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<v Speaker 1>Welcome back to the Path Went Chile for part two

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<v Speaker 1>of our series about the disappearance of Paul Whipkey. Robin,

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<v Speaker 1>do you want to catch everyone up on what we

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<v Speaker 1>talked about in our previous episode.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, this case takes place all the way back in

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<v Speaker 2>the nineteen fifties, involving First Lieutenant Paul Whipkey, who was

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<v Speaker 2>with the Army and stationed at Fort Orton, California in

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<v Speaker 2>nineteen fifty eight. He was considered to be an excellent

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<v Speaker 2>soldier who had an exemplary record, but people noticed that

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<v Speaker 2>his behavior started to change during the summer of nineteen

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<v Speaker 2>fifty seven. As it turned out, he was a to

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<v Speaker 2>an operation called Operation Plumb Bob, which involved atomic testing

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<v Speaker 2>and then added desert. But in retrospect, it seemed apparent

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<v Speaker 2>that he got bad radiation poisoning as he started suffering

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<v Speaker 2>medical issues like all of his teeth falling out, getting

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<v Speaker 2>skin blotches, and his attitude seemed to change and he

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<v Speaker 2>started to display more erratic behavior. And then one day

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<v Speaker 2>in July of nineteen fifty eight, Whicky left the base

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<v Speaker 2>in order to say that he was going to get

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<v Speaker 2>a drink in a nearby bar, but he never returned

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<v Speaker 2>and was declared a wall, and they eventually found his

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<v Speaker 2>abandoned car in Death Valley. The army pretty much decided

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<v Speaker 2>that he had gone a wall, he was a deserter

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<v Speaker 2>and wandered off into the desert and died of exposure,

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<v Speaker 2>but they never found his body, and Whipkey's family noticed

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of suspicious discrepancies to make them think that

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<v Speaker 2>something was going on because they declared him a wall,

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<v Speaker 2>and they removed all of his personal belongings from his

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<v Speaker 2>barracks only two days after he originally went missing and

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<v Speaker 2>pretty much completely closed the case. And some other people

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<v Speaker 2>on base said that prior to disappearance, Whipkey had been

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<v Speaker 2>speaking with a man dressed in civilian clothing who had

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<v Speaker 2>gone on to the base, which made him suspect that

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<v Speaker 2>he was being cruited for a top secret mission from

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<v Speaker 2>the CIA, and they found out that before Whipkey's car

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<v Speaker 2>was abandoned, he had checked into a motel that was

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<v Speaker 2>one hundred miles away. So there's been speculation that he

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<v Speaker 2>was sent off on a mission and his car was

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<v Speaker 2>abandoned in the desert to stage's disappearance, and that he

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<v Speaker 2>made have been killed in the line of duty, but

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<v Speaker 2>the Army refused to reveal it because of natural security reasons.

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<v Speaker 2>Decades later, Whiky's family succeeded at getting his classification change

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<v Speaker 2>from deserter too killed in the line of duty, but

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<v Speaker 2>unfortunately they did not offer any specific details why they

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<v Speaker 2>did this or why they now suddenly believed that Whipkey

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<v Speaker 2>died in the line of duty because they pretty much

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<v Speaker 2>kipt all this information classified. And after all these years,

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<v Speaker 2>it's still his family is still looking for answers about

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<v Speaker 2>what actually happened to him and are hoping to recover

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<v Speaker 2>his remains. So, like I mentioned in the intro and

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<v Speaker 2>apart One, UNSAW Mysteries featured their fair share of segments

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<v Speaker 2>about mysteries which took place in the military. They often

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<v Speaker 2>had a major conspiracy theory by them, and I believe

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<v Speaker 2>that almost none of the featured cases wound up being solved.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm not saying that the military doesn't cover stuff up,

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<v Speaker 2>but I do believe in many of these cases the

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<v Speaker 2>allegations put forward by the victim's family were overblown, and

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<v Speaker 2>the real explanation for what happened to them was probably

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<v Speaker 2>far less clandestine than they made it out to be.

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<v Speaker 2>I think The closest comparison you could make to the

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<v Speaker 2>Paul Whipkey case was the unsaw Mystery segment about the

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<v Speaker 2>disappearance of Army Private Justin Bergwinkle. Whipk and Bergwinkle had

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<v Speaker 2>both been stationed at Fort Ord, and while there's no

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<v Speaker 2>connection between the two cases since they took place thirty

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<v Speaker 2>five years apart, there are some interesting parallels. Burgwinkle was

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<v Speaker 2>transferred from ford Or to Fort Lewis and Washington State,

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<v Speaker 2>but he wound up going a wall and vanishing without

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<v Speaker 2>a trace in June and nineteen ninety three. Much like

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<v Speaker 2>the Whipkey case, Bergwinkle's abandoned car would be this time

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<v Speaker 2>at a motel near Fort Ord, and his keys and

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<v Speaker 2>many of his personal possessions, including his military dog tags,

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<v Speaker 2>were found inside. Burgwinkell's girlfriend would later recounted incident where

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<v Speaker 2>he told her that dog tags were used to identify

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<v Speaker 2>dead soldiers, so if she ever found his dog tags

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<v Speaker 2>lying around somewhere, that meant he was dead. In the

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<v Speaker 2>months prior to his disappearance, Burgwinkle had been exhibiting strange

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<v Speaker 2>behavior and implying to his friends and family that he

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<v Speaker 2>was recruited for some sort of secret mission. So when

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<v Speaker 2>Bergwinkell went missing, this prompted his loved ones to push

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<v Speaker 2>forward the theory that he was killed on this alleged

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<v Speaker 2>mission and the military covered up his death and a

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<v Speaker 2>band in his car. If you want to learn more

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<v Speaker 2>about Bergwinkle's case, I covered it on episode number two

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<v Speaker 2>eighty nine of The Trail Went Cold. But the alternate

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<v Speaker 2>explanation is that he was suffering from delusions of brandeur.

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<v Speaker 2>So all of Bergwinkle's talk about a quote unquote secret

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<v Speaker 2>mission was nothing more than a fantasy, and his disappearance

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<v Speaker 2>was actually the result of a mental breakdown.

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<v Speaker 3>But remember there were also those two individuals who had

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<v Speaker 3>come around that were from what they were alluding to,

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<v Speaker 3>might be like the CIA or something like that, and

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<v Speaker 3>really trying to discuss something with both of those gentlemen,

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<v Speaker 3>isn't that right, Well, that's definitely the case in the

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<v Speaker 3>Paul Whipkey case. The Justin Bergwinkle case is totally different,

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<v Speaker 3>and I do have a feeling that he had some

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<v Speaker 3>sort of mental breakdown because I don't think there was

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<v Speaker 3>any evidence to suggest that he was recruited for a

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<v Speaker 3>secret mission, because he kind of had an unremarkable service

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<v Speaker 3>record while with Paul Whipkey, that's definitely a possibility because

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<v Speaker 3>there's no other logical explanation for why these two men

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<v Speaker 3>in civilian clothing would be visiting him on the army

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<v Speaker 3>base so many times in order to speak to him.

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<v Speaker 3>And one of the things we talked about with him

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<v Speaker 3>is that he did have an exemplary military career. So

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<v Speaker 3>would he be someone that they'd seek out for a

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<v Speaker 3>special mission. Yes, But on the other hand, he's also

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<v Speaker 3>physically deteriorating to where you can notice it. His teeth

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<v Speaker 3>are falling out, he's lost weight, there's other signs where

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<v Speaker 3>maybe that leadership quality that he once had isn't as strong.

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<v Speaker 3>So on one hand, if you look at his history, yes,

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<v Speaker 3>he'd be somebody that maybe an organization like the CIA

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<v Speaker 3>would be looking too higher. But when you look at

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<v Speaker 3>who he is presently when they come, he'd be struggling

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<v Speaker 3>with the effects of what we think is that radiation poisoning,

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<v Speaker 3>And so at the time when they would come and

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<v Speaker 3>he's physically deteriorated and mentally failing, would he still be

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<v Speaker 3>someone that they'd want to recruit. That's what makes that

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<v Speaker 3>kind of a bizarre angle. Historically, Yes, presently, probably not.

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<v Speaker 1>But what if they were looking for somebody who they

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<v Speaker 1>thought that the secret mission was likely to result in

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<v Speaker 1>the death of the person participating, So they were looking

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<v Speaker 1>for somebody that maybe didn't have a family, or given

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<v Speaker 1>his current physical state in declining mental health, maybe they

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<v Speaker 1>thought that he was somebody that they could like quote

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<v Speaker 1>unquote sacrifice or something like that, because his future prognosis

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<v Speaker 1>was pretty grim considering all the ailments that he was

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<v Speaker 1>suffering from, and so they approached him for that reason,

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<v Speaker 1>his past exemplary record and the fact that maybe they

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<v Speaker 1>didn't put as much of a premium on his life

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<v Speaker 1>given the state of his health at that time.

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<v Speaker 2>That would make sense to me because he did not

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<v Speaker 2>have a wife, he did not have any children, and

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<v Speaker 2>he may have been told because of this radioactive followed,

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<v Speaker 2>you are not going to live much longer, like you

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<v Speaker 2>could die within the next few years, So why not

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<v Speaker 2>go on this one final mission in which you will

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<v Speaker 2>be sacrificing yourself, but you will be doing a great

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<v Speaker 2>service for your country and protecting the greater good with

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<v Speaker 2>your nobility.

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<v Speaker 1>Kind of like a kamikaze pilot.

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<v Speaker 2>Almost.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, now, I'm sure you can see the numerous

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<v Speaker 1>similarities between Bergwinkle's case and what happened to Paul Whitkey.

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<v Speaker 1>Months before he went missing, Whipkey told his brother that

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<v Speaker 1>he was going on an assignment where he would quote

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<v Speaker 1>make a name for himself, and he was frequently seen

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<v Speaker 1>having conversations with two men who may have been working

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<v Speaker 1>for the CIA, So Whipkey's loved ones theorized that he

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<v Speaker 1>was recruited for some sort of secret mission and might

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<v Speaker 1>have been killed in the line of duty, prompting the

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<v Speaker 1>military to abandon his car in the desert and fabricate

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<v Speaker 1>a cover story that he simply wandered off and died

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<v Speaker 1>after some sort of mental breakdown. Like Bergwinkle, Whitky had

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<v Speaker 1>been exhibiting strange behavior prior to his disappearance, though there's

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<v Speaker 1>actually an explanation for this, since Whitkey seemed to be

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<v Speaker 1>suffering the events of being exposed to radioactive fallout during

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<v Speaker 1>atomic testing at Camp Desert Rock, But this begs a question.

