From Dal's Blog...

I have a post almost ready with some interesting stories you may not know about the Jolly Green Giant helicopters in Vietnam (the same that rescued Forrest at least one time), but there was some talk on Dal's blog last night that led me to sum it up (I'll post the whole story in a couple days...I want to make sure I fact check enough to get it right, unlike PEOPLE MAGAZINE, who stated over and over that the treasure is in NM. Come on! There's almost FIVE YEARS of information out there!). I'll also admit I've not done enough fact checking before a post, and I'm trying to remedy that, but geez, the knowledge that the search extends beyond NM is ALL OVER the web!

Anyway, I posted this on Dal's blog:

"Has anyone else considered that the way Forrest recently described himself, “I’m a retired fighter pilot who was shot down twice,” is important? I read about the Jolly Green’s and the FAC’s, and what’s interesting is how extremely rare it is for a fighter pilot to survive being shot down twice.”

And notice he doesn't say “two times,” but specifically, “twice.” And very curious that in Ute, the word for “twice,” is “wize.”

Shot down twice. Extremely lucky. Horseshoes a symbol of good luck, and there are two of them…

If you’ve been twice…"

Another blogger replied with this:

"In my well intentioned but probably doesn’t come across as humble opinion, I think that focusing on information like this will only get us farther away from the correct solve. I saw your post on The Catcher in the Rye and its importance but Mr. Fenn has specifically said no literature of any form influenced his writing of the poem. There is a person I see more often on Jenny’s site named Astree who is constantly using anagrams even though Mr. Fenn has clearly stated anagrams are not involved. If we take all of the comments Mr. Fenn has made and the books he has written or talked about the amount of “Clues” we can concoct would be endless."

To which I replied:

"Actually, he didn’t specifically say anagrams. Read that quote again. And no, I agree that no literature influenced his hiding the chest, but I DO believe that concepts FOUND in important literature did.

And my Ute comment is simply based on a COMPREHENSIVE knowledge of geography, which he said WAS helpful.

My reading about the Jolly Greens was simply because I was interested in it, and in reading and comparing it to what I read in TTOTC, I find curiosities. There’s a reason he keeps repeating he was shot down twice. There’s a reason he says the PJ in the Jolly Green didn’t need to tell him TWICE to sit on the flak vest. If you invest a little time researching and striving to know the nuances behind his words, you learn a lot. Whether you learn any hints as to where the chest is hidden, I don't know, but learning about these things might help you understand the man who hid the chest a little better. (I wanted to say this in the reply, but it was about 5:00 am, and I forgot, so I add it here)

Now I know why he rushed to the flak vest. Most likely, they were taking enemy fire. The enemy would purposely wait for the Jolly Green’s to come, and when the helicopter was at its most vulnerable –when the hoist began to lift the downed pilot from the ground–they would open fire with heavy Soviet artillery.

Almost every rescue involved an enemy attack, and like Forrest, I think those Jolly Green guys were huge, selfless heroes.

Just a short time after Forrest’s rescue, Lt. Lance Eagan rescued another pilot, Cpt. Jack Modica, and that exciting story can be read online. I encourage everyone to read it, because once you do, you’ll have a whole new appreciation of those ultimate heroes.

So, no anagrams or ciphers, but important literature is important for a reason. Not that he was influenced by any, but because there might be concepts in them that are also in the poem and the big picture.

I think there’s a reason Forrest quoted his dad when he said it was good to learn the things "not worth knowing" about. Because you may find there’s something worth knowing in everything."

Those blades and engines may have been the most welcome sound in Vietnam. It meant help was on it's way.

I've found valuable information in everything I've ever researched, whether it relates to the chase or not. Of course, I'm trying desperately to find the treasure, but I'm going to stop and smell the roses as I do. If something looks interesting to ME, I'm going to read about it and learn about it. I wanted to know why A1C Sully didn't have to tell Forrest twice to sit on the flak vest. I found out (the enemy was mostly shooting from the GROUND, and sitting on the flak vest was a way to protect your butt), and I learned something interesting in the process. I learned about some heroes, and remembered them with a smile and a tear in my thoughts. I'm learning there is a lot in the world to be grateful for. I'm also learning a lot about how things used to be, and how there are pros and cons about living in the world we live in today. 

I'm learning about what is wrong with our world today, and have a new perspective on what is mine, and not mine, and everybody's.

I'm also learning there are many things we are in the process of forgetting, and we should not EVER forget. 

And still they smile. As Forrest said, "Such heroes are few."

Unknown Soldier

Dragged from the mud 

Of some unknown land 

Stripped of his belongings and 

Wrapped for his journey home

Must one die here so young and so alone. 

To become a man, victim of an undeclared war 

On unknown soil. To be so soon forgotten 

By those who sent him here

- Roger Ables - 

HHB 321 Arty