YEAR: 1957

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: July

STATE: Virginia

COUNTY: Prince William County

LOCATION DETAILS: The place is a U.S. Marine camp, it is outside of Quantico base, if my memories serves me right it was camp Geotche.

NEAREST TOWN: Quantico VA

NEAREST ROAD: U.S.1

OBSERVED: While I was a Marine stationed at one of the schools demostration camps in Quantico VA I observed something that looked like a bear while walking my post, what alerted me was a dog that use to walk post with whoever was on duty at night, when she started to bark I looked up and saw a figure that was about 7 feet tall had light brownish hair on it's body, was not able to see the face due to the darkness of the wooded area, but when I told the dog to go after it, the figure just stayed there and didn't move, but when I put a round in the chamber of my M1 it took off running, I never saw it after that, I asked some Marines that came from that area if there was an animal that looked like my description and their remark was, what did you have to drink, I really never paid any attention to the matter until years later I started to see stories of big foot, I am hoping that my story can confirm someone elses sighting in that area.

ALSO NOTICED: No I did not see or hear anyhting after that day, I asked others who were in the camp longer than I if they knew what kind of bear would look like that in that area, they thought that i was drinking something at the time, which was not so.

OTHER WITNESSES: No there were no witnesses, what alerted me was a pet dog we had that use to walk the post with who ever was on guard duty at night.

OTHER STORIES: No I haven't, I am writing to see if anyone else has seen anything like what I saw, then maybe we can confirm the story.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: The time was about 0130 hours and if I remember correctly the night was clear and weather was about 60 degrees

ENVIRONMENT: The area was a wooded area, there was a lake close by, I was a young Marine on guard duty that night, I was walking a post by quanset huts which was part of the camp.

Follow-up investigation report:

Talked with witness and the following details can be added:
--was stationed at the Base for six months in 1957;
--the military reservation consists of large sections of forest;
--only other wildlife he had heard to be present in the area were deer (no bear were ever reported);
--dog's name was Goldy;
--generally, since the area was so remote and no one had ever gotten onto the base before, he didn't at first pay the creature much attention;
--this occurred before Bigfoot was reported in the press, so he had no clue what he was seeing;
--if it was a hoax, the person would have risked being shot by the guards;
--animal was probably coming in to root around in the mess hall garbage cans;
--description of creature (he was within 80 feet of him): it was stocky, boxer type, with no real neck (head appeared to just be sitting on the body), when it ran off, it did so on two legs;
--he was mostly alarmed that the creature did not appear to be afraid of the dog, but did appear to be afraid of the gun.

If you had a similar experience on the Base or where on the Base at this same time, witness had included his email address for you to contact.

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