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<v Speaker 1>If Whike was deteriorating both physically and mentally, then, as

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<v Speaker 1>Ashley just asked, why would the CIA have considered him

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<v Speaker 1>to be an ideal candidate for an important mission? This

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<v Speaker 1>suggests a potential alternate explanation where Bifky's disappearance could have

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<v Speaker 1>been orchestrated to cover up what happened to him during

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<v Speaker 1>his work on Operation Plumbob. Well, there's no hard evidence

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<v Speaker 1>that the military ever did anything shady in the Bergwinkle disappearance.

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<v Speaker 1>I do think there are enough suspicious details in Whitfkey's

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<v Speaker 1>disappearance to suggest that something was covered up. In burg

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<v Speaker 1>Winkle's case, we really only have his word that he

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<v Speaker 1>was being recruited for a mission. But here we have

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<v Speaker 1>multiple witnesses, including Whipkey's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Lewis,

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<v Speaker 1>who saw Whitfkey chatting with two men in civilian clothing

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<v Speaker 1>on several occasions. Whitke apparently seemed nervous after he spoke

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<v Speaker 1>to them and never disclosed in nature of their conversation,

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<v Speaker 1>and it sounds like their presence at Camp Desert Rock

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<v Speaker 1>was a bit out of the ordinary. Lewis was also

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<v Speaker 1>claimed that whenever he tried to make inquiries into Whifkey's disappearance,

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<v Speaker 1>he was told to quote let it go because the

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<v Speaker 1>case was closed. One of the reasons is difficult to

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<v Speaker 1>swallow the idea that berg Winkle was recruited for a

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<v Speaker 1>secret mission is because well, he just didn't seem like

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<v Speaker 1>a particularly remarkable candidate for something like that. At the

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<v Speaker 1>time you went missing. Bergwinkle had served in the army

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<v Speaker 1>for three years and never rose above the rank of private,

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<v Speaker 1>and he'd just been assigned a kitchen duty. Whipkey, on

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<v Speaker 1>the other hand, was a skilled pilot with an ex

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<v Speaker 1>excellent service record who'd recently been promoted to company commander.

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<v Speaker 1>So I could possibly see the CIA being interested in

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<v Speaker 1>someone like that. But like we mentioned earlier, due to

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<v Speaker 1>the effects of the radioactive follow Wikey was starting to

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<v Speaker 1>undergo personality changes and suffering from numerous health problems, which

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<v Speaker 1>included the removal of all of his teeth. So you'd

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<v Speaker 1>think that this might have given the government second thoughts

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<v Speaker 1>about using Whisky on a secret mission. That's why it's

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<v Speaker 1>possible that Whipkey's conversations with the two men may have

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<v Speaker 1>actually been related to his involvement with the atomic testing,

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<v Speaker 1>as they might have been monitoring Whipkey to see how

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<v Speaker 1>his exposure to radiation was affecting him absolutely.

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<v Speaker 3>And what's interesting is that his commanding officer said, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>he had been selected as his leader and had always

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<v Speaker 3>been this exemplary soldier, but that he was starting to

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<v Speaker 3>really kind of become more introverted and anxious. It's possible

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<v Speaker 3>that if the CIA had said, listen, your death is imminent.

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<v Speaker 3>We need you to help us. That's kind of a somber,

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<v Speaker 3>kind of sobering concept, and so it's possible that that

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<v Speaker 3>could have also affected his personality. But I think it's

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<v Speaker 3>very interesting that you do have that dichotomy of would

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<v Speaker 3>they look at his legacy and who he was and

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<v Speaker 3>be okay with the state of his mental and physical health. Also,

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<v Speaker 3>he told his brother he was going to make a

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<v Speaker 3>name for himself, and if he was going out on

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<v Speaker 3>the secret mission and was going to abandon his post,

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<v Speaker 3>you're not making a name for yourself. You're actually disgracing

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<v Speaker 3>your name because you're listed as a wall. And then

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<v Speaker 3>it's that you wandered off into the desert due to

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<v Speaker 3>a mental health breakdown. So it's interesting that he tells

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<v Speaker 3>his brother, this could be my moment, I could be

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<v Speaker 3>really making a name for myself, when in fact, for

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<v Speaker 3>years his name was drug through the mud.

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<v Speaker 1>What if he meant make a name for himself within

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<v Speaker 1>the intelligence community or within the CIA.

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<v Speaker 3>Okay, that's true, very true.

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<v Speaker 2>It's true. I mean he sounded like a very proud man,

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<v Speaker 2>So I wonder would he go for that if he

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<v Speaker 2>knew that, Well, you're going to do something heroic and

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<v Speaker 2>sacrifice yourself for your country. But the rest of the

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<v Speaker 2>world is going to think you're a deserter and abandon

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<v Speaker 2>your post. But who knows. Maybe if they said, hey,

227
00:12:08.200 --> 00:12:10.399
<v Speaker 2>the people in the intelligence community will think of you

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<v Speaker 2>as a hero, maybe that was enough for him. But

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<v Speaker 2>before we delve any further into this radiation angle, let's

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<v Speaker 2>explore the circumstances of how he went missing. We know

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<v Speaker 2>that Whipkey was last seen leaving ford Ord on July

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<v Speaker 2>tenth and told his friends that he was planning to

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<v Speaker 2>drive to Moderey to get a drink, but for whatever reason,

234
00:12:28.360 --> 00:12:31.039
<v Speaker 2>he drove over three hundred miles to Mojave. And this

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<v Speaker 2>part can be verified since his name was found in

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<v Speaker 2>the guest registry of a local hotel and there was

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00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:38.480
<v Speaker 2>a receipt which showed that he had filled up his

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<v Speaker 2>car with gas and mojave the following morning. When Whipkey

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00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:44.320
<v Speaker 2>failed to report back to ford Ord, he was declared

240
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<v Speaker 2>a wall that same day. Now here's the main reason

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<v Speaker 2>I believe that the Army was covering something up in

242
00:12:49.480 --> 00:12:52.480
<v Speaker 2>this case. On the surface, the cover story they pushed

243
00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:56.080
<v Speaker 2>forward does not seem that implausible. They believed that Whipkey

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<v Speaker 2>was feeling overburned from the stress of being promoted to

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00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:02.720
<v Speaker 2>company commander, suffered some sort of mental breakdown, prompting him

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<v Speaker 2>to drive to a remote spot and death Valley, where

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00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:08.799
<v Speaker 2>he subsequently wandered out into the desert and perished. I

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00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:11.759
<v Speaker 2>know that Whiki's family and friends always maintained that he

249
00:13:11.799 --> 00:13:14.759
<v Speaker 2>was an excellent soldier and never would have deserted his post,

250
00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:18.320
<v Speaker 2>but the effects of the radioactive followed were clearly causing

251
00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:22.080
<v Speaker 2>him to deteriorate. However, the major red flag is that

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00:13:22.120 --> 00:13:25.639
<v Speaker 2>Whiki's personal belongings were immediately cleared out of his barracks

253
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<v Speaker 2>and boxed up on July the eleventh, the same day

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00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:31.960
<v Speaker 2>he was declared a wall. The standard protocol in the

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<v Speaker 2>military is that someone has to be a wall for

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00:13:34.440 --> 00:13:37.519
<v Speaker 2>at least thirty days before they are officially classified as

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<v Speaker 2>a deserter, which is exactly what happened here. This is

258
00:13:40.840 --> 00:13:43.039
<v Speaker 2>when you'd expect him to go through the procedure of

259
00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:45.879
<v Speaker 2>boxing up the missing soldiers belongings and shipping them to

260
00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:48.600
<v Speaker 2>his family. There is no reason to do this when

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00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:51.759
<v Speaker 2>a soldier with an otherwise exemplary record is missing for

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00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:55.840
<v Speaker 2>only one day, particularly when army regulations state that the

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00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:59.200
<v Speaker 2>soldiers next of kin or legal representative needs to be

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00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:01.840
<v Speaker 2>notified before or they go through the process of clearing

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00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:05.519
<v Speaker 2>out their belongings, which did not happen here. So how

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00:14:05.559 --> 00:14:08.240
<v Speaker 2>could the army have been so certain that Whipkey wasn't

267
00:14:08.279 --> 00:14:11.159
<v Speaker 2>coming back at this point. There's no way they should

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00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:12.759
<v Speaker 2>have known. He was one hundreds of miles away.

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00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:16.720
<v Speaker 3>And what's really sad is that he had an amazing record.

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<v Speaker 3>This is somebody who you actually, when you heard their missing,

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00:14:20.440 --> 00:14:23.679
<v Speaker 3>my brain would say what happened to him? It would

272
00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:26.679
<v Speaker 3>scare me. It would make me very unsettled. Instead of

273
00:14:26.840 --> 00:14:30.080
<v Speaker 3>the default, oh, he's a bandon his post. Nothing in

274
00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:33.879
<v Speaker 3>his history shows that. Now had he been a problem soldier,

275
00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:37.240
<v Speaker 3>had he had multiple marks on his record that were negative,

276
00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:40.000
<v Speaker 3>I could see where the default would be. Okay, this

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00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:43.840
<v Speaker 3>guy has never committed to the military. This was his

278
00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:46.639
<v Speaker 3>way to get away. Even then, a day doesn't give

279
00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:48.919
<v Speaker 3>you enough time to know what happened. To him, But

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<v Speaker 3>for whipkeys specifically, I would think there'd be that horror

281
00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:55.159
<v Speaker 3>and worry way before you'd think.

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00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:55.879
<v Speaker 2>He went a wall.

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00:14:56.679 --> 00:15:00.639
<v Speaker 1>Can I ask you both a question regarding the method

284
00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:02.879
<v Speaker 1>in which they're saying that he may have tried to

285
00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:05.919
<v Speaker 1>end his own life. Are either of you familiar on

286
00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:09.559
<v Speaker 1>the statistics of gun owners or those who have access

287
00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:12.679
<v Speaker 1>to firearms. I would think like those in law enforcement

288
00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:15.639
<v Speaker 1>I know have when they decide to end their own life,

289
00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:19.519
<v Speaker 1>there's a hyperpensity towards using a firearm to do so.

290
00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:22.919
<v Speaker 1>Is it the same with the military, Because going all

291
00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:25.279
<v Speaker 1>the way to the Mohave Desert and just wandering off

292
00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:27.960
<v Speaker 1>seems like an odd choice to end your own life

293
00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:30.519
<v Speaker 1>when you have access to firearms, I.

