --> 00:12:02,520 intended to use cats to spy on the kremlin. 281 00:12:02,522 --> 00:12:04,989 The bat bomb was a plan to use bats 282 00:12:04,991 --> 00:12:08,693 to deliver explosive devices into enemy cities. 283 00:12:08,695 --> 00:12:12,497 Some have suggested mothman is actually the biological product 284 00:12:12,499 --> 00:12:14,999 of similar top-secret experiments, 285 00:12:15,001 --> 00:12:19,337 a genetically modified bird, or perhaps even a human. 286 00:12:19,339 --> 00:12:22,340 It's a wild theory, but what can't be ignored 287 00:12:22,342 --> 00:12:23,541 is that people have been 288 00:12:23,543 --> 00:12:26,845 seeing something lurking in these woods. 289 00:12:26,847 --> 00:12:28,246 Check this out. 290 00:12:28,248 --> 00:12:31,616 Phil: Dave has uncovered a once-classified 1940 site map 291 00:12:31,618 --> 00:12:32,884 for the ordnance works. 292 00:12:32,886 --> 00:12:34,352 So right out here, what we have... 293 00:12:34,354 --> 00:12:35,487 Jessica: Uh-huh? 294 00:12:35,489 --> 00:12:38,089 ...Is 300 acres of war-department land 295 00:12:38,091 --> 00:12:40,258 other than the tnt area. 296 00:12:40,260 --> 00:12:43,061 My contacts told me that there was definitely 297 00:12:43,063 --> 00:12:45,764 clandestine activity going on out here. 298 00:12:45,766 --> 00:12:47,665 So out of those 8,000 acres, 299 00:12:47,667 --> 00:12:50,268 300 of them are this war department, 300 00:12:50,270 --> 00:12:51,803 "don't go in. There are no trespassing"? 301 00:12:51,805 --> 00:12:53,138 Absolutely. 302 00:12:53,140 --> 00:12:55,140 Phil: It does seem possible that during the time 303 00:12:55,142 --> 00:12:56,775 of the original mothman sightings, 304 00:12:56,777 --> 00:13:00,278 there could have been top-secret military activity at this plant. 305 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:01,846 We're following dave's map to see 306 00:13:01,848 --> 00:13:04,849 if we can find any evidence to support this theory. 307 00:13:04,851 --> 00:13:08,586 To get there, we'll have to navigate a river of toxic sludge 308 00:13:08,588 --> 00:13:11,089 that surrounds the entire abandoned facility. 309 00:13:11,091 --> 00:13:15,560 Some say it's a man-made barrier meant to keep people out. 310 00:13:15,562 --> 00:13:18,196 Have you ever brought a boat down this way before? 311 00:13:18,198 --> 00:13:19,430 No, we haven't. 312 00:13:19,432 --> 00:13:21,833 What do you think about this water, special stuff? 313 00:13:21,835 --> 00:13:23,835 Yes. On a scale of 1 to 10, 314 00:13:23,837 --> 00:13:25,069 10 being the worst, 315 00:13:25,071 --> 00:13:27,138 how crazy are we for doing this? 316 00:13:27,140 --> 00:13:28,139 Probably a 10. 317 00:13:28,141 --> 00:13:29,240 Oh, good. 318 00:13:29,242 --> 00:13:31,409 I always wanted to be an overachiever. 319 00:13:31,411 --> 00:13:33,912 Jessica: After securing a boat to navigate the swamp, 320 00:13:33,914 --> 00:13:37,148 we travel down to the water's edge. 321 00:13:37,150 --> 00:13:38,183 Ready? Yeah. 322 00:13:38,185 --> 00:13:39,717 Okay. Going in. 323 00:13:39,719 --> 00:13:48,660 ♪ 324 00:13:48,662 --> 00:13:53,531 I mean, this area out here, this is next-level habitat. 325 00:13:53,533 --> 00:13:55,366 This is where a lot of the sightings happened. 326 00:13:55,368 --> 00:13:57,302 This is where the government was active. 327 00:13:57,304 --> 00:14:00,405 This was his default go-to spot. 328 00:14:00,407 --> 00:14:03,842 This is where it all went down. 329 00:14:03,844 --> 00:14:05,310 There we go. 330 00:14:08,381 --> 00:14:09,714 Jessica: After paddling through the muck, 331 00:14:09,716 --> 00:14:13,518 we eventually come ashore and set out on foot. 332 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:16,487 Finally, we make it to the area on the map where some believe 333 00:14:16,489 --> 00:14:19,357 the government conducted a secret military project 334 00:14:19,359 --> 00:14:22,193 that can explain the mothman sightings. 335 00:14:22,195 --> 00:14:24,696 I think I see something. 336 00:14:24,698 --> 00:14:27,265 Jessica: Here we go. 337 00:14:27,267 --> 00:14:29,701 This thing is completely covered by earth. 338 00:14:29,703 --> 00:14:32,670 Look at this. It is part of the landscape here. 339 00:14:32,672 --> 00:14:33,905 Totally grown over. 340 00:14:33,907 --> 00:14:37,175 This thing hasn't been opened in decades. 341 00:14:37,177 --> 00:14:38,509 [ creaking ] 342 00:14:38,511 --> 00:14:40,879 wow. 343 00:14:40,881 --> 00:14:42,013 Okay, ready? 344 00:14:42,015 --> 00:14:42,981 Mm-hmm. 345 00:14:42,983 --> 00:14:49,754 ♪ 346 00:14:49,756 --> 00:14:50,855 alright, one more. 347 00:14:50,857 --> 00:14:52,590 Ready, set... 348 00:14:52,592 --> 00:14:54,525 Yep. [ grunts ] 349 00:14:54,527 --> 00:14:56,828 holy... Oh, what is that? 350 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,941 Josh: Our mothman investigation has led to the innermost area 351 00:15:09,943 --> 00:15:12,243 of the west virginia ordnance plant. 352 00:15:12,245 --> 00:15:13,511 Wow. 353 00:15:13,513 --> 00:15:15,747 Phil and jess are tracking a controversial theory 354 00:15:15,749 --> 00:15:18,750 that top-secret military experiments with animals 355 00:15:18,752 --> 00:15:21,886 or even people conducted out of these bunkers 356 00:15:21,888 --> 00:15:24,689 could be responsible for the mothman sightings. 357 00:15:24,691 --> 00:15:27,292 Either way, people have been seeing something 358 00:15:27,294 --> 00:15:28,893 hiding amidst these ruins. 359 00:15:28,895 --> 00:15:31,462 The question is what? 360 00:15:33,033 --> 00:15:35,466 Ready, set... 361 00:15:35,468 --> 00:15:36,601 Yeah. [ grunts ] 362 00:15:36,603 --> 00:15:38,770 holy... 363 00:15:38,772 --> 00:15:40,939 What is that? 364 00:15:40,941 --> 00:15:47,445 ♪ 365 00:15:47,447 --> 00:15:48,880 what is this? 366 00:15:52,986 --> 00:15:56,421 A barrel of diesel oil? 367 00:15:56,423 --> 00:15:58,923 What is this? 368 00:15:58,925 --> 00:16:01,225 [ grunts ] and a sprocket. 