William writes “It was around sept or oct of 1970. My battalion had been activated to go to Vietnam and we were doing some intense training to get ready.
The training was taking place in the heavy forests of Fort Jackson SC. It was very dark that night and my platoon was on the left flank of the main body and we were moving to attack and capture the aggressor force opposing us.
I was a PFC at the time and was a squad leader. Orders came down for my squad to move up and scout ahead of the main body. We were moving from tree to tree slowly and as quietly as possible. I moved ahead to this really large tree and got down to a prone position and just listened. All I could hear was silence, no bugs, no frogs, no nothing! I put my hand down to push up to my feet and all hell broke loose. What I had put my hand down on was a boogers foot. He roared so loudly I couldn’t hear for the next 15 minutes. Well I shot up and backed up shouting for the rest of my squad to retreat all the while firing my M-16 (don’t worry they were blanks!) With all the noise and my entire platoon racing towards me the booger took off crashing through the woods.
After all had quieted down, all you could see was he destruction it had made getting the hell out of there. Later, after a bunch of guys all dressed in black had come asking a lot of questions, measuring, and who knows what else, I found out the booger was 8ft 11in tall and they said around 900 to 1000 lbs. Looking back I don’t think it was there to hurt anyone, he just was curious”
Amy H
Oh Jeeze, that will leave an impression on the mind for the rest of ones life. That’s plain ole bad luck!
Amy M C
I’m a Navy veteran, Nam Era…I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done in those circumstances, except the same. I know I would never forget that moment! *(I have goosebumps just reading your account!)
Steven B
I’m glad everyone survived to tell about it. I hope everyone was carrying a change of underpants…
Trent M
William, thanks for telling about this encounter. Was he standing next to the same tree or was he what you thought was the “really large tree”? Fortunately he wasn’t out to hurt you, so as scary as I’m sure it was, it is definitely funny when you think about the two of you scaring each other so badly. I’m really glad you were not hurt!
Rob P
I’d love to hear this on the show
Ernest M
I second the motion Wes.
Tedd
Man that’s one of the craziest/closest and unexpected encounters I’ve ever heard. Scares me to read it so I can’t imagine what you felt. Would love to hear more, like previous post asked, was it actually what you thought was a large tree or on other side of the tree and I assume you would have mentioned a bad smell but was there anything other than quiet to tip you off?
Thanks for your service to our country and sharing with us!
russell s
That encounter although scary did make me giggle , you kneeling there a listening and the booger looking down thinking holy shit don’t move and he won’t see me and then you putting your hand on his foot both of you realising what was happening him roaring and thinking I don’t think he saw me you backing up thinking what the hell was that ….. anyway great encounter and Wes get him on
Ernest M
Welcome home William, thank you for your service. You probably scared him a whole lot more than you realize, imagine him leaning against the tree wondering what’s going on with the rear eschelon and suddenly something unbeknown to him snags his foot. His yell was probably out of sheer fright (I wonder what his words may have been.)
Steve E
Add this guy to the very small list of people who have actually touched a sasquatch… love it!
SHANNON D
And then your off to Nam…