294
00:15:30.519 --> 00:15:33.919
<v Speaker 3>Would assume it's a higher rate of using a gun

295
00:15:34.039 --> 00:15:36.960
<v Speaker 3>via this for the suicide. But because you're comfortable with

296
00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:39.000
<v Speaker 3>that weapon and something you know how to operate, and

297
00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:41.840
<v Speaker 3>you would know that you're a you're effective with that

298
00:15:42.200 --> 00:15:46.120
<v Speaker 3>with that weapon. However, you're right when you talk about

299
00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:48.559
<v Speaker 3>I wandered off into the desert. A lot of times

300
00:15:48.919 --> 00:15:51.399
<v Speaker 3>people make sure that their body can be recovered so

301
00:15:51.480 --> 00:15:54.320
<v Speaker 3>that their family has somebody to bury, and you don't

302
00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:56.600
<v Speaker 3>have what this poor family is dealing with that missing

303
00:15:56.679 --> 00:15:59.360
<v Speaker 3>person's category, and so that's odd.

304
00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:00.480
<v Speaker 2>I know.

305
00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:02.480
<v Speaker 3>Usually, you know, if you're in the state of mind

306
00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:06.240
<v Speaker 3>where you're completing suicide or taking your own life, it's

307
00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:09.440
<v Speaker 3>not always a rational mind that's happening at the time.

308
00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:12.799
<v Speaker 3>But typically you do see where either a note tells

309
00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:15.000
<v Speaker 3>you where their body can be discovered, or they make

310
00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:16.960
<v Speaker 3>sure that their body is able to be found so

311
00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:19.720
<v Speaker 3>that they can be buried. So that's an interesting fact too.

312
00:16:20.279 --> 00:16:22.279
<v Speaker 2>So I guess the alternate explanation is that that if

313
00:16:22.279 --> 00:16:24.960
<v Speaker 2>he didn't want his family to know he died by suicide,

314
00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:27.000
<v Speaker 2>he could have done it in a manner which ensured

315
00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:29.159
<v Speaker 2>it would never be found. I mean, how could he

316
00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:31.279
<v Speaker 2>have even really known that if he was the one

317
00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:33.279
<v Speaker 2>who drove the car there and wandered off, how could

318
00:16:33.320 --> 00:16:35.519
<v Speaker 2>he even be certain that it would be found Because

319
00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:38.559
<v Speaker 2>this was a very remote area, like many miles away

320
00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:41.120
<v Speaker 2>from the nearest town. So maybe he was just hoping

321
00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:43.759
<v Speaker 2>they'll just assume I was gone missing or something and

322
00:16:43.799 --> 00:16:45.639
<v Speaker 2>never know what happened to me, and then they'll never

323
00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:47.840
<v Speaker 2>find out that I die by suicide.

324
00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:51.240
<v Speaker 1>And if we're going to be conspiratorial, do we actually

325
00:16:51.320 --> 00:16:53.679
<v Speaker 1>know that he ever went to Mojave, or was there

326
00:16:53.679 --> 00:16:57.240
<v Speaker 1>somebody posing as him who's signing in at this hotel

327
00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:59.960
<v Speaker 1>and they've got this kind of paper trail for it,

328
00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:03.600
<v Speaker 1>or do they have some kind of surveillance footage of him.

329
00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:06.720
<v Speaker 2>I don't think so because this was nineteen fifty eight, so.

330
00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:08.920
<v Speaker 1>I, oh, obviously not then, yeah.

331
00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:11.359
<v Speaker 2>No, definitely not. But they all they have really is

332
00:17:11.400 --> 00:17:13.319
<v Speaker 2>the signature in the book. I don't think there are

333
00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:16.599
<v Speaker 2>any witnesses who could verify we saw him there, So yeah,

334
00:17:16.599 --> 00:17:18.720
<v Speaker 2>that's an interesting point. It could have been someone else

335
00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:21.079
<v Speaker 2>signing his own name there in order to create like

336
00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:22.559
<v Speaker 2>a fake paper trail.

337
00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:26.720
<v Speaker 3>And abandoning his car, because then it gets very complicated

338
00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:29.960
<v Speaker 3>for anyone who's investigating the death. He's three hundred miles away,

339
00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:33.319
<v Speaker 3>so there's really not a relevant group of eyewitnesses or

340
00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:37.440
<v Speaker 3>anybody that could identify if someone other than Whipkey was

341
00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:39.519
<v Speaker 3>the one driving the car. You find the car and

342
00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:42.960
<v Speaker 3>you know it's in the midst of a deserted area,

343
00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:45.519
<v Speaker 3>and it's just a lot easier than had they abandoned

344
00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:48.119
<v Speaker 3>the car, let's say, five miles from the military base.

345
00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:52.599
<v Speaker 1>The theory the Paul's brother Karl Whipkey pushed forward is

346
00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:55.400
<v Speaker 1>the Paul drove to Mahave and checked into White's motel

347
00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:57.599
<v Speaker 1>in order to meet up with the people who recruited

348
00:17:57.680 --> 00:18:01.400
<v Speaker 1>him for a secret mission. Army then held onto Paul's

349
00:18:01.400 --> 00:18:03.440
<v Speaker 1>car while he was flown to another section of the

350
00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:06.680
<v Speaker 1>world for his mission, such as Asia. But something happened

351
00:18:06.680 --> 00:18:09.440
<v Speaker 1>which ensured that Paul was never coming back, so the

352
00:18:09.559 --> 00:18:12.279
<v Speaker 1>Army decided to abandon his car in an isolated section

353
00:18:12.359 --> 00:18:15.640
<v Speaker 1>of Death Valley and fabricated cover story about him wandering

354
00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:18.440
<v Speaker 1>out into the desert. After all, Death Valley is one

355
00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:21.079
<v Speaker 1>of the hottest places on Earth and such a desolate

356
00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:24.079
<v Speaker 1>location that it wouldn't be hard to imagine being unable

357
00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:27.200
<v Speaker 1>to find Whipkey's body there. One of the key points

358
00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:29.880
<v Speaker 1>used to support this theory was the eyewitness sighting from

359
00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:32.559
<v Speaker 1>a rancher who claimed he saw Whipkey's red and white

360
00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:35.480
<v Speaker 1>Chevrolet being driven through Death Valley by a man in

361
00:18:35.480 --> 00:18:39.000
<v Speaker 1>a military uniform. This sighting took place four weeks after

362
00:18:39.000 --> 00:18:41.960
<v Speaker 1>Whipkey originally went missing, so if he really did see

363
00:18:41.960 --> 00:18:45.599
<v Speaker 1>Whifkey's car, this raises a lot of questions. I know

364
00:18:45.640 --> 00:18:48.519
<v Speaker 1>the Whipki was wearing civilian clothes when he left Ford ORed.

365
00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:51.680
<v Speaker 1>But even if by chance, Whikey was the driver seen

366
00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:55.079
<v Speaker 1>wearing the military uniform, where was he during the previous

367
00:18:55.079 --> 00:18:58.039
<v Speaker 1>four weeks he was missing? Of course, I'm sure there

368
00:18:58.119 --> 00:19:00.279
<v Speaker 1>was a lot of red and white Chevrolets being driven

369
00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:02.680
<v Speaker 1>around back in nineteen fifty eight, So I guess the

370
00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:05.759
<v Speaker 1>alternate explanation is that the rancher did not actually see

371
00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:09.079
<v Speaker 1>Whipkey's car. But if the sighting is legitimate, I find

372
00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:12.119
<v Speaker 1>the timing to be interesting. Since the Chevrolet was seen

373
00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:15.519
<v Speaker 1>around the approximate time period, the thirty day window had passed,

374
00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:19.000
<v Speaker 1>which allowed Whipkey's status to be reclassified from a wall

375
00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:22.799
<v Speaker 1>to deserter. The presence of cigarette butts outside the abandoned

376
00:19:22.839 --> 00:19:26.640
<v Speaker 1>vehicle is also an intriguing clue. Unless whipk just suddenly

377
00:19:26.680 --> 00:19:30.240
<v Speaker 1>decided to take up smoking prior to his disappearance, this

378
00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:32.759
<v Speaker 1>suggests that someone else was with the Chevrolet when it

379
00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:36.640
<v Speaker 1>was abandoned. This is quite reminiscent of another famous missing

380
00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:40.640
<v Speaker 1>person's case, the disappearance of Ray Greekar, where cigarette ash

381
00:19:40.759 --> 00:19:44.440
<v Speaker 1>was found inside his abandoned car, even though he attested smoking.

382
00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:47.480
<v Speaker 3>It's really interesting when you look at this that the

383
00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:50.559
<v Speaker 3>Chevrolet going by in a man in uniform. If he

384
00:19:50.680 --> 00:19:53.680
<v Speaker 3>left in civilian clothes but was going to meet with

385
00:19:53.720 --> 00:19:56.839
<v Speaker 3>the CIA, then I could see him having his uniform

386
00:19:56.880 --> 00:19:59.039
<v Speaker 3>with him, so that it was a more professional meeting

387
00:19:59.079 --> 00:20:03.359
<v Speaker 3>when he's in his military attire. But like you said,

388
00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:07.279
<v Speaker 3>this is four weeks later, and so do we know

389
00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:10.000
<v Speaker 3>if there was another military base nearby that would have

390
00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:13.359
<v Speaker 3>you know, there'd obviously be multiple soldiers who could in

391
00:20:13.400 --> 00:20:16.119
<v Speaker 3>fact be driving just a red and white Chevy, so

392
00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:17.440
<v Speaker 3>it could be more coincident.

393
00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:22.039
<v Speaker 2>All I know that Mojave was near another military base.

394
00:20:22.119 --> 00:20:23.799
<v Speaker 2>Let me just check which one it was. Oh yeah,

395
00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:26.759
<v Speaker 2>I was located near Edwards Air Force Base, so it

396
00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:29.599
<v Speaker 2>is possible. I guess that Whipkey could have gone there

397
00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:33.359
<v Speaker 2>and got another military uniform or maybe changed into his uniform,

398
00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:36.759
<v Speaker 2>or who knows, maybe it was just another soldier who actually,

399
00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:39.759
<v Speaker 2>by coincidence, drove a similar car and was going through

400
00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:42.839
<v Speaker 2>dressed in uniform at that time. So when Paul's case

401
00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:45.160
<v Speaker 2>was finally heard by the Army Board of Correction to

402
00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:48.559
<v Speaker 2>Military Records nearly twenty four years later, it was pretty

403
00:20:48.599 --> 00:20:51.160
<v Speaker 2>much a good news bad news situation for his family.