369 00:16:05,098 --> 00:16:07,832 This place... Oh, look at this. Look. 370 00:16:10,337 --> 00:16:12,203 Why would you just leave all this stuff behind? 371 00:16:12,205 --> 00:16:13,538 I don't know. 372 00:16:13,540 --> 00:16:15,740 Why does it look like something was chained up here? 373 00:16:15,742 --> 00:16:17,208 That does look like -- 374 00:16:17,210 --> 00:16:19,577 kind of like a wrist or something. 375 00:16:23,183 --> 00:16:24,248 That's kind of creepy. 376 00:16:26,186 --> 00:16:28,553 Oh, what's this? 377 00:16:28,555 --> 00:16:30,755 Look, an old fire extinguisher. 378 00:16:30,757 --> 00:16:31,889 Wow. 379 00:16:31,891 --> 00:16:34,258 Dayton fire extinguisher. 380 00:16:34,260 --> 00:16:36,327 Dayton, ohio. 381 00:16:36,329 --> 00:16:39,430 Is there a date on here? 382 00:16:39,432 --> 00:16:41,432 I don't think so, but, yeah, that's interesting 383 00:16:41,434 --> 00:16:42,633 this is coming from dayton. 384 00:16:42,635 --> 00:16:44,268 Yeah. 385 00:16:48,875 --> 00:16:50,708 Phil: Having fully explored the bunker, 386 00:16:50,710 --> 00:16:54,212 we returned to the boat and begin paddling back 387 00:16:54,214 --> 00:16:57,348 only to find another mysterious structure. 388 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:01,919 Look at that. 389 00:17:01,921 --> 00:17:03,221 What is this? 390 00:17:05,625 --> 00:17:07,225 Let's see if we can get in. 391 00:17:07,227 --> 00:17:17,235 ♪ 392 00:17:17,237 --> 00:17:22,940 ♪ 393 00:17:22,942 --> 00:17:28,646 ♪ 394 00:17:28,648 --> 00:17:30,782 phil: Oh! 395 00:17:30,784 --> 00:17:32,250 Jessica: Oh, my god. 396 00:17:32,252 --> 00:17:41,726 ♪ 397 00:17:41,728 --> 00:17:47,932 ♪ 398 00:17:47,934 --> 00:17:50,334 oh, wow. 399 00:17:53,139 --> 00:17:55,073 This is huge. 400 00:17:55,075 --> 00:17:56,340 Whoa. 401 00:17:56,342 --> 00:18:01,179 ♪ 402 00:18:01,181 --> 00:18:03,915 I'm almost afraid to put my paddle in the water. 403 00:18:03,917 --> 00:18:04,982 It is... Look. 404 00:18:04,984 --> 00:18:06,017 What's down there? What's down there? 405 00:18:06,019 --> 00:18:06,984 I don't know. 406 00:18:06,986 --> 00:18:12,090 ♪ 407 00:18:12,092 --> 00:18:17,261 ♪ 408 00:18:17,263 --> 00:18:19,697 so did you see anything under the water? What's there? 409 00:18:19,699 --> 00:18:21,432 I don't know. 410 00:18:21,434 --> 00:18:23,668 I mean, if you're gonna be a mothman, 411 00:18:23,670 --> 00:18:25,336 why wouldn't you live here? 412 00:18:25,338 --> 00:18:28,773 [ creature squeaks ] 413 00:18:28,775 --> 00:18:31,476 oh, did you hear that? 414 00:18:31,478 --> 00:18:33,177 It was somewhere over there. 415 00:18:33,179 --> 00:18:41,919 ♪ 416 00:18:41,921 --> 00:18:45,623 that sounded like it was coming from outside. 417 00:18:45,625 --> 00:18:47,225 Come on, let's get out there. 418 00:18:47,227 --> 00:18:56,267 ♪ 419 00:18:56,269 --> 00:18:57,335 [ flapping, thud ] 420 00:18:57,337 --> 00:18:59,437 did you hear that? Whoa, whoa, whoa. 421 00:18:59,439 --> 00:19:01,105 Something out there. Something out there. 422 00:19:01,107 --> 00:19:02,006 Do you see it? No. 423 00:19:02,008 --> 00:19:05,076 I heard it over here somewhere. 424 00:19:05,078 --> 00:19:06,978 Shine the flashlight up in that tree. 425 00:19:09,649 --> 00:19:12,683 Wait, I think I see it. 426 00:19:12,685 --> 00:19:15,920 What is that? It just moved. 427 00:19:15,922 --> 00:19:16,954 To the left, to the left. 428 00:19:16,956 --> 00:19:20,191 It's trying to avoid the light. 429 00:19:20,193 --> 00:19:21,292 There's something over there. 430 00:19:21,294 --> 00:19:22,560 I'm gonna paddle us a little closer. 431 00:19:22,562 --> 00:19:23,828 Okay. 432 00:19:23,830 --> 00:19:30,568 ♪ 433 00:19:30,570 --> 00:19:32,436 I've got the thermal camera. 434 00:19:32,438 --> 00:19:34,539 If there's anything biological giving off heat, 435 00:19:34,541 --> 00:19:36,207 we'll see it on this. 436 00:19:39,979 --> 00:19:43,614 It sounded like it was up in the treetops here. 437 00:19:43,616 --> 00:19:45,583 Where? Point your light where you think you saw it. 438 00:19:45,585 --> 00:19:46,617 Right up here. 439 00:19:46,619 --> 00:19:49,453 Alright. I'm looking. 440 00:19:53,026 --> 00:19:55,626 Hey, I think I see something on the thermal. 441 00:19:55,628 --> 00:19:56,861 Oh, my god. 442 00:19:56,863 --> 00:20:00,264 Whoa. What do you think that is? 443 00:20:00,266 --> 00:20:01,899 Oh, I think I lost it. 444 00:20:06,172 --> 00:20:07,838 Well, let's keep heading towards the shore 445 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:11,209 and see what we can find once we're on land. 446 00:20:11,211 --> 00:20:12,443 Alright. 447 00:20:12,445 --> 00:20:17,782 ♪ 448 00:20:17,784 --> 00:20:23,087 ♪ 449 00:20:23,089 --> 00:20:26,390 jessica: Is that the tree we saw something in? 450 00:20:26,392 --> 00:20:27,625 Phil: I'm not sure. 451 00:20:27,627 --> 00:20:29,760 It might be that one over there. 452 00:20:29,762 --> 00:20:31,362 I don't see anything. 453 00:20:31,364 --> 00:20:37,602 ♪ 454 00:20:37,604 --> 00:20:39,103 phil: After another hour of searching, 455 00:20:39,105 --> 00:20:42,106 we still haven't made contact with the source of the noise 456 00:20:42,108 --> 00:20:44,675 and whatever we saw on the thermal camera. 457 00:20:44,677 --> 00:20:48,379 With the sun on the horizon, we decide to head back. 458 00:20:48,381 --> 00:20:50,982 The items we found at the ordnance plant support 459 00:20:50,984 --> 00:20:53,784 dave's theory that a secret military operation 460 00:20:53,786 --> 00:20:55,486 could have been conducted here, 461 00:20:55,488 --> 00:20:59,924 but what sort of experiments could account for the mothman? 462 00:20:59,926 --> 00:21:03,594 We check in with josh to update him on our investigation. 