Talk:St. Helens (film)

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 * Real-life volcanologist David Johnston never fell in love with any woman while working at Mt. St. Helens. He did, however, fall in love with one woman prior to working on Alaska's Mt. Augustine Volcano."

[b] Wasn't David married when he died? I've read this in more than one place. I've studied St. Helens with my Dad since I was 8 years old in 1983.[/b]

Otto Sieber's Adventures
I paste the following quote from this article:

"One of the movie's associate producers, Seattle filmmaker Otto Seiber, nearly lost his life in a filming expedition on Mt. St. Helens - shortly after the May 18, 1980 eruption. His film crew had been dropped off by helicopter on May 23rd, yet as they filmed the devastation, their compasses started acting up due to the magnetic field differences in the ash. This resulted in them getting lost, and nearly killed by the 2nd large explosion on May 25th. Brief clips from the documentary titled "The Eruption of Mount St. Helens", one that resulted from that expedition, and a previous one several weeks before the eruption, were included in the movie."

In May, 1980, as a Captain in the United States Army, I had the honor to fly as part of the search and rescue operations following the May 18th eruption. I dispute the statement "... their compasses started acting up due to the magnetic field differences in the ash. This resulted in them getting lost, and nearly killed by the 2nd large explosion on May 25th."

As part of a two-helicopter team who discovered Mr. Sieber on the day prior to the second eruption, I offer the following observations from personal experience:

1. I made two attempts to convince Mr. Sieber and his team to come out via Army helicopter. His response was "We are mature, responsible adults who know what we are doing and who are well prepared."

2. As I made to depart the area after my second attempt to convince them to come out, they asked me the names of three small lakes that could be seen from the ridge line. I asked if they had a map, and they dissembled. I offered a spare US Forest Service map from the back of my helicopter and they greatfully accepted, with one member of their party accompanying me the helicopter to pick it up. After turning the map around several times and asking the direction to Spirit Lake, I asked if they had a compass. The gentleman said no. I then gave him the spare compass from my survival vest. I subsequently met Mr. Sieber and his crew as they got off of the Air Force Reserve Air Rescue helicopter whose crew had risked their lives to pull Mr. Sieber out. My only question was "Where's my compass?"

Needless to say, I have little sympathy for Mr. Sieber and have even less respect for his veracity.

Thanks -

Richard L. Carroll Lieutenant Colonel, US Army (Retired)