404
00:20:51.640 --> 00:20:53.240
<v Speaker 2>The good news was that he would no longer be

405
00:20:53.319 --> 00:20:55.920
<v Speaker 2>class as a deserter. The bad news was that he

406
00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:58.880
<v Speaker 2>was reclassified as having died the line of duty, but

407
00:20:58.920 --> 00:21:02.279
<v Speaker 2>there was no additional excitation. I can certainly understand if

408
00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:05.200
<v Speaker 2>the Army had to keep certain details classified, But the

409
00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:08.160
<v Speaker 2>last time Whipkey was seen alive he was leaving Fort

410
00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:11.440
<v Speaker 2>orton civilian clothes in order to supposedly get a drink,

411
00:21:11.720 --> 00:21:15.079
<v Speaker 2>So whatever happened, it's unclear how this would qualify as

412
00:21:15.319 --> 00:21:18.279
<v Speaker 2>died in the line of duty, especially when you consider

413
00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:20.440
<v Speaker 2>that his body was never found and there was no

414
00:21:20.599 --> 00:21:23.599
<v Speaker 2>concrete evidence that he was actually dead. But this ruling

415
00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:26.359
<v Speaker 2>could be interpreted in a number of different ways. If

416
00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:29.599
<v Speaker 2>Whipkey really did suffer some sort of mental breakdown, drove

417
00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:32.240
<v Speaker 2>out into the desert, and wandered off, then this could

418
00:21:32.279 --> 00:21:34.480
<v Speaker 2>have been the result of the after effects of radio

419
00:21:34.519 --> 00:21:37.960
<v Speaker 2>Act followed. Since Whipkey was exposed to radiation because he

420
00:21:38.039 --> 00:21:41.359
<v Speaker 2>was assigned to be an observation pilot an Operation Plump Bob,

421
00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:44.279
<v Speaker 2>and this assignment involved him being placed in harm's way,

422
00:21:44.759 --> 00:21:47.880
<v Speaker 2>then I guess this could technically be classified as died

423
00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:51.160
<v Speaker 2>in the line of duty. Here's some additional information about

424
00:21:51.160 --> 00:21:54.640
<v Speaker 2>Operation Plumbob, which took place at Camp Desert Rock and

425
00:21:54.759 --> 00:21:58.039
<v Speaker 2>is considered to be the most controversial nuclear testing series

426
00:21:58.039 --> 00:22:00.599
<v Speaker 2>in the history of the United States. Twenty seven of

427
00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:04.000
<v Speaker 2>the twenty nine explosions set off during this operation produced

428
00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:07.640
<v Speaker 2>nuclear yield, and over sixteen thousand servicemen were involved in

429
00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:10.839
<v Speaker 2>the exercises, as well as twelve hundred test pigs who

430
00:22:10.839 --> 00:22:14.559
<v Speaker 2>were subject to experimentation. Of course, at the time Whiki

431
00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:18.559
<v Speaker 2>went missing, the details of Operation Plumbob were classified, and

432
00:22:18.599 --> 00:22:21.839
<v Speaker 2>Whipkey's family only found out about his involvement when an

433
00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:25.480
<v Speaker 2>assignment sheet was mistakenly included with his personal bellowings. But

434
00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:28.160
<v Speaker 2>as the years went on, the operation became the subject

435
00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:31.920
<v Speaker 2>of much criticism since enormous amounts of radiation were released

436
00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:35.240
<v Speaker 2>into the atmosphere during the testing, and its estimated that

437
00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:39.240
<v Speaker 2>around three thousand servicemen were exposed to dangerously high levels.

438
00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:42.440
<v Speaker 2>In fact, a survey was performed in nineteen eighty which

439
00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:45.799
<v Speaker 2>showed that there were elevated rates of leukemia among the servicemen.

440
00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:48.480
<v Speaker 2>We mentioned earlier that one of the tests Whikey was

441
00:22:48.519 --> 00:22:51.680
<v Speaker 2>involved with as an observation pilot produced a forty four

442
00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:56.240
<v Speaker 2>kiloton blast. By comparison, the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and

443
00:22:56.319 --> 00:23:01.519
<v Speaker 2>Nagasaki were only fifteen and twenty kilotons respectively. In nineteen ninety,

444
00:23:01.799 --> 00:23:05.839
<v Speaker 2>Congress passed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, so a number

445
00:23:05.880 --> 00:23:08.920
<v Speaker 2>of servicemen who suffered health consequences because of their work

446
00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:11.960
<v Speaker 2>on Operation Plumbbob were compensated by the government.

447
00:23:12.759 --> 00:23:15.799
<v Speaker 3>So I can easily see the reclassification being exactly what

448
00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:18.839
<v Speaker 3>you said, Robin, that listen, no matter what happened to him,

449
00:23:18.960 --> 00:23:21.680
<v Speaker 3>if he wandered off because of a mental health deficit

450
00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:25.440
<v Speaker 3>or some kind of issue that was going on at

451
00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:29.640
<v Speaker 3>the time, that the military says, listen, we contributed to that.

452
00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:33.200
<v Speaker 3>We put him in a scenario where he is at

453
00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:35.960
<v Speaker 3>this testing site, and we know that it was physically

454
00:23:36.359 --> 00:23:40.759
<v Speaker 3>debilitating him, that he was truly physically breaking down, and

455
00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:43.839
<v Speaker 3>that there's a record of him mentally also having issues

456
00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:48.480
<v Speaker 3>at least his personality changing in those types of observations.

457
00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:52.200
<v Speaker 3>So I would think that accountability of saying, whatever happened,

458
00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:56.559
<v Speaker 3>we contributed to a behavior change could easily be why

459
00:23:56.559 --> 00:23:58.559
<v Speaker 3>they said killed and the line of duty.

460
00:23:59.240 --> 00:24:02.000
<v Speaker 1>But how did they know that he wasn't coming back

461
00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:03.759
<v Speaker 1>and they packed up his stuff in a day.

462
00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:06.960
<v Speaker 2>That is true, Like there's no way he unless he

463
00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:09.160
<v Speaker 2>told them he was going somewhere. He gave off some

464
00:24:09.160 --> 00:24:11.559
<v Speaker 2>implication that I'm going to drive into the desert and

465
00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:13.920
<v Speaker 2>I'm going to complete suicide. There really shouldn't have been

466
00:24:13.960 --> 00:24:16.039
<v Speaker 2>any reason for them to pack up his belongings, like

467
00:24:16.039 --> 00:24:18.960
<v Speaker 2>they should have followed regulations, waited at least thirty days,

468
00:24:19.240 --> 00:24:21.119
<v Speaker 2>and at least given him a chance to come back

469
00:24:21.160 --> 00:24:24.680
<v Speaker 2>and explain himself, given his records. But it could be

470
00:24:24.680 --> 00:24:26.920
<v Speaker 2>a thing where like maybe they were asking him to

471
00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:29.240
<v Speaker 2>visit them at Edwards Air Force Base because they wanted

472
00:24:29.240 --> 00:24:31.480
<v Speaker 2>to study him to look at like the after effects

473
00:24:31.480 --> 00:24:34.440
<v Speaker 2>he was suffering from radiation, or or like Jules says,

474
00:24:34.440 --> 00:24:36.400
<v Speaker 2>maybe they were sending him off on a secret mission

475
00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:38.599
<v Speaker 2>where he would have to sacrifice his life and they

476
00:24:38.680 --> 00:24:41.920
<v Speaker 2>knew he wouldn't be coming back. But it does seem

477
00:24:41.960 --> 00:24:43.960
<v Speaker 2>like the Army knew more a lot more than they

478
00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:46.599
<v Speaker 2>were letting on, which is why they reclassified to died

479
00:24:46.640 --> 00:24:48.799
<v Speaker 2>in the line of duty, but they just didn't want

480
00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:50.599
<v Speaker 2>to give the specifics to his family.

481
00:24:51.319 --> 00:24:54.759
<v Speaker 1>It's also suspicious when people are inquiring about it within

482
00:24:54.920 --> 00:24:57.799
<v Speaker 1>the military and they're being told to drop it because

483
00:24:57.799 --> 00:25:00.160
<v Speaker 1>the case is closed exactly if.

484
00:25:00.119 --> 00:25:02.599
<v Speaker 2>You're a call. Lieutenant Colonel Charles Lewis the guy who

485
00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:06.039
<v Speaker 2>kept inquiring and was told that he testified on Whipkey's

486
00:25:06.119 --> 00:25:09.279
<v Speaker 2>behalf at this hearing in the eighties where they reclassified

487
00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:10.880
<v Speaker 2>his death, and then he said, all of a sudden,

488
00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:13.079
<v Speaker 2>the irs hit me with a massive tax on it,

489
00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:15.559
<v Speaker 2>so it seemed like they were punishing me for daring

490
00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:17.279
<v Speaker 2>to stick my nose into this business.

491
00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:20.279
<v Speaker 1>Ashley, do you think that would be like a huge deal.

492
00:25:20.519 --> 00:25:22.559
<v Speaker 1>I mean, you've got the experience with your dad being

493
00:25:22.599 --> 00:25:25.440
<v Speaker 1>a marine, and you know, being a professor at the

494
00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:28.640
<v Speaker 1>citadel for somebody you do step out of line and

495
00:25:28.720 --> 00:25:33.000
<v Speaker 1>to advocate for this person who's missing, and it seems

496
00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:35.720
<v Speaker 1>like the military's covering something up. Would that be looked

497
00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:37.119
<v Speaker 1>on unfavorably?

498
00:25:37.640 --> 00:25:40.759
<v Speaker 3>Well, it's not about Yeah, it's not about even if

499
00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:42.599
<v Speaker 3>they were covering it up or not. It's when you

500
00:25:42.640 --> 00:25:45.680
<v Speaker 3>are a subordinate and you go above rank and you

501
00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:49.680
<v Speaker 3>actually don't follow the chain of command, there's big backlash

502
00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:52.839
<v Speaker 3>and you're supposed to go to your commanding officer or

503
00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:56.119
<v Speaker 3>whoever's above you and discuss the issue with them, and

504
00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:58.200
<v Speaker 3>if it needs to be taken higher, they'll take it

505
00:25:58.279 --> 00:26:00.880
<v Speaker 3>higher or help you take it higher. But to skip

506
00:26:00.920 --> 00:26:03.400
<v Speaker 3>over a rank or to go around somebody is a

507
00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:07.559
<v Speaker 3>huge issue. You see that in a lot of military

508
00:26:07.599 --> 00:26:11.720
<v Speaker 3>police types of organizations. But yes, it'd be huge if

509
00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:13.440
<v Speaker 3>you have someone who is told to keep their mouth

510
00:26:13.480 --> 00:26:16.640
<v Speaker 3>shut and they wouldn't keep their mouth shut. That's a problem.