463 00:21:08,167 --> 00:21:10,401 Hello. How's west virginia treating you? 464 00:21:10,403 --> 00:21:13,404 We're definitely getting into some weird stuff out here. 465 00:21:13,406 --> 00:21:15,840 Alright, so bring me up to speed. 466 00:21:15,842 --> 00:21:18,376 So that area where all of the original mothman sightings 467 00:21:18,378 --> 00:21:20,845 took place, the west virginia ordnance works... 468 00:21:20,847 --> 00:21:22,380 The tnt plant. 469 00:21:22,382 --> 00:21:24,982 Yeah, exactly. We got the plans for the area 470 00:21:24,984 --> 00:21:28,586 and right there in the center has been just sectioned off 471 00:21:28,588 --> 00:21:31,956 as "war department" with no explanation given. 472 00:21:31,958 --> 00:21:34,325 War department. Okay. So what are you thinking? 473 00:21:34,327 --> 00:21:36,460 Maybe something top secret was going on out there? 474 00:21:36,462 --> 00:21:37,528 Possibly. 475 00:21:37,530 --> 00:21:40,031 We actually went out to that area last night. 476 00:21:40,033 --> 00:21:41,999 Is there anything in that area? 477 00:21:42,001 --> 00:21:44,201 There were these sealed-off bunkers there, 478 00:21:44,203 --> 00:21:46,137 and we went into one of them 479 00:21:46,139 --> 00:21:48,239 and it was basically half hidden, 480 00:21:48,241 --> 00:21:49,807 kind of buried in the ground right there. 481 00:21:49,809 --> 00:21:51,075 What was inside? 482 00:21:51,077 --> 00:21:52,843 For a place that was supposed to be storing tnt, 483 00:21:52,845 --> 00:21:55,146 there was a lot of weird stuff in there. 484 00:21:55,148 --> 00:21:58,482 We found chains, shackles, a diesel drum. 485 00:21:58,484 --> 00:22:01,018 There was a really old fire extinguisher 486 00:22:01,020 --> 00:22:02,153 from dayton, ohio. 487 00:22:02,155 --> 00:22:03,821 There were tools. Hold on. Hold on. 488 00:22:03,823 --> 00:22:05,189 The fire extinguisher was from dayton? 489 00:22:05,191 --> 00:22:06,457 It was labeled dayton? 490 00:22:06,459 --> 00:22:07,858 Yeah. Yeah. 491 00:22:07,860 --> 00:22:09,160 Dayton, ohio, is home 492 00:22:09,162 --> 00:22:11,362 to wright-patterson air force base, 493 00:22:11,364 --> 00:22:13,364 one of the most famous military bases in the country. 494 00:22:13,366 --> 00:22:16,767 Also, a place where a lot of top-secret military activity 495 00:22:16,769 --> 00:22:18,602 took place. That's on record. 496 00:22:18,604 --> 00:22:20,338 If, in fact, there was some sort of 497 00:22:20,340 --> 00:22:22,973 top-secret facility in point pleasant, 498 00:22:22,975 --> 00:22:25,943 wright-patterson and dayton, that's 150 miles away. 499 00:22:25,945 --> 00:22:27,211 That's not far at all. 500 00:22:27,213 --> 00:22:28,746 Maybe there is a relationship there. 501 00:22:28,748 --> 00:22:31,048 But that place is extremely restricted. 502 00:22:31,050 --> 00:22:32,616 You're talking about what a lot of people 503 00:22:32,618 --> 00:22:34,819 consider to be the real area 51. 504 00:22:34,821 --> 00:22:36,387 And I just don't know 505 00:22:36,389 --> 00:22:39,357 how we would ever be able to investigate that. 506 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:42,326 Well, I might have a way. 507 00:22:55,742 --> 00:22:58,442 Josh: The team and I are reviewing the discoveries 508 00:22:58,444 --> 00:23:00,945 they made at the west virginia ordnance plant 509 00:23:00,947 --> 00:23:03,981 and whether the mothman sightings might be explained 510 00:23:03,983 --> 00:23:07,184 by a top-secret military program. 511 00:23:07,186 --> 00:23:09,186 The challenge now is getting access 512 00:23:09,188 --> 00:23:12,590 to one of the most secretive military bases in existence -- 513 00:23:12,592 --> 00:23:16,260 wright-patterson air force base. 514 00:23:16,262 --> 00:23:18,462 I have a contact from wright-patterson 515 00:23:18,464 --> 00:23:21,031 from a military investigation we did several years ago. 516 00:23:21,033 --> 00:23:22,900 I'll see if I can connect all of you. 517 00:23:22,902 --> 00:23:24,735 In the meantime, we've still got 518 00:23:24,737 --> 00:23:26,704 these eyewitness sightings in chicago. 519 00:23:26,706 --> 00:23:28,806 And I think you've got to head there next. 520 00:23:28,808 --> 00:23:29,874 Absolutely. 521 00:23:29,876 --> 00:23:31,208 Also, I've learned back here 522 00:23:31,210 --> 00:23:33,577 that one of the eyewitnesses there 523 00:23:33,579 --> 00:23:36,914 claims that he actually has images of his encounter 524 00:23:36,916 --> 00:23:39,617 with mothman though he's been hesitant to show it. 525 00:23:39,619 --> 00:23:40,651 I want to see that. 526 00:23:40,653 --> 00:23:42,553 Alright, let's go to chicago. 527 00:23:42,555 --> 00:23:45,222 To chicago. Good luck. 528 00:23:45,224 --> 00:23:48,192 Josh: While I work on access to wright-patterson air force base, 529 00:23:48,194 --> 00:23:53,164 the team travels 438 miles northwest to chicago. 530 00:23:53,166 --> 00:23:56,267 I'll admit it's a strange place to find mothman, 531 00:23:56,269 --> 00:23:57,635 but don't tell that to the people 532 00:23:57,637 --> 00:24:00,671 who say they've seen him here. 533 00:24:00,673 --> 00:24:02,206 So I've actually hooked us up with somebody 534 00:24:02,208 --> 00:24:05,242 that's gonna walk us through all those recent sightings. 535 00:24:05,244 --> 00:24:07,578 We're gonna have to go up really high. 536 00:24:07,580 --> 00:24:08,612 Phil: What do mean high? 537 00:24:08,614 --> 00:24:11,282 Like mothman high. Whoa. 538 00:24:11,284 --> 00:24:14,618 No chicago structure is more iconic than willis tower. 539 00:24:14,620 --> 00:24:16,454 Once known as the sears tower, 540 00:24:16,456 --> 00:24:19,156 it is the second tallest building in the americas 541 00:24:19,158 --> 00:24:20,858 and the place where eyewitnesses 542 00:24:20,860 --> 00:24:23,694 have reported seeing mothman. 543 00:24:23,696 --> 00:24:25,396 Jessica and phil are here to meet 544 00:24:25,398 --> 00:24:27,598 author and paranormal investigator... 