Nguoi Rung, Vietnam's Bigfoot

Nguoi Rung, Vietnam's Bigfoot: Toward the end of America's war in Vietnam, numerous sightings by Viet Cong and NVA soldiers of ape-like creatures who walked upright became so numerous that the North Vietnamese Party Secretariat ordered scientists into the region of the reports to investigate the Nguoi Rung- "people of the forest"-while the war in Vietnam was still going on. These creatures were well known to the Vietnamese locals, but the academicians were very disdainful of their reports. In 1974, as the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong pushed south to overrun the country, Professor Vo Quy of the Vietnam National University was ordered into the region to investigate the reports of ape-like creatures. Vo Quy promptly discovered a Nguoi Rung footprint on the forest floor. This footprint was studied and analyzed by North Vietnamese academics.
    It was wider than a human footprint and too big for an ape. The unusual footprint added credibility to the "folklore." This set off academic debates by scientists, and other expeditions followed. Yet, in typical Bigfoot style, expeditions yielded few results. However, in 1982, Professor Hong Viet, eight years after Professor Vo Quy's discovery of a footprint, managed to find another footprint of a Nguoi Rung. Still, there was much hubris by critics of the discovery of the people of the forest. Essentially, the argument was that it was absurd to think such an animal could exist.
    This hubris was quickly given up when the British anthropologist, Dr. John MacKinnon left Sumatra where he did pioneering work discovering the social life of the organg-utan by living in the jungle alone, sometimes for weeks. MacKinnon came to Vietnam with a team of scientists. Using his intelligence and iron discipline - he came from a medical family- MacKinnon discovered three previously unknown mammals in the Vu Quang mountain rain forest in 1992. Pages 35-36 from the book, "Very Crazy G.I." (2001) by Kregg Jorgenson.

"Your Daily Bigfoot" at blackfloridapanther.blogspot.com thanks you for your visit and hopes you will return Tuesday. These Wild Men and Women hanging onto existence as their land is being developed need your on-going awareness and possible intervention for their protection. Plus, they have great stories to tell you. Peter Nickerson, BA (Philosophy, William And Mary, '68) MS, MSW.