511
00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:19.240
<v Speaker 3>You didn't listen to the command I gave you. Now,

512
00:26:19.240 --> 00:26:21.279
<v Speaker 3>whether they're covering something up or not, I don't think

513
00:26:21.319 --> 00:26:24.799
<v Speaker 3>that's what would make everybody frustrated. It's that you're not

514
00:26:25.319 --> 00:26:28.000
<v Speaker 3>following rank, that you're not going through the proper chain

515
00:26:28.039 --> 00:26:30.839
<v Speaker 3>of command to get the issue discussed. You were told

516
00:26:30.839 --> 00:26:33.400
<v Speaker 3>by your commanding officer to hush then be quiet.

517
00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:36.960
<v Speaker 1>When you look at the circumstances, it just seems far

518
00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:40.359
<v Speaker 1>more plausible to me that wiki's disappearance was somehow related

519
00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:43.000
<v Speaker 1>to atomic testing rather than anything to do with the

520
00:26:43.079 --> 00:26:46.119
<v Speaker 1>secret mission. But there are still a few things which

521
00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:48.839
<v Speaker 1>don't make much sense. I suppose this would be a

522
00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:52.240
<v Speaker 1>good time to discuss the potential mystery within a mystery

523
00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:56.039
<v Speaker 1>involving the death of First Lieutenant Charles Guess. As you recall,

524
00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:58.559
<v Speaker 1>Guest was one of Whipkey's closest friends at Fort Ord,

525
00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:01.599
<v Speaker 1>and the plane Guests was flying went missing only twelve

526
00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:05.200
<v Speaker 1>days after Wiki disappeared. Before the wreckage was discovered in

527
00:27:05.319 --> 00:27:08.960
<v Speaker 1>Inno National Forest over one year later. There isn't much

528
00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:11.720
<v Speaker 1>information out there about Guests and what we do know

529
00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:14.839
<v Speaker 1>that he had been assigned to Camp Desert Rock alongside Whipkey.

530
00:27:15.319 --> 00:27:18.200
<v Speaker 1>It's unclear if he was also suffering any after effects

531
00:27:18.200 --> 00:27:21.359
<v Speaker 1>of radioactive fallout. On the surface, it does seem like

532
00:27:21.400 --> 00:27:24.200
<v Speaker 1>Guess's death was nothing more than a tragic accident, but

533
00:27:24.279 --> 00:27:27.079
<v Speaker 1>it is eye opening that this occurred so soon after

534
00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:30.359
<v Speaker 1>Whik went missing. The one detail which has made people

535
00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:32.400
<v Speaker 1>believe that there might be something more to guess the

536
00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:35.440
<v Speaker 1>story is that the serial number found on the wreckage

537
00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:38.000
<v Speaker 1>was apparently different than the serial number for the plane

538
00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:40.240
<v Speaker 1>he took off in. That is certainly weird, but it

539
00:27:40.279 --> 00:27:43.279
<v Speaker 1>is possible that the discrepancy in the serial numbers might

540
00:27:43.279 --> 00:27:46.279
<v Speaker 1>simply be the result of a clerical error. I mean,

541
00:27:46.359 --> 00:27:48.559
<v Speaker 1>it would be one thing if you think that someone

542
00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:52.400
<v Speaker 1>sabotaged Guess's plane and caused it to crash, But how

543
00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:54.960
<v Speaker 1>do you fabricate a crash with a completely different plane

544
00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:58.519
<v Speaker 1>with a different serial number. If the whole thing was stage,

545
00:27:59.079 --> 00:28:01.319
<v Speaker 1>then what happened to the original plane guests had been

546
00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:04.160
<v Speaker 1>flying well, I can believe if the Army might have

547
00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:07.039
<v Speaker 1>fabricated Whitfkey's disappearance by leaving his car in the middle

548
00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:09.680
<v Speaker 1>of the desert, doing so with a plane just seems

549
00:28:09.720 --> 00:28:12.920
<v Speaker 1>to be way too convoluted. So it's possible that the

550
00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:15.319
<v Speaker 1>whole side story with Guests is nothing more than a

551
00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:18.240
<v Speaker 1>red herring, and it's just a tragic coincidence that his

552
00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:22.559
<v Speaker 1>death took place during the same month that Wiki disappeared. Overall,

553
00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:25.240
<v Speaker 1>the idea that Wikey was recruited for a secret government

554
00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:29.000
<v Speaker 1>mission is pure speculation, aside from the conversation he had

555
00:28:29.000 --> 00:28:31.039
<v Speaker 1>with his brother Karl, where he said that he was

556
00:28:31.079 --> 00:28:33.240
<v Speaker 1>going on in an assignment where he would quote make a

557
00:28:33.359 --> 00:28:36.920
<v Speaker 1>name for himself. But this conversation took place in January

558
00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:40.079
<v Speaker 1>nineteen fifty eight, six months before he went missing. It

559
00:28:40.160 --> 00:28:42.640
<v Speaker 1>is possible that Witke really was in Lyne to receive

560
00:28:42.680 --> 00:28:45.200
<v Speaker 1>an assignment like that at some point, but because of

561
00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:49.160
<v Speaker 1>his physical and mental deterioration from the radioactive follow he

562
00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:51.759
<v Speaker 1>was ultimately pulled from this assignment and it had no

563
00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:53.119
<v Speaker 1>bearing on his disappearance.

564
00:28:53.799 --> 00:28:56.799
<v Speaker 3>What we do know, is that if he was actually

565
00:28:56.839 --> 00:29:00.759
<v Speaker 3>in line for a promotion or a special mission or

566
00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:02.720
<v Speaker 3>something where he thought he was going to quote make

567
00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:06.920
<v Speaker 3>a name for himself, if because of his deteriorating health

568
00:29:07.079 --> 00:29:10.640
<v Speaker 3>that was pulled away from him, that could increase the

569
00:29:10.759 --> 00:29:14.359
<v Speaker 3>likelihood that he did have a mental breakdown, or he

570
00:29:14.519 --> 00:29:19.319
<v Speaker 3>did have a episode of mental health breakdown, and that

571
00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:22.680
<v Speaker 3>suicide or abandoning his post could have become an option.

572
00:29:22.839 --> 00:29:25.839
<v Speaker 3>I mean, at that point, could that have triggered the

573
00:29:25.880 --> 00:29:29.200
<v Speaker 3>distress that he was feeling. If that is what actually happened.

574
00:29:28.920 --> 00:29:32.920
<v Speaker 2>To him, that is possible that maybe just the idea

575
00:29:32.920 --> 00:29:34.960
<v Speaker 2>of him trying to go on this secret mission while

576
00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:37.200
<v Speaker 2>he was suffering from these health issues and he really

577
00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:39.920
<v Speaker 2>didn't have anybody to talk to about this because this

578
00:29:40.039 --> 00:29:42.720
<v Speaker 2>was the fifties and people will were far less open

579
00:29:42.759 --> 00:29:45.680
<v Speaker 2>about talking about mental health struggles. So I guess it

580
00:29:45.720 --> 00:29:48.519
<v Speaker 2>is possible that that just added to his stress and

581
00:29:48.559 --> 00:29:50.920
<v Speaker 2>that by the time July came around, he had just

582
00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:53.839
<v Speaker 2>suffered a complete breakdown, and that's why he decided to

583
00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:57.359
<v Speaker 2>leave the base and possibly drive hundreds of miles away,

584
00:29:57.440 --> 00:29:59.680
<v Speaker 2>even if he wasn't involved in some sort of mission.

585
00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:01.920
<v Speaker 2>Do you know, for certain that Whipki still made a

586
00:30:01.960 --> 00:30:04.680
<v Speaker 2>lengthy drive from ford Or to Mohave and checked into

587
00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:07.359
<v Speaker 2>White's motel, So is it possible that he could have

588
00:30:07.359 --> 00:30:10.400
<v Speaker 2>been meeting someone there. While Whipkey was seen having numerous

589
00:30:10.440 --> 00:30:13.400
<v Speaker 2>conversations with two men at Camp Desert Rock who appeared

590
00:30:13.440 --> 00:30:16.079
<v Speaker 2>to be government agents, and while he never revealed what

591
00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:19.079
<v Speaker 2>they talked about, he usually seemed nervous after they spoke.

592
00:30:19.640 --> 00:30:22.039
<v Speaker 2>One theory which has been pushed forward is that Whikey

593
00:30:22.119 --> 00:30:24.359
<v Speaker 2>may have witnessed something he should have while he was

594
00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:28.440
<v Speaker 2>assigned to Camp Desert Rock, such as experiments involving radioactive

595
00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:31.880
<v Speaker 2>testing on humans. But it's also possible that he was

596
00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:35.240
<v Speaker 2>being extensively questioned about the effects he was suffering, and

597
00:30:35.319 --> 00:30:37.440
<v Speaker 2>perhaps this is the reason he went a wall and

598
00:30:37.480 --> 00:30:40.599
<v Speaker 2>traveled to Mojave to meet someone. The fact that Whikey's

599
00:30:40.599 --> 00:30:43.440
<v Speaker 2>belongs removed from his barracks the day after he left

600
00:30:43.440 --> 00:30:46.759
<v Speaker 2>ford Ord indicates to me that someone in power knew

601
00:30:46.799 --> 00:30:49.200
<v Speaker 2>he wasn't coming back there, at least not in the

602
00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:52.599
<v Speaker 2>near future. Now, I'm not suggesting that Wikkey met up

603
00:30:52.599 --> 00:30:55.039
<v Speaker 2>with someone who murdered him to cover up the fact

604
00:30:55.039 --> 00:30:58.359
<v Speaker 2>that he had been exposed to radioactive followed. I think

605
00:30:58.400 --> 00:31:01.119
<v Speaker 2>an alternate explanation is that he was taken somewhere to

606
00:31:01.160 --> 00:31:05.000
<v Speaker 2>receive treatment but ultimately succumbed to his illness. The Army

607
00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:07.440
<v Speaker 2>may have been worried about a potential backlash once it

608
00:31:07.480 --> 00:31:09.640
<v Speaker 2>got out that a number of servicemen were put in

609
00:31:09.680 --> 00:31:12.720
<v Speaker 2>harm's way during their work on Operation Plumbbob, so they

610
00:31:12.759 --> 00:31:15.920
<v Speaker 2>got rid of Whipky's body, abandoned his car and death valley,

611
00:31:16.240 --> 00:31:18.519
<v Speaker 2>and came up with a cover story which involved him

612
00:31:18.559 --> 00:31:21.319
<v Speaker 2>being a deserter who had a mental breakdown and wandered

613
00:31:21.359 --> 00:31:24.839
<v Speaker 2>off to his death and the desert heat. Technically, the

614
00:31:24.920 --> 00:31:28.400
<v Speaker 2>reclassification that Whiky died in the line of duty may

615
00:31:28.400 --> 00:31:31.599
<v Speaker 2>have been correct, but they cannot reveal the exact circumstances

616
00:31:31.599 --> 00:31:35.240
<v Speaker 2>of what happened during his Unsolved Mysteries interview. Carl Whipkey

617
00:31:35.319 --> 00:31:37.240
<v Speaker 2>stated that if Paul had been killed in the line

618
00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:40.079
<v Speaker 2>of duty on some sort of secret assignment while serving

619
00:31:40.119 --> 00:31:43.119
<v Speaker 2>his country, their family could accept that. But there's a

620
00:31:43.160 --> 00:31:46.400
<v Speaker 2>big difference between dying for your country and dying because

621
00:31:46.440 --> 00:31:49.680
<v Speaker 2>your country gave you an assignment where you were irresponsibly

622
00:31:49.720 --> 00:31:53.240
<v Speaker 2>exposed to lethal levels of radiation. Now I'm not saying that.