545 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:28,532 Going up. 546 00:24:28,534 --> 00:24:30,034 ...Tobias wayland. 547 00:24:30,036 --> 00:24:33,671 Tobias has been gathering data on the chicago mothman sightings 548 00:24:33,673 --> 00:24:37,374 since he first got wind of a trio of recent reports. 549 00:24:39,412 --> 00:24:40,644 Hey, tobias. Hi. 550 00:24:40,646 --> 00:24:43,113 Sorry I'm a little late. That's a lot of stairs. 551 00:24:43,115 --> 00:24:44,615 Sure is. 552 00:24:44,617 --> 00:24:45,916 So why did you bring us here? 553 00:24:45,918 --> 00:24:48,752 Well, it wasn't me. The mothman did. 554 00:24:48,754 --> 00:24:51,255 The mothman, over a thousand feet up, 555 00:24:51,257 --> 00:24:52,656 chose this location. 556 00:24:52,658 --> 00:24:53,891 Higher actually. 557 00:24:53,893 --> 00:24:57,328 The sighting that supposedly took place right here 558 00:24:57,330 --> 00:24:59,063 had the creature at the very top. 559 00:24:59,065 --> 00:25:00,764 Wow. There's a guy, guillermo, 560 00:25:00,766 --> 00:25:02,967 and he's outside smoking 561 00:25:02,969 --> 00:25:06,437 just after 5:00 p.M. In July of 2017. 562 00:25:06,439 --> 00:25:10,541 And he sees something on top of the tower. 563 00:25:10,543 --> 00:25:12,409 As he's standing there, 564 00:25:12,411 --> 00:25:17,081 this winged human jumps off of the tower. 565 00:25:17,083 --> 00:25:20,117 After that, the sightings just kept coming 566 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:22,753 and everybody described the same thing, 567 00:25:22,755 --> 00:25:26,657 which was a large, bat-like creature. 568 00:25:30,196 --> 00:25:34,365 We've got probably well over a hundred different reports 569 00:25:34,367 --> 00:25:36,000 and associated phenomenon. 570 00:25:36,002 --> 00:25:39,003 All within this area or just across the board? 571 00:25:39,005 --> 00:25:42,940 Within 200 miles of lake michigan. 572 00:25:42,942 --> 00:25:45,442 Well, it's really interesting because mothman always -- 573 00:25:45,444 --> 00:25:50,147 at least the reports and stories that I've heard and read, 574 00:25:50,149 --> 00:25:52,583 is that it's usually in kind of rural areas. 575 00:25:52,585 --> 00:25:55,886 I've never heard of him in the middle of chicago. 576 00:25:58,658 --> 00:26:01,091 Let me show you a map. 577 00:26:01,093 --> 00:26:03,360 They're almost always... Wow. 578 00:26:03,362 --> 00:26:06,564 Yeah, centered around green spaces. 579 00:26:06,566 --> 00:26:08,065 Oh, okay. That's a lot of sightings. 580 00:26:08,067 --> 00:26:09,166 I'm actually really surprised 581 00:26:09,168 --> 00:26:10,501 at how many are in the city, too. 582 00:26:10,503 --> 00:26:12,036 A lot of people probably don't realize 583 00:26:12,038 --> 00:26:14,305 that they are surrounded by nature, 584 00:26:14,307 --> 00:26:16,907 that there are owls here, there are herons here, 585 00:26:16,909 --> 00:26:18,509 there are a lot of big birds. 586 00:26:18,511 --> 00:26:21,045 And so when it's dark, and they see something flying 587 00:26:21,047 --> 00:26:23,280 and they know that mothman has been sighted here, 588 00:26:23,282 --> 00:26:25,883 maybe that's why they're thinking it's mothman. 589 00:26:25,885 --> 00:26:29,019 There isn't going to be as much physical evidence. 590 00:26:29,021 --> 00:26:31,889 And so, the criteria I have to use to judge those sightings 591 00:26:31,891 --> 00:26:35,426 is the credibility of the witnesses themselves. 592 00:26:35,428 --> 00:26:39,196 There have been a good number of very frightened, 593 00:26:39,198 --> 00:26:42,466 very otherwise normal people who have come forward 594 00:26:42,468 --> 00:26:44,435 and recounted these stories. 595 00:26:44,437 --> 00:26:46,203 When you're dealing with a normal, 596 00:26:46,205 --> 00:26:48,105 credible person who's telling you 597 00:26:48,107 --> 00:26:50,674 that they were standing only several feet away 598 00:26:50,676 --> 00:26:54,244 from something that looked like a winged humanoid, 599 00:26:54,246 --> 00:26:55,846 I feel like under those circumstances, 600 00:26:55,848 --> 00:26:57,848 it would be very difficult, if not impossible, 601 00:26:57,850 --> 00:27:00,551 to misidentify some sort of large bird. 602 00:27:00,553 --> 00:27:02,686 I'm eager to speak with a chicago eyewitness 603 00:27:02,688 --> 00:27:05,189 to see if the mothman sightings here 604 00:27:05,191 --> 00:27:09,460 might also be explained by some kind of secret military program. 605 00:27:09,462 --> 00:27:13,564 We head southwest from willis tower to the lower west side. 606 00:27:13,566 --> 00:27:16,066 That's where we're meeting kelley hanada, 607 00:27:16,068 --> 00:27:17,568 the eyewitness that has been reluctant 608 00:27:17,570 --> 00:27:20,537 to release his evidence, at least so far. 609 00:27:20,539 --> 00:27:28,679 ♪ 610 00:27:28,681 --> 00:27:31,415 what's your experience been? Walk us through it. 611 00:27:31,417 --> 00:27:33,651 Hanada: When I was on my way to work riding my bike, 612 00:27:33,653 --> 00:27:36,987 this is the route that I take pretty much daily. 613 00:27:36,989 --> 00:27:39,256 So as I'm pulling up to this intersection, 614 00:27:39,258 --> 00:27:40,724 I'm just gazing out, 615 00:27:40,726 --> 00:27:43,193 looking at the flags above the library. 616 00:27:43,195 --> 00:27:46,196 I see another gentleman start pointing to the sky, 617 00:27:46,198 --> 00:27:49,366 and that's when I see a large flying object. 618 00:27:49,368 --> 00:27:50,501 And so, I immediately think in my head, 619 00:27:50,503 --> 00:27:54,171 "hey, I think that's the mothman." 620 00:27:54,173 --> 00:27:56,473 so you immediately went to mothman. 621 00:27:56,475 --> 00:27:58,242 Yeah. Well, certainly at the time 622 00:27:58,244 --> 00:28:00,577 of when I'm experiencing this and viewing it, 623 00:28:00,579 --> 00:28:01,945 I'm almost positive 624 00:28:01,947 --> 00:28:05,716 that what I'm capturing on film is the mothman. 