The Flatwoods Monster — Braxton County, West Virginia

On the evening of September 12, 1952, three boys playing in Flatwoods, West Virginia observed a bright object streak across the sky and appear to land on a nearby hill. They reported to Kathleen May, who organized a group including herself, her sons, several teenagers, National Guard member Eugene Lemon, and his dog to investigate. As the group climbed the hill, Lemon's dog ran ahead and returned whimpering. The group encountered a thick, pungent mist that caused their eyes and noses to burn on contact. At the top of the rise, Lemon's flashlight illuminated a large, glowing reddish sphere pulsing nearby. One of the boys swept the flashlight and the beam fell on a large figure — described by all present as towering 10 feet or more, with a rounded red face, large non-human eyes, and a dark pleated metallic garment, with small claw-like appendages. The entity emitted a hissing sound and a noxious odor, and began moving toward the group. All witnesses fled. Several subsequently became physically ill — vomiting, swollen throats, and irritated eyes and skin — symptoms consistent with chemical irritant exposure. A. Lee Stewart of the Braxton Democrat investigated the site the following morning and found freshly flattened grass in a circular area and oily black residue on the ground, which he documented. Two residents in a nearby home also reported hearing a loud noise and seeing the pulsing object at the same time, providing independent corroboration. The case was investigated by Ivan T. Sanderson and reported in True Magazine.