623
00:31:53.279 --> 00:31:56.880
<v Speaker 2>I'm entirely convinced that the Army stage Paul's disappearance to

624
00:31:56.880 --> 00:31:59.960
<v Speaker 2>cover up his involvement in Operation Plumbbob. We now know

625
00:32:00.160 --> 00:32:03.359
<v Speaker 2>that thousands of other servicemen were exposed to radioactive follow

626
00:32:03.440 --> 00:32:06.519
<v Speaker 2>during that operation and many other operations just like it

627
00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:09.319
<v Speaker 2>during this time period. It's not like the government could

628
00:32:09.319 --> 00:32:12.039
<v Speaker 2>cover up every single one of these incidents. So what

629
00:32:12.160 --> 00:32:15.440
<v Speaker 2>exactly made Paul's case stand out? I really would be

630
00:32:15.480 --> 00:32:18.400
<v Speaker 2>interested to know how many other servicemen were experiencing the

631
00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:22.079
<v Speaker 2>same symptoms as Whipkey during this time period. Did many

632
00:32:22.079 --> 00:32:24.240
<v Speaker 2>of them get warts and black moles and need to

633
00:32:24.279 --> 00:32:26.559
<v Speaker 2>have all their teeth removed? Or was his just a

634
00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:27.240
<v Speaker 2>unique case.

635
00:32:28.480 --> 00:32:30.680
<v Speaker 3>I also would want to know is if he is

636
00:32:30.759 --> 00:32:35.799
<v Speaker 3>giving information about this classified mission to someone, let's say

637
00:32:35.799 --> 00:32:40.480
<v Speaker 3>in the CIA, and he's actually quote ratting on the military,

638
00:32:41.240 --> 00:32:43.920
<v Speaker 3>could that have increased his risk of being targeted for

639
00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:48.599
<v Speaker 3>you know, needing to be eliminated. But it is really dramatic,

640
00:32:48.720 --> 00:32:51.359
<v Speaker 3>like a motion picture ot of Hollywood. If you think

641
00:32:51.359 --> 00:32:56.599
<v Speaker 3>that this guy is amazing, stellar serviceman that he is

642
00:32:56.680 --> 00:33:00.279
<v Speaker 3>going to be going behind the scenes to yosh share

643
00:33:00.359 --> 00:33:04.119
<v Speaker 3>secrets with another government agency. A lot of me, it

644
00:33:04.119 --> 00:33:06.599
<v Speaker 3>feels like he would have stood by the military and said, listen,

645
00:33:06.640 --> 00:33:09.279
<v Speaker 3>I signed up to serve my country, and whatever the

646
00:33:09.319 --> 00:33:12.319
<v Speaker 3>effects are, the effects are, And I don't know that

647
00:33:12.400 --> 00:33:16.559
<v Speaker 3>he would go and share information given how important the

648
00:33:16.599 --> 00:33:17.680
<v Speaker 3>military was to him.

649
00:33:17.720 --> 00:33:18.079
<v Speaker 2>I don't know.

650
00:33:18.119 --> 00:33:21.240
<v Speaker 3>It's a really interesting stance. But if you think about

651
00:33:21.319 --> 00:33:23.640
<v Speaker 3>them trying to cover up, like you said, there's thousands

652
00:33:23.680 --> 00:33:25.920
<v Speaker 3>of men who were exposed to these kinds of dangers,

653
00:33:26.200 --> 00:33:28.559
<v Speaker 3>and so are they going to eliminate thousands of men

654
00:33:28.640 --> 00:33:32.240
<v Speaker 3>with these big old conspiracies. I wouldn't think so, and

655
00:33:32.319 --> 00:33:34.960
<v Speaker 3>so I don't know. It just seems very far fetched.

656
00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:38.400
<v Speaker 3>But also because of these meetings, and because of who

657
00:33:38.440 --> 00:33:42.960
<v Speaker 3>these two men are, it raises a question who was

658
00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:45.759
<v Speaker 3>he meeting, where was he going, What was the point

659
00:33:45.839 --> 00:33:48.599
<v Speaker 3>of that trip, because he said one thing and clearly

660
00:33:48.680 --> 00:33:49.920
<v Speaker 3>did something completely different.

661
00:33:50.759 --> 00:33:53.359
<v Speaker 1>So to piggyback off what you just said, Robin, I

662
00:33:53.359 --> 00:33:56.440
<v Speaker 1>think it's possible that these two men, like perhaps the

663
00:33:56.480 --> 00:34:01.079
<v Speaker 1>military is freaking out about all of these deitarious effects

664
00:34:01.119 --> 00:34:05.519
<v Speaker 1>of Operation plumbob on these military servicemen and maybe women.

665
00:34:05.599 --> 00:34:07.839
<v Speaker 1>I don't know how many there were time, or if

666
00:34:07.920 --> 00:34:10.559
<v Speaker 1>women were really even involved. In the military in the fifties.

667
00:34:10.599 --> 00:34:14.440
<v Speaker 1>I have no idea, but regardless, what if they were

668
00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:17.840
<v Speaker 1>freaking out and they had these experimental types of treatment,

669
00:34:18.000 --> 00:34:20.519
<v Speaker 1>and so these two guys who were posing his military

670
00:34:20.559 --> 00:34:23.320
<v Speaker 1>intelligence but were thought to be CIA, were coming and

671
00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:27.000
<v Speaker 1>trying to entice Paul to take part in these experimental

672
00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:31.199
<v Speaker 1>procedures or treatments that they thought maybe could offset some

673
00:34:31.280 --> 00:34:34.920
<v Speaker 1>of the effects. And like Robin said, perhaps he succumbed

674
00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:38.119
<v Speaker 1>to his injuries from the fallout while he was trying

675
00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:42.760
<v Speaker 1>to get or receiving this treatment. And initially they had

676
00:34:42.760 --> 00:34:44.639
<v Speaker 1>to come up with some kind of cover story, like

677
00:34:44.679 --> 00:34:47.320
<v Speaker 1>when he went into the facility. So that's why they

678
00:34:47.360 --> 00:34:51.440
<v Speaker 1>staged the whole Death Valley thing and the car, and

679
00:34:51.480 --> 00:34:53.960
<v Speaker 1>it was part of the whole plan because that would

680
00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:56.480
<v Speaker 1>explain why they would jump into actions so quickly with

681
00:34:56.559 --> 00:35:00.800
<v Speaker 1>packing up his stuff and not abide by army or

682
00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:04.800
<v Speaker 1>military regulations in waiting the amount of time that they're

683
00:35:04.840 --> 00:35:07.440
<v Speaker 1>supposed to wait. They seem very sure that he wasn't

684
00:35:07.480 --> 00:35:08.039
<v Speaker 1>coming back.

685
00:35:08.920 --> 00:35:10.679
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, that is a good point. And if you're talking

686
00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:13.440
<v Speaker 2>about experimental treatment, they made a figure he's going to

687
00:35:13.480 --> 00:35:16.119
<v Speaker 2>have a prolonged stay in this other facility. While he's

688
00:35:16.119 --> 00:35:17.960
<v Speaker 2>getting the treatment. So we're just going to get his

689
00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:20.960
<v Speaker 2>personal belongings at Fort Ord and transport him over there.

690
00:35:21.280 --> 00:35:23.800
<v Speaker 2>But of course he wound up dying, and of course

691
00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:26.039
<v Speaker 2>that's when they decided to give his belongings back to

692
00:35:26.079 --> 00:35:28.760
<v Speaker 2>his family and they had to orchestrate this cover story.

693
00:35:29.159 --> 00:35:31.920
<v Speaker 2>But yeah, if they were freaking out because these men

694
00:35:31.960 --> 00:35:34.719
<v Speaker 2>were getting sick and suffering these after effects for radiation

695
00:35:34.880 --> 00:35:37.679
<v Speaker 2>and they wanted to try some treatment, Paul would be

696
00:35:37.719 --> 00:35:40.360
<v Speaker 2>a good candidate because he had an excellent record and

697
00:35:40.440 --> 00:35:43.119
<v Speaker 2>he did not have a wife or children, so he

698
00:35:43.159 --> 00:35:45.679
<v Speaker 2>would be someone who would not care about being away

699
00:35:45.719 --> 00:35:47.800
<v Speaker 2>from his family for a long period of time to

700
00:35:47.840 --> 00:35:50.159
<v Speaker 2>undergo this treatment. So they might have thought, hey, if

701
00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:51.880
<v Speaker 2>we're going to try it out on someone, you're probably

702
00:35:51.920 --> 00:35:53.000
<v Speaker 2>our best shot.

703
00:35:53.840 --> 00:35:57.280
<v Speaker 1>Now. The Unsolved Mystery segment lean more towards the angle

704
00:35:57.320 --> 00:36:00.119
<v Speaker 1>that Whipy went missing on a secret government mission, and

705
00:36:00.199 --> 00:36:03.039
<v Speaker 1>while they definitely acknowledged the issues with the atomic testing,

706
00:36:03.280 --> 00:36:05.800
<v Speaker 1>they kind of downplayed the idea that it was the

707
00:36:05.840 --> 00:36:09.000
<v Speaker 1>reason for his disappearance. The ironic thing is that the

708
00:36:09.119 --> 00:36:12.880
<v Speaker 1>Radiation Exposure Compensation Act was officially signed into law on

709
00:36:12.920 --> 00:36:16.559
<v Speaker 1>October fifteenth, nineteen ninety, less than six months before the

710
00:36:16.639 --> 00:36:20.039
<v Speaker 1>Unsolved Mysteries episode aired. If Wiki was still alive at

711
00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:22.000
<v Speaker 1>the time, he would have been eligible for at least

712
00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:25.880
<v Speaker 1>seventy five thousand dollars in compensation because of his participation

713
00:36:26.039 --> 00:36:28.280
<v Speaker 1>in atmospheric nuclear weapons tests.