625 00:28:05,718 --> 00:28:09,420 I had the gopro on me, and I was able to get that captured. 626 00:28:09,422 --> 00:28:11,722 Is there any way we could see that footage that you have? 627 00:28:11,724 --> 00:28:15,259 Yes, please. 628 00:28:15,261 --> 00:28:17,194 I'm kind of hesitant of even showing people now 629 00:28:17,196 --> 00:28:19,963 just because it almost seems like a point of ridicule 630 00:28:19,965 --> 00:28:21,265 just for... 631 00:28:21,267 --> 00:28:23,200 People will either see one thing or the other. 632 00:28:23,202 --> 00:28:24,935 And then I look like a crazy person 633 00:28:24,937 --> 00:28:28,372 for coming forward with a mothman sighting. 634 00:28:28,374 --> 00:28:29,740 I'll tell you what, what's important here, 635 00:28:29,742 --> 00:28:31,141 is you're not the only one 636 00:28:31,143 --> 00:28:32,976 who has seen something strange. 637 00:28:32,978 --> 00:28:35,045 And what you saw still is a mystery, 638 00:28:35,047 --> 00:28:36,413 and we're here to help 639 00:28:36,415 --> 00:28:39,183 and see if we can get to the bottom of that mystery. 640 00:28:39,185 --> 00:28:41,785 Yeah. Well, I mean, so I do have it with me, 641 00:28:41,787 --> 00:28:43,721 and I have a few of the stills. 642 00:28:43,723 --> 00:28:45,089 A little bit of an idea. 643 00:28:45,091 --> 00:28:47,991 Oh, whoa. That's huge. 644 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:59,636 ♪ 645 00:28:59,638 --> 00:29:01,205 josh: My team is in chicago 646 00:29:01,207 --> 00:29:05,042 investigating recent reports of a giant winged creature. 647 00:29:05,044 --> 00:29:07,211 Kelley hanada was cycling to work 648 00:29:07,213 --> 00:29:10,347 wearing a camera on his helmet when he captured images 649 00:29:10,349 --> 00:29:13,183 of something large flying in the sky. 650 00:29:16,021 --> 00:29:18,555 Oh, yeah, there he is. Oh, wow. 651 00:29:23,129 --> 00:29:25,329 So here's where it is right here. 652 00:29:25,331 --> 00:29:27,598 It basically starts from this area 653 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:30,000 heading kind of in a southwest direction 654 00:29:30,002 --> 00:29:32,870 and almost into the wind the entire time. 655 00:29:36,342 --> 00:29:37,508 So kelley, I got to say, 656 00:29:37,510 --> 00:29:40,077 especially in this frame right here, 657 00:29:40,079 --> 00:29:41,678 as much as it would be amazing 658 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:43,213 if this is a photo of mothman, 659 00:29:43,215 --> 00:29:45,282 to me, this just looks like 660 00:29:45,284 --> 00:29:47,551 a really big, impressive bird. 661 00:29:47,553 --> 00:29:49,086 Well, it would have to be at least 662 00:29:49,088 --> 00:29:51,488 a 10-foot wingspan given the size. 663 00:29:51,490 --> 00:29:53,390 Yeah. But a bird is not gonna attract 664 00:29:53,392 --> 00:29:55,692 that kind of attention from people on the ground 665 00:29:55,694 --> 00:29:59,496 to actually stop on their way to work and point up in the sky. 666 00:29:59,498 --> 00:30:02,833 I do that for, like, a great horned owl or gyrfalcon. 667 00:30:02,835 --> 00:30:04,434 I mean, I think there's some really cool -- 668 00:30:04,436 --> 00:30:06,670 yeah, but you're a unique, amazing person. 669 00:30:06,672 --> 00:30:08,071 Were you gonna call me a nerd? 670 00:30:08,073 --> 00:30:10,240 No. 671 00:30:10,242 --> 00:30:13,510 Kelley's footage shows something human sized 672 00:30:13,512 --> 00:30:14,845 flying above chicago. 673 00:30:14,847 --> 00:30:16,380 Given its size and shape, 674 00:30:16,382 --> 00:30:19,817 many have suggested it might've been a person in a wingsuit. 675 00:30:19,819 --> 00:30:22,786 Experts have also theorized that sightings at willis tower 676 00:30:22,788 --> 00:30:26,590 could have been a base jumper illegally jumping from the roof. 677 00:30:26,592 --> 00:30:28,425 To put these theories to the test, 678 00:30:28,427 --> 00:30:30,661 we're heading to an indoor skydiving facility 679 00:30:30,663 --> 00:30:32,629 to meet with expert wingsuit pilot 680 00:30:32,631 --> 00:30:35,365 and world record holder joe ridler. 681 00:30:37,570 --> 00:30:39,570 We've actually been running around chicago 682 00:30:39,572 --> 00:30:41,839 investigating the mothman sightings. 683 00:30:41,841 --> 00:30:43,140 Interesting. 684 00:30:43,142 --> 00:30:44,775 Yeah. We suspect it could be any number of things, 685 00:30:44,777 --> 00:30:46,109 but one of the things we were thinking of 686 00:30:46,111 --> 00:30:48,478 is maybe a base jumper or a guy wearing a wingsuit. 687 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:50,047 Basically somebody like you 688 00:30:50,049 --> 00:30:52,549 because you've done a lot of jumps. Yeah? 689 00:30:52,551 --> 00:30:53,617 Yeah, absolutely. 690 00:30:53,619 --> 00:30:55,686 I'm just under 1,500 jumps right now. 691 00:30:55,688 --> 00:30:57,454 Wow. Yeah. 692 00:30:57,456 --> 00:31:00,190 Phil: To be clear, base jumping is an extreme sport 693 00:31:00,192 --> 00:31:02,759 where people leap and then parachute from cliffs 694 00:31:02,761 --> 00:31:04,895 and, yes, tall buildings. 695 00:31:04,897 --> 00:31:07,631 On the other hand, a wingsuit has sections of fabric 696 00:31:07,633 --> 00:31:10,133 that inflate to allow gliding through the air 697 00:31:10,135 --> 00:31:13,136 before deploying a chute for landing. 698 00:31:13,138 --> 00:31:14,571 Jessica: What would be a giveaway sign 699 00:31:14,573 --> 00:31:17,007 that that person is a base jumper 700 00:31:17,009 --> 00:31:20,244 or wearing a wingsuit versus, "oh, hey, that's mothman"? 701 00:31:20,246 --> 00:31:21,612 When it comes to base jumping, 702 00:31:21,614 --> 00:31:23,280 they're all kind of ninjas of the night. 703 00:31:23,282 --> 00:31:27,351 It's not exactly a legal sport to participate in. 704 00:31:27,353 --> 00:31:31,154 So jumping in the day would be one red flag. 705 00:31:31,156 --> 00:31:33,190 Another would be the height of the object 706 00:31:33,192 --> 00:31:35,626 that you're jumping off of. 707 00:31:35,628 --> 00:31:37,594 Another is landing area. 708 00:31:37,596 --> 00:31:40,731 Phil: We show joe the schematic of where eyewitness guillermo 709 00:31:40,733 --> 00:31:43,734 spotted the winged figure. 710 00:31:43,736 --> 00:31:45,702 He said he was looking up at that ledge 711 00:31:45,704 --> 00:31:46,803 and the guy jumped. 712 00:31:46,805 --> 00:31:49,773 He claims he saw it just kind of fly away 713 00:31:49,775 --> 00:31:51,575 towards the lake. 714 00:31:51,577 --> 00:31:52,843 Is that doable? 715 00:31:52,845 --> 00:31:54,745 Oh, no. Absolutely not. 716 00:31:54,747 --> 00:31:57,614 So the height of this ledge 717 00:31:57,616 --> 00:32:00,817 is high enough to do a wingsuit base jump, 718 00:32:00,819 --> 00:32:03,587 but given all of the complexities 719 00:32:03,589 --> 00:32:05,689 of the landing areas around here, 720 00:32:05,691 --> 00:32:08,692 probably not a plausible solution here. 721 00:32:10,195 --> 00:32:11,628 Jessica: We also show joe the images 722 00:32:11,630 --> 00:32:13,463 that kelley hanada took with his gopro, 723 00:32:13,465 --> 00:32:15,632 which joe also dismisses. 724 00:32:15,634 --> 00:32:18,135 They weren't in a wingsuit or base jumper either. 725 00:32:20,506 --> 00:32:21,905 Phil: If we're going to document 726 00:32:21,907 --> 00:32:23,573 our own encounter with the mothman, 727 00:32:23,575 --> 00:32:26,843 we need to look for it in its natural habitat. 728 00:32:26,845 --> 00:32:29,079 A biological creature of this size 729 00:32:29,081 --> 00:32:31,048 might pass through the big city on occasion, 730 00:32:31,050 --> 00:32:33,717 but it certainly won't make its home here. 731 00:32:35,688 --> 00:32:38,322 One of the densest areas of recent sightings nearby 732 00:32:38,324 --> 00:32:40,991 is only 15 miles northwest of the city 733 00:32:40,993 --> 00:32:43,627 in a 20-mile stretch of forest preserve. 734 00:32:43,629 --> 00:32:47,197 No humans, lots of animals, plenty of water. 735 00:32:47,199 --> 00:32:50,600 If the mothman is real, this could be his home. 736 00:32:52,771 --> 00:32:54,938 Phil: By the way, wait till you see what I've got inside. 737 00:32:54,940 --> 00:32:56,106 What'd you get? 738 00:32:56,108 --> 00:32:57,975 Our goal is to try to photograph whatever it is 739 00:32:57,977 --> 00:32:59,376 that people are seeing out here. 740 00:32:59,378 --> 00:33:01,111 And to do that, we'll use several 741 00:33:01,113 --> 00:33:02,846 motion-sensitive wildlife cameras. 742 00:33:02,848 --> 00:33:04,815 So what do you think about this? 743 00:33:04,817 --> 00:33:06,383 Overkill? What's the crossbow for? 744 00:33:06,385 --> 00:33:08,719 We're gonna shoot it up into the tree and at the end 745 00:33:08,721 --> 00:33:10,420 of the fishing line, we'll put a trail cam. 746 00:33:10,422 --> 00:33:13,824 So if anything flies by, we'll get a photo of it. 747 00:33:13,826 --> 00:33:15,859 We're dividing the forest into quadrants 748 00:33:15,861 --> 00:33:17,995 and placing cameras in each corner. 749 00:33:17,997 --> 00:33:20,297 We attach cameras to trees along trails 750 00:33:20,299 --> 00:33:23,734 and use the crossbow to hoist cameras to higher positions 751 00:33:23,736 --> 00:33:26,103 with a better view of the skies. 752 00:33:26,105 --> 00:33:27,637 We finished setting up the cameras 753 00:33:27,639 --> 00:33:29,873 just as day turns to night. 754 00:33:29,875 --> 00:33:33,443 Any motion, it'll trigger it. It'll take a photo. 755 00:33:33,445 --> 00:33:34,745 When I think of an area like this, 756 00:33:34,747 --> 00:33:36,646 this is habitat at its prime. 757 00:33:36,648 --> 00:33:38,648 There's tons of sightings around this park. 758 00:33:38,650 --> 00:33:41,418 I'm sure there are all sorts of things living around here. 759 00:33:41,420 --> 00:33:42,719 What is the weirdest thing you've ever seen 760 00:33:42,721 --> 00:33:44,087 with those cameras? 761 00:33:44,089 --> 00:33:45,956 In central america, I've seen jaguars. 762 00:33:45,958 --> 00:33:49,026 Sometimes we actually see the poachers in the area 763 00:33:49,028 --> 00:33:50,360 and they come by with their guns 764 00:33:50,362 --> 00:33:51,495 and don't realize -- 765 00:33:51,497 --> 00:33:53,663 [ unexplained noise ] 766 00:33:53,665 --> 00:33:55,499 phil: Wait, what was that? 767 00:33:55,501 --> 00:33:56,733 Jessica: I don't know. 768 00:33:56,735 --> 00:33:59,069 It sounded like it was coming from over there. 769 00:33:59,071 --> 00:34:02,639 I got the thermal camera. 770 00:34:02,641 --> 00:34:05,342 Yeah, we definitely got movement. I saw it. 771 00:34:05,344 --> 00:34:06,977 Definitely there. 772 00:34:06,979 --> 00:34:09,112 Yeah, right up in that tree. 773 00:34:09,114 --> 00:34:10,080 [ rustling ] 774 00:34:10,082 --> 00:34:12,015 oh, my god! Come here. 775 00:34:12,017 --> 00:34:13,850 Right there. Right there. Right there. It just moved. 776 00:34:25,898 --> 00:34:27,831 Jess and phil are pursuing the idea 777 00:34:27,833 --> 00:34:30,567 that someone from wright-patterson air force base 778 00:34:30,569 --> 00:34:33,737 may be able to provide information about a mysterious 779 00:34:33,739 --> 00:34:37,074 flying something in the skies of west virginia. 780 00:34:37,076 --> 00:34:39,309 Now, it may sound like the stuff of science fiction, 781 00:34:39,311 --> 00:34:40,911 but consider this -- by the time 782 00:34:40,913 --> 00:34:44,314 of the original mothman sightings in 1966, 783 00:34:44,316 --> 00:34:46,683 the base had served as headquarters 784 00:34:46,685 --> 00:34:51,254 for three top-secret programs tasked with studying ufos -- 785 00:34:51,256 --> 00:34:54,157 the most comprehensive among them project blue book. 786 00:34:54,159 --> 00:34:56,026 This was the program that investigated 787 00:34:56,028 --> 00:34:58,595 more than 12,000 ufo sightings 788 00:34:58,597 --> 00:35:02,032 to determine whether they posed threats to national security. 