714
00:36:29.079 --> 00:36:31.039
<v Speaker 2>It was no longer a big secret that many of

715
00:36:31.079 --> 00:36:33.760
<v Speaker 2>the servicemen who worked on Operation Plump Bob had their

716
00:36:33.800 --> 00:36:36.599
<v Speaker 2>health needlessly endangered. So I'd like to think that if

717
00:36:36.599 --> 00:36:40.079
<v Speaker 2>this was the real reason behind Whipki's disappearance, the government

718
00:36:40.119 --> 00:36:42.800
<v Speaker 2>could have had the decency to finally reveal the truth

719
00:36:42.840 --> 00:36:45.599
<v Speaker 2>to his family. Whatever angle you lean towards, this is

720
00:36:45.599 --> 00:36:48.280
<v Speaker 2>still a very bizarre story, and I believe it's one

721
00:36:48.280 --> 00:36:51.760
<v Speaker 2>of the few Unsolved Mysteries military themed stories in which

722
00:36:51.760 --> 00:36:54.719
<v Speaker 2>the armed forces likely did take steps to cover up

723
00:36:54.760 --> 00:36:57.719
<v Speaker 2>someone's death, though their actual motive for doing so is

724
00:36:57.760 --> 00:37:00.800
<v Speaker 2>still unclear. After all this time, I don't think we'll

725
00:37:00.800 --> 00:37:03.119
<v Speaker 2>ever know the full truth about what happened, But if,

726
00:37:03.119 --> 00:37:05.840
<v Speaker 2>by chance, you happen to have any information about the

727
00:37:05.880 --> 00:37:10.760
<v Speaker 2>Unsolved disappearance of Lieutenant Paul Whitkey, please contact the appropriate authorities.

728
00:37:11.199 --> 00:37:13.840
<v Speaker 2>Jules Ashley any final thoughts on this case.

729
00:37:14.639 --> 00:37:17.840
<v Speaker 3>This one has so many different angles that could have happened. Right,

730
00:37:17.880 --> 00:37:20.360
<v Speaker 3>we know that he was struggling physically, and it's possible

731
00:37:20.400 --> 00:37:22.599
<v Speaker 3>that his mental health was also fading because of this

732
00:37:22.760 --> 00:37:26.599
<v Speaker 3>radiation exposure, and so could he have gotten news that

733
00:37:26.639 --> 00:37:29.159
<v Speaker 3>he couldn't get a promotion. Could he be depressed that

734
00:37:29.239 --> 00:37:31.599
<v Speaker 3>his health is feeling. Could he simply have just had

735
00:37:31.639 --> 00:37:35.760
<v Speaker 3>a mental break and wandered off and disappeared, Yes, he

736
00:37:35.920 --> 00:37:38.920
<v Speaker 3>very well could have. Is it possible that he is

737
00:37:39.000 --> 00:37:41.480
<v Speaker 3>being recruited for something bigger? I think back in the

738
00:37:41.480 --> 00:37:43.559
<v Speaker 3>fifties you would have had an even better chance at

739
00:37:43.559 --> 00:37:47.559
<v Speaker 3>the time to have these darker, kind of crazier missions

740
00:37:47.599 --> 00:37:50.880
<v Speaker 3>going on because you had less oversight and less technology

741
00:37:50.920 --> 00:37:55.159
<v Speaker 3>and things to watch people. But it seems a little crazy,

742
00:37:55.400 --> 00:37:58.840
<v Speaker 3>a little far fetched. But you did have an incredible

743
00:37:58.880 --> 00:38:01.800
<v Speaker 3>serviceman who was telling his brother, I'm about to make

744
00:38:01.800 --> 00:38:04.639
<v Speaker 3>a name for myself. Something BIG's about to happen. And

745
00:38:04.800 --> 00:38:07.639
<v Speaker 3>you did have very bizarre behavior by the military after

746
00:38:07.719 --> 00:38:11.159
<v Speaker 3>his disappearance that literally they just pack this stuff up

747
00:38:11.199 --> 00:38:14.440
<v Speaker 3>immediately and don't even try to see where he is

748
00:38:14.840 --> 00:38:17.119
<v Speaker 3>or assume he might come back. This is one of

749
00:38:17.159 --> 00:38:20.840
<v Speaker 3>your best servicemen, and you just assume he's a wall

750
00:38:21.039 --> 00:38:25.480
<v Speaker 3>and call it quits. It's tragic that the family waited

751
00:38:25.559 --> 00:38:29.440
<v Speaker 3>so long to get his name cleared. A wall's a

752
00:38:29.440 --> 00:38:33.239
<v Speaker 3>horrific mark on your record. You're a deserter of the military.

753
00:38:33.719 --> 00:38:36.599
<v Speaker 3>That's something that Whipki was so proud to do, is

754
00:38:36.639 --> 00:38:39.760
<v Speaker 3>to serve his country. And so there's such beauty in

755
00:38:39.880 --> 00:38:43.119
<v Speaker 3>him being changed from a deserter to killed in a

756
00:38:43.159 --> 00:38:45.519
<v Speaker 3>line of action or dying in the line of duty.

757
00:38:46.800 --> 00:38:49.320
<v Speaker 3>Dying and you know, as a result of his duty

758
00:38:49.320 --> 00:38:52.239
<v Speaker 3>to the military, because he's not a deserter. So that's

759
00:38:52.280 --> 00:38:55.480
<v Speaker 3>a blessing. But then, like you said, there's zero answers

760
00:38:55.480 --> 00:38:57.840
<v Speaker 3>for his family. They're just left wondering what happened to

761
00:38:58.599 --> 00:39:02.079
<v Speaker 3>our family member who we love, and we just don't

762
00:39:02.079 --> 00:39:04.880
<v Speaker 3>have any answers. And I think the lack of details

763
00:39:04.920 --> 00:39:07.679
<v Speaker 3>that the military was willing to give them and the

764
00:39:07.719 --> 00:39:12.039
<v Speaker 3>way that they kind of eluded the family adds to

765
00:39:12.079 --> 00:39:14.960
<v Speaker 3>the grief and trauma of that death. Be straightforward with us,

766
00:39:15.480 --> 00:39:18.599
<v Speaker 3>allow us to ask questions, answer those questions, and maybe

767
00:39:18.599 --> 00:39:21.039
<v Speaker 3>there would be that less assumption that there's a conspiracy

768
00:39:21.039 --> 00:39:24.360
<v Speaker 3>going on and more likelihood to say, Okay, we trust

769
00:39:24.400 --> 00:39:27.880
<v Speaker 3>what you're telling us. It's just an overall bizarre and

770
00:39:28.000 --> 00:39:29.840
<v Speaker 3>really sad case because at the end of the day,

771
00:39:29.920 --> 00:39:32.960
<v Speaker 3>Lieutenant Paul Whipkey served our country, which is an amazing,

772
00:39:33.159 --> 00:39:36.880
<v Speaker 3>amazing position that he did for our country, and no

773
00:39:36.880 --> 00:39:39.320
<v Speaker 3>one was able to lay him to rest with full honors.

774
00:39:39.119 --> 00:39:41.480
<v Speaker 3>It's a very sad end of the story.

775
00:39:42.960 --> 00:39:46.000
<v Speaker 1>My heart breaks for all of the victims involved in

776
00:39:46.199 --> 00:39:50.159
<v Speaker 1>Operation Plumb Bob and the rates of leukemia and all

777
00:39:50.199 --> 00:39:53.400
<v Speaker 1>of the cancers, and Paul, poor Paul, with having to

778
00:39:53.440 --> 00:39:56.679
<v Speaker 1>have his teeth removed and experiencing the black moles and

779
00:39:56.719 --> 00:40:01.599
<v Speaker 1>the worts. It's just the feeling is fisceral, just thinking

780
00:40:01.719 --> 00:40:05.199
<v Speaker 1>about what he experienced in these other people experienced, and

781
00:40:05.239 --> 00:40:08.159
<v Speaker 1>to think in the nineteen nineties he would have had

782
00:40:08.480 --> 00:40:11.599
<v Speaker 1>access to seventy five thousand dollars. How do you put

783
00:40:11.639 --> 00:40:15.519
<v Speaker 1>a price on your teeth? Basically, I don't know if

784
00:40:15.559 --> 00:40:18.000
<v Speaker 1>they brought it or they disintegrated, what happened to the

785
00:40:18.000 --> 00:40:21.320
<v Speaker 1>rest of the bones in his body, what would happen

786
00:40:21.360 --> 00:40:24.480
<v Speaker 1>to his skin by then had he lived. It's just

787
00:40:25.039 --> 00:40:28.519
<v Speaker 1>atrocious to think that that is the number that they

788
00:40:28.519 --> 00:40:30.840
<v Speaker 1>put on it. And I know that all types of

789
00:40:30.880 --> 00:40:34.360
<v Speaker 1>cases like this, any type of personal injury cases they

790
00:40:34.400 --> 00:40:36.639
<v Speaker 1>have to come up with a number, or anytime where

791
00:40:36.679 --> 00:40:40.800
<v Speaker 1>a big corporation is poisoning the water supply, they need

792
00:40:40.840 --> 00:40:43.320
<v Speaker 1>to have a number for what type of harm has

793
00:40:43.360 --> 00:40:47.239
<v Speaker 1>been inflicted upon the individuals, And the number seventy five thousand,

794
00:40:48.320 --> 00:40:51.039
<v Speaker 1>it just doesn't seem to cover it for me. At

795
00:40:51.119 --> 00:40:53.880
<v Speaker 1>least they got some kind of compensation those who lived

796
00:40:53.880 --> 00:40:57.119
<v Speaker 1>to that point, But to think of how it impacted

797
00:40:57.159 --> 00:40:59.519
<v Speaker 1>their lives and the lives of their loved ones, and

798
00:40:59.559 --> 00:41:02.199
<v Speaker 1>it still the future from so many of them, Pail

799
00:41:02.239 --> 00:41:05.079
<v Speaker 1>Whipkey included. I don't know what happened here, but I

800
00:41:05.119 --> 00:41:08.039
<v Speaker 1>do believe that the government was involved in the cover up.

801
00:41:08.320 --> 00:41:10.960
<v Speaker 1>I think that a likely explanation could have been what

802
00:41:11.000 --> 00:41:15.400
<v Speaker 1>we just talked about, with them having this experimental treatment

803
00:41:15.440 --> 00:41:17.840
<v Speaker 1>that they wanted to try on Whipkey, and that could

804
00:41:17.920 --> 00:41:21.039
<v Speaker 1>explain the cover up because the secret mission would make

805
00:41:21.079 --> 00:41:23.360
<v Speaker 1>sense to me as well. But if his mental health

806
00:41:23.440 --> 00:41:26.760
<v Speaker 1>was failing, would they really want to entrust an important

807
00:41:26.760 --> 00:41:30.239
<v Speaker 1>secret mission to somebody who may not have been able

808
00:41:30.239 --> 00:41:33.440
<v Speaker 1>to carry it out to the level that they needed.