789 00:35:02,034 --> 00:35:04,634 It was also during this time that joint army, navy, 790 00:35:04,636 --> 00:35:07,938 air force regulation number 146 was passed, 791 00:35:07,940 --> 00:35:11,842 making it a crime to discuss classified ufo reports 792 00:35:11,844 --> 00:35:13,743 with unauthorized persons. 793 00:35:13,745 --> 00:35:15,178 But decades later, 794 00:35:15,180 --> 00:35:18,982 project blue book's existence has been officially acknowledged 795 00:35:18,984 --> 00:35:21,318 and tens of thousands of documents 796 00:35:21,320 --> 00:35:23,120 have since been declassified. 797 00:35:23,122 --> 00:35:24,921 Those who spent their careers 798 00:35:24,923 --> 00:35:26,857 at wright-patterson air force base 799 00:35:26,859 --> 00:35:30,093 may now speak about some of the military's activities 800 00:35:30,095 --> 00:35:32,896 around the time of the original mothman sightings. 801 00:35:39,371 --> 00:35:45,041 ♪ 802 00:35:45,043 --> 00:35:47,077 josh: Phil and jessica are north of chicago 803 00:35:47,079 --> 00:35:50,814 investigating a cluster of recent mothman sightings. 804 00:35:50,816 --> 00:35:51,882 While setting up 805 00:35:51,884 --> 00:35:53,617 motion-activated wildlife cameras, 806 00:35:53,619 --> 00:35:57,154 they hear something in the treeline. 807 00:35:57,156 --> 00:35:58,755 Jessica: It's moving. 808 00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:03,426 Phil: Yeah, we definitely got movement. 809 00:36:04,863 --> 00:36:06,463 [ rustling ] 810 00:36:06,465 --> 00:36:07,797 oh, my gosh, something. You got something? 811 00:36:07,799 --> 00:36:10,467 Yeah, yeah. Right there. Right there. Right there. 812 00:36:13,939 --> 00:36:15,705 I don't see it anymore. I don't see it either. 813 00:36:15,707 --> 00:36:17,207 [ unexplained noise ] 814 00:36:17,209 --> 00:36:19,876 did you hear something? 815 00:36:21,446 --> 00:36:22,646 Anything, anything? 816 00:36:22,648 --> 00:36:24,247 I don't see anything. 817 00:36:24,249 --> 00:36:25,282 Jessica: We spend hours 818 00:36:25,284 --> 00:36:26,750 searching for the source of the noise 819 00:36:26,752 --> 00:36:29,319 in the trees to no avail. 820 00:36:29,321 --> 00:36:32,522 With the sun about to come up, we make sure our trail cameras 821 00:36:32,524 --> 00:36:36,693 are still running to gather evidence long after we leave. 822 00:36:36,695 --> 00:36:40,030 And that's when we get word from josh. 823 00:36:40,032 --> 00:36:41,565 Time for a road trip. 824 00:36:41,567 --> 00:36:44,568 He's gotten us access to a wright-patterson insider, 825 00:36:44,570 --> 00:36:47,537 someone who can speak to whether there's any military program 826 00:36:47,539 --> 00:36:49,039 that might help explain 827 00:36:49,041 --> 00:36:51,541 the point pleasant mothman sightings. 828 00:36:51,543 --> 00:36:53,910 So wright-patterson air force base 829 00:36:53,912 --> 00:36:56,846 and the west virginia ordnance plant. 830 00:36:56,848 --> 00:37:00,383 The link here, we don't quite have it down 831 00:37:00,385 --> 00:37:02,452 and I don't know if we sound crazy right now. 832 00:37:02,454 --> 00:37:04,054 I mean, we probably do sound crazy, 833 00:37:04,056 --> 00:37:05,121 which is fine with me. 834 00:37:05,123 --> 00:37:07,090 Here's the thing -- military bases, 835 00:37:07,092 --> 00:37:08,592 they still talk to each other, 836 00:37:08,594 --> 00:37:10,961 so it wouldn't surprise me at all 837 00:37:10,963 --> 00:37:12,662 if some out-of-the-way area 838 00:37:12,664 --> 00:37:15,332 had some sort of connection to nearby bases. 839 00:37:15,334 --> 00:37:18,201 That's true. 840 00:37:18,203 --> 00:37:21,037 Phil: To meet josh's contact, we're driving 300 miles 841 00:37:21,039 --> 00:37:24,941 southeast from chicago to dayton, ohio. 842 00:37:24,943 --> 00:37:27,077 Ray szymanski is a retired engineer 843 00:37:27,079 --> 00:37:29,012 who worked on classified projects 844 00:37:29,014 --> 00:37:31,381 at wright-patterson air force base. 845 00:37:31,383 --> 00:37:33,283 He's asked to meet us at an underground bunker 846 00:37:33,285 --> 00:37:34,851 just a few miles away -- 847 00:37:34,853 --> 00:37:39,756 a location that once housed top-secret research programs. 848 00:37:39,758 --> 00:37:41,858 So, ray, how long did you work here? 849 00:37:41,860 --> 00:37:43,393 I spent nearly four decades 850 00:37:43,395 --> 00:37:45,528 at wright-patterson air force base. 851 00:37:45,530 --> 00:37:46,763 And what were you doing there? 852 00:37:46,765 --> 00:37:48,365 I was an electrical engineer for the department 853 00:37:48,367 --> 00:37:50,033 of defense's weapons systems. 854 00:37:50,035 --> 00:37:51,268 So as part of that, 855 00:37:51,270 --> 00:37:53,803 I worked on a number of secret programs. 856 00:37:53,805 --> 00:37:55,505 And in a place like this, 857 00:37:55,507 --> 00:37:59,909 you can imagine how easy it was to keep a secret. 858 00:37:59,911 --> 00:38:02,279 Josh: This abandoned facility once played host 859 00:38:02,281 --> 00:38:06,049 to the most secretive military research program in history -- 860 00:38:06,051 --> 00:38:09,152 the manhattan project. 861 00:38:09,154 --> 00:38:12,122 From the late 1930s to the mid 1940s, 862 00:38:12,124 --> 00:38:16,526 more than 130,000 people worked in absolute secrecy 863 00:38:16,528 --> 00:38:19,229 building the world's first atomic bomb. 864 00:38:19,231 --> 00:38:24,334 ♪ 865 00:38:24,336 --> 00:38:26,403 so the theory that we're kind of coming up with 866 00:38:26,405 --> 00:38:27,771 for these mothman sightings 867 00:38:27,773 --> 00:38:31,041 is that perhaps it is an experiment by the government, 868 00:38:31,043 --> 00:38:33,677 some sort of testing they were doing or anything like that. 869 00:38:33,679 --> 00:38:35,078 You know, that is possible 870 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:36,780 because it's the early '60s. 871 00:38:36,782 --> 00:38:38,748 In fact, the timeframe is perfect for it. 872 00:38:38,750 --> 00:38:41,117 New laboratories were being built, 873 00:38:41,119 --> 00:38:43,219 new technologies were being developed. 874 00:38:43,221 --> 00:38:46,489 A lot of that technology would have been perfected 875 00:38:46,491 --> 00:38:48,525 at wright-patterson air force base. 876 00:38:48,527 --> 00:38:50,827 Integrated circuits and fiber optics 877 00:38:50,829 --> 00:38:53,463 and new materials, tough, durable materials 878 00:38:53,465 --> 00:38:54,531 for flight suits 879 00:38:54,533 --> 00:38:56,833 or anything that they would spin off 880 00:38:56,835 --> 00:38:58,668 for a military application. 881 00:38:58,670 --> 00:38:59,836 So what you're telling us 882 00:38:59,838 --> 00:39:02,505 is that wright-patterson air force base 883 00:39:02,507 --> 00:39:05,442 might have engineered flight suits 884 00:39:05,444 --> 00:39:07,711 and then that might explain the potential 885 00:39:07,713 --> 00:39:09,946 for some mothman sightings. 886 00:39:09,948 --> 00:39:12,716 I'm saying exactly that. 887 00:39:12,718 --> 00:39:14,751 Phil: This was the height of the cold war. 888 00:39:14,753 --> 00:39:16,419 What was the big motivation at the time 889 00:39:16,421 --> 00:39:17,854 for developing new technologies, 890 00:39:17,856 --> 00:39:20,256 something like a flight suit or a parachute? 891 00:39:20,258 --> 00:39:23,159 The military would be interested in some type 892 00:39:23,161 --> 00:39:26,629 of a singular soldier air transportation 893 00:39:26,631 --> 00:39:28,598 because they could do some sabotage 894 00:39:28,600 --> 00:39:30,433 or they could do some surveillance 895 00:39:30,435 --> 00:39:34,170 with either a parafoil or a cruciform-type chute 896 00:39:34,172 --> 00:39:35,372 that was being developed at the time 897 00:39:35,374 --> 00:39:37,307 or even those jet packs. 898 00:39:37,309 --> 00:39:39,142 And it turns out that the wind tunnel 899 00:39:39,144 --> 00:39:40,477 at wright-patterson air force base 900 00:39:40,479 --> 00:39:42,078 was used to perfect the design. 901 00:39:42,080 --> 00:39:43,546 Wow. Oh. 902 00:39:43,548 --> 00:39:46,549 So the military was very much aware of this new technology. 903 00:39:46,551 --> 00:39:49,352 And it's possible that flight testing was being done, 904 00:39:49,354 --> 00:39:51,087 could have been done anywhere. 905 00:39:51,089 --> 00:39:53,990 And perhaps when somebody saw a person 906 00:39:53,992 --> 00:39:56,059 flying for the very first time, 907 00:39:56,061 --> 00:39:58,194 could easily have been misidentified 908 00:39:58,196 --> 00:40:00,563 as somebody that we now call mothman. 909 00:40:02,467 --> 00:40:05,835 Josh: It's possible that mothman may be related 910 00:40:05,837 --> 00:40:08,405 to an extraordinary but very real 911 00:40:08,407 --> 00:40:10,507 top-secret government program. 912 00:40:10,509 --> 00:40:13,877 This now declassified footage from 1961 913 00:40:13,879 --> 00:40:15,812 pulled from the national archives 914 00:40:15,814 --> 00:40:18,982 shows early testing of flying soldier technology. 915 00:40:20,719 --> 00:40:23,987 Work on this continued through the late 1960s. 916 00:40:23,989 --> 00:40:27,023 And by 1978 the delta force, 917 00:40:27,025 --> 00:40:30,493 the u.S. Military's most elite special forces troops, 918 00:40:30,495 --> 00:40:33,329 was testing combat flight suits in, 919 00:40:33,331 --> 00:40:35,999 you guessed it, west virginia. 920 00:40:36,001 --> 00:40:38,101 Such a program could explain the visits 921 00:40:38,103 --> 00:40:40,503 from men in black, government agents 922 00:40:40,505 --> 00:40:43,740 putting a lid on our latest secret technology. 923 00:40:46,678 --> 00:40:50,013 And the recent point pleasant eyewitness accounts, 924 00:40:50,015 --> 00:40:53,049 like many others, phil and jess did detect animals 925 00:40:53,051 --> 00:40:56,586 living in the ruins of the abandoned military plant. 926 00:40:56,588 --> 00:40:58,021 Jessica: Point your light where you think you saw it. 927 00:40:58,023 --> 00:40:59,589 Phil: Right up here. 928 00:40:59,591 --> 00:41:01,090 I think I see something on thermal. 929 00:41:01,092 --> 00:41:04,527 Oh, my god. 930 00:41:04,529 --> 00:41:06,496 But those who claim it's a monster 931 00:41:06,498 --> 00:41:12,001 are probably getting caught up in 50 years of mothman mania. 932 00:41:12,003 --> 00:41:13,770 As for the chicago sightings, 933 00:41:13,772 --> 00:41:15,338 we believe we were able to rule out 934 00:41:15,340 --> 00:41:19,943 the possibility of a rogue base jumper or wingsuit in flight. 935 00:41:19,945 --> 00:41:21,144 Phil: Is that doable? 936 00:41:21,146 --> 00:41:23,112 Oh, no, absolutely not. 937 00:41:23,114 --> 00:41:27,116 But photos continue to come in from our remote wildlife cameras 938 00:41:27,118 --> 00:41:28,785 and the evidence is in. 939 00:41:28,787 --> 00:41:31,321 Sandhill crane, check. 940 00:41:31,323 --> 00:41:33,056 Golden eagle, check. 941 00:41:33,058 --> 00:41:35,792 But no mothman. 942 00:41:35,794 --> 00:41:38,962 Even jess now supports phil's original suspicion 943 00:41:38,964 --> 00:41:41,698 that the recent chicago sightings of the mothman 944 00:41:41,700 --> 00:41:43,933 are nothing more than the misidentification 945 00:41:43,935 --> 00:41:46,436 of large winged birds. 946 00:41:46,438 --> 00:41:48,605 The sandhill crane and the golden eagle 947 00:41:48,607 --> 00:41:52,075 have enormous wingspans at nearly 8 feet. 948 00:41:52,077 --> 00:41:55,445 Imagine seeing that soaring in the windy city. 949 00:41:55,447 --> 00:41:58,414 You, too, might think it's a monster.