809
00:41:33.800 --> 00:41:36.079
<v Speaker 1>So at the end of the day, this is a

810
00:41:36.119 --> 00:41:40.119
<v Speaker 1>really mysterious case, but it's such a tragic one, and

811
00:41:40.840 --> 00:41:42.960
<v Speaker 1>I feel so deeply for all of those who are

812
00:41:43.000 --> 00:41:45.679
<v Speaker 1>involved in any type of atomic testing.

813
00:41:46.400 --> 00:41:48.960
<v Speaker 2>Yeah. I still remember watching this on Unsolved Mysteries back

814
00:41:49.000 --> 00:41:51.119
<v Speaker 2>on the day, and I mentioned that they did a

815
00:41:51.119 --> 00:41:54.920
<v Speaker 2>lot of these conspiracy theme military cases where servicemen would

816
00:41:54.920 --> 00:41:58.840
<v Speaker 2>go missing or die under strange circumstances. And most of

817
00:41:58.880 --> 00:42:01.320
<v Speaker 2>the time I genuinely believe that a lot of these

818
00:42:01.840 --> 00:42:04.480
<v Speaker 2>victims were suffering from mental health issues and that they

819
00:42:04.519 --> 00:42:07.840
<v Speaker 2>weren't part of some massive government conspiracy and weren't being

820
00:42:07.880 --> 00:42:10.840
<v Speaker 2>recruited to work on a secret mission. But Paul Whipkey

821
00:42:10.920 --> 00:42:13.000
<v Speaker 2>is one of the exceptions. I mean, I do believe

822
00:42:13.079 --> 00:42:15.760
<v Speaker 2>he was suffering from mental health issues, but that was

823
00:42:15.880 --> 00:42:18.760
<v Speaker 2>probably the fault of the Army for subjecting him to

824
00:42:18.800 --> 00:42:23.119
<v Speaker 2>the radiation tests in Operation Plumbbob. And when you heard

825
00:42:23.119 --> 00:42:26.239
<v Speaker 2>about his physical health challenges like having his teeth pulled out,

826
00:42:26.320 --> 00:42:30.480
<v Speaker 2>then you can understand why his personality completely changed before

827
00:42:30.480 --> 00:42:33.840
<v Speaker 2>he went missing. And I really don't know what happened

828
00:42:33.880 --> 00:42:36.840
<v Speaker 2>to him. I don't know why the Army would make

829
00:42:36.920 --> 00:42:39.119
<v Speaker 2>him disappear, if he really went on a secret mission,

830
00:42:39.239 --> 00:42:42.480
<v Speaker 2>or if this was all done to cover up Operation Plumbbob.

831
00:42:42.599 --> 00:42:45.559
<v Speaker 2>Or maybe give him some experimental treatment. But I don't

832
00:42:45.559 --> 00:42:47.960
<v Speaker 2>think this is just a simple story of him driving

833
00:42:48.119 --> 00:42:50.559
<v Speaker 2>over one hundreds of miles away out into Death Valley

834
00:42:50.639 --> 00:42:53.599
<v Speaker 2>and wandering out into the desert and dying. And even

835
00:42:53.599 --> 00:42:55.559
<v Speaker 2>if that is what happened, I still don't think that

836
00:42:55.599 --> 00:42:58.159
<v Speaker 2>the Army told the whole truth of what happened to

837
00:42:58.440 --> 00:43:01.440
<v Speaker 2>Whipky's family. And when they had that hearing in the

838
00:43:01.519 --> 00:43:04.840
<v Speaker 2>nineteen eighties about how they were changing his classification from

839
00:43:04.920 --> 00:43:07.920
<v Speaker 2>deserter to died in the line of duty, I'm sure

840
00:43:07.920 --> 00:43:09.880
<v Speaker 2>it felt like a victory, but it also felt like

841
00:43:09.920 --> 00:43:13.159
<v Speaker 2>a bittersweet one for the Whipki family because he was

842
00:43:13.199 --> 00:43:15.920
<v Speaker 2>no longer classified as a deserter. But at the same time,

843
00:43:16.039 --> 00:43:18.239
<v Speaker 2>they still didn't have any answers about what happened, and

844
00:43:18.280 --> 00:43:20.960
<v Speaker 2>there were still a lot of pints that the Army

845
00:43:21.119 --> 00:43:24.000
<v Speaker 2>was covering up the truth about what happened. And I

846
00:43:24.039 --> 00:43:27.719
<v Speaker 2>still remember Carl Whipkey's lines that if our if my

847
00:43:27.800 --> 00:43:30.880
<v Speaker 2>brother died in service to his country doing something heroic,

848
00:43:31.199 --> 00:43:33.239
<v Speaker 2>then we're okay with that. Just tell us the truth

849
00:43:33.280 --> 00:43:35.920
<v Speaker 2>about what happened. And even if he did die as

850
00:43:36.000 --> 00:43:39.280
<v Speaker 2>the result of negligence of being exposed radiation poisoning. At

851
00:43:39.360 --> 00:43:41.960
<v Speaker 2>least be transparent about it and let us know so

852
00:43:42.000 --> 00:43:44.280
<v Speaker 2>that we know that our brother didn't do a disservice

853
00:43:44.360 --> 00:43:47.519
<v Speaker 2>by abandoning his post or anything like that, and that

854
00:43:48.239 --> 00:43:52.280
<v Speaker 2>his disappearance was not his fault. So yeah, it's been many,

855
00:43:52.280 --> 00:43:55.280
<v Speaker 2>many years since Paul Whipke went missing. We're probably never

856
00:43:55.280 --> 00:43:57.119
<v Speaker 2>going to learn the full truth about what happened, but

857
00:43:57.199 --> 00:43:59.880
<v Speaker 2>it is still an interesting and tragic story.

858
00:44:00.119 --> 00:44:02.760
<v Speaker 1>Think about Robin, do you want to tell us a

859
00:44:02.760 --> 00:44:04.639
<v Speaker 1>little bit about the Trail Went Cold Patreon?

860
00:44:05.400 --> 00:44:07.719
<v Speaker 2>Yes? The Trail Cold Patreon has been around for three

861
00:44:07.800 --> 00:44:11.559
<v Speaker 2>years now, and we offer these standard bonus features like

862
00:44:11.639 --> 00:44:15.000
<v Speaker 2>early ad free episodes, and I also send out stickers

863
00:44:15.039 --> 00:44:17.880
<v Speaker 2>and sign thank you cards to anyone who signs up

864
00:44:17.920 --> 00:44:20.480
<v Speaker 2>with us on Patreon. If you join our five dollars

865
00:44:20.519 --> 00:44:24.599
<v Speaker 2>tier tier two, we also offer monthly bonus episodes in

866
00:44:24.639 --> 00:44:27.800
<v Speaker 2>which I talk about cases which are not featured on

867
00:44:27.840 --> 00:44:31.159
<v Speaker 2>the Trail Went Cold's original feed, so they're exclusive to Patreon,

868
00:44:31.440 --> 00:44:33.960
<v Speaker 2>and if you join our highest tier tier three, the

869
00:44:34.000 --> 00:44:36.920
<v Speaker 2>ten dollars tier. One of the features we offer is

870
00:44:37.000 --> 00:44:41.280
<v Speaker 2>a audio commentary track over classic episodes of Unsaved Mysteries,

871
00:44:41.519 --> 00:44:44.519
<v Speaker 2>where you can download an audio file and then boot

872
00:44:44.599 --> 00:44:47.800
<v Speaker 2>up the original Unsoalved Mysteries episode on Amazon Prime or

873
00:44:47.840 --> 00:44:51.199
<v Speaker 2>YouTube and play it with my audio commentary playing in

874
00:44:51.239 --> 00:44:54.360
<v Speaker 2>the background, where I just provide trivia and factoids about

875
00:44:54.360 --> 00:44:57.800
<v Speaker 2>the cases featured in this episode. And incidentally, the very

876
00:44:57.840 --> 00:45:00.679
<v Speaker 2>first episode that I did a commentary track over was

877
00:45:00.719 --> 00:45:03.480
<v Speaker 2>the episode featuring this case. So if you want to

878
00:45:03.519 --> 00:45:06.239
<v Speaker 2>download a commentary track in which I make more smart

879
00:45:06.239 --> 00:45:09.280
<v Speaker 2>ass remarks about Jewel Kaylor, then be sure to join

880
00:45:09.360 --> 00:45:10.079
<v Speaker 2>Tier three.

881
00:45:10.280 --> 00:45:11.760
<v Speaker 4>So I want to let you know a little bit

882
00:45:11.840 --> 00:45:14.760
<v Speaker 4>about the Jewels and Nashty patreons. So there's early ad

883
00:45:14.800 --> 00:45:17.679
<v Speaker 4>free episodes of The Path Went Chili. We've got our

884
00:45:17.719 --> 00:45:20.719
<v Speaker 4>Pathwent Chili mini's, which are always over an hour, so

885
00:45:20.760 --> 00:45:22.880
<v Speaker 4>they're not very mini, but they're just too short to

886
00:45:22.920 --> 00:45:25.800
<v Speaker 4>turn into a series, and we're really enjoying doing those,

887
00:45:25.920 --> 00:45:28.039
<v Speaker 4>so we hope you'll check out those patreons.

888
00:45:28.039 --> 00:45:29.559
<v Speaker 1>We'll link them in the show notes.

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00:45:30.039 --> 00:45:31.960
<v Speaker 2>So I want to thank you all for listening, and

890
00:45:32.079 --> 00:45:34.440
<v Speaker 2>any chance you have to share us on social media

891
00:45:34.480 --> 00:45:36.840
<v Speaker 2>with a friend or to rate and review is greatly

892
00:45:36.840 --> 00:45:39.599
<v Speaker 2>appreciate it. You can email us at The Pathwentchili at

893
00:45:39.639 --> 00:45:42.400
<v Speaker 2>gmail dot com You can reach us on Twitter at

894
00:45:42.519 --> 00:45:45.239
<v Speaker 2>the pathwin. So until next time, be sure to bundle

895
00:45:45.320 --> 00:45:48.800
<v Speaker 2>up because cold trails and chili pass call for warm clothing.

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<v Speaker 1>Music by Paul Rich from the podcast Cold Callers Comedy