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Q. Did more Vietnam vets kill themselves after the war?A. The suicide rate among Vietnam veterans in the five years after they were discharged was 34.5 per 100,000. For ex-military personnel who served after that war ended, the equivalent number was just 20.1.Epidemiologists for the Department of Veterans Affairs looked at U.S. veterans who'd returned from Iraq or Afghanistan, and found that 21.9 per 100,000 veterans committed suicide—not much higher than the control group in the previous study.United States military veteran suicide - WikipediaOver 100,000 US Vietnam Vet Suicides To Date! (2007) BestThe Myth And Reality Of Vietnam Vet Suicides (1999)How Many Suicides by Vietnam Vets? (1991)Opinion | Why do so many veterans kill themselves? Here are four theories. (2018)Are more veterans killing themselves today than after Vietnam? (2011)Suicide Rate Spikes in Vietnam Vets Who Won't Seek Help (2012)New VA Study finds 20 veterans commit suicide each day (militarytimes.com) (2016)We Lose Too Many Vietnam Veterans to Suicide: Here’s How You Can Help (2017)29 of the Best Politically Incorrect Vietnam War Slang TermsOver 100,000 US Vietnam Vet Suicides To Date!TOTAL COST TO THE UNITED STATES:$925 BillionEdward Tick sources. United States: Disabled American Veterans; The New York Times; Hell, Healing and Resistance by Daniel Hallock; The Vietnam War: A History in Documents, by Young, Fitzgerald & Grunfel; Webster's New World Dictionary of the Vietnam War. Viet Nam: Army Museum, Ha Noi; Hong Ngoc (Rosy Jade) Humanity Center, Sao Do; Research Center for Gender, Family, and Environment in Development, Ha Noi; Women's Museum, Ha Noi; War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City.Five Great Books About the Vietnam War for Middle ReadersThe Myth And Reality Of Vietnam Vet Suicides (1999)September 12, 1999 |By Michael Kelley, Special to the Washington PostSince returning from the Vietnam War, 160,000 veterans have committed suicide. Or so reported one reputable veterans' publication.If true, that's nearly three times as many as died in the war itself.I called the editor and asked, “What was your source?''His reporter found a mention of 150,000 suicides in a 1990 book, he explained to me, “and then added 10,000 to reflect the probable increase between 1990 and 1995.''“Great science there,'' I said. “But what would you say if I told you there is absolutely no scientific evidence to support 150,000, or even as many as 20,000, suicides?''At the time, I thought he and other veterans would be overjoyed to learn that the suicide myth was untrue, and that they would share my relief at finding that we are not, after all, such a twisted, tormented and damaged group that 15 or so of us have taken our own lives every single day for the past 30 years. Since then, I have learned that a substantial number of veterans want to believe the myth. Some veterans and veterans organizations have simply enshrined it as fact, institutionalizing the Vietnam veteran as victim, promoting the idea that after losing 58,000 men in the war we had lost that many again - or two or three times that many - who fell into such desperation after coming home that they killed themselves.What became a protracted and stupefying journey into this fantasy world of wholesale veterans suicides began for me with the realization that what I was hearing and reading did not square with my experience.I thought about the infantry unit I served with for 11 months: Delta Company, 1st Battalion of the 502nd Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. About 45 men from that company were killed in action during its four and a half years in Vietnam. If as many vets killed themselves later as died during the war, then 45 of the company's approximately 800 veterans would have committed suicide - or 135, if suicides were three or more times the number of wartime deaths.But in fact, as far as the unit's association can determine, not a single one of those veterans have died by suicide. Struck by the huge discrepancy between the supposed suicide statistics and my knowledge of the veterans community, I went to a local library and spent a few hours thumbing through bibliographies related to veterans' mortality. What I found then and in subsequent research left me reeling.The first surprise was that there already existed a substantial body of scientific literature on the subject. The second surprise was that none of it remotely supported the numbers I saw being published as fact.What on earth brought this plague upon us?The assertion of 58,000 suicides appears to have drawn its first breath in a 1980 manual titled ``Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders of the Vietnam Veteran.'' Published by the Disabled American Veterans, the manual was used widely throughout the Veterans Administration. Its first edition (but none after) noted that ``more Vietnam combat veterans have died since the war by their own hands than were actually killed in the war. That statement was credited to an unpublished paper written in April 1979 by Tom Williams, who also was the editor of the manual. Curiously, his claim came a full eight years before the first comprehensive study of Vietnam veterans' mortality was published.Just where Williams divined his data remains a mystery. (I have made several attempts to find out, but he has never responded to my queries.)From there the suicide story, with numbers ranging up to 200,000, spread to news reports, books, television documentaries and news magazines, and the World Wide Web.Actual mortality studies tell a completely different story.No one knows precisely how many Vietnam veterans have committed suicide. Nor does anyone know how many have died from all causes. We do have information, though, that points to what is possible and what is not.Approximately 3.1 million Americans served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. On average, suicides have accounted for just over 1.1 percent of all U.S. male deaths during the last half of this century. According to research done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the 1980s, suicides were somewhat more elevated for Vietnam veterans than for non-veterans in the same age group during the veterans' first five years after discharge. After five years, though, the differences disappeared.A projection based on the CDC findings shows suicides would represent a shade over 1.2 percent of veterans' deaths from 1967 to 1996. Veterans Administration data indicate that total postwar deaths among Vietnam vets had reached roughly 305,000 by January 1996, so if the percentage suggested by the CDC data is correct, the number of suicides during those 30 years would have been about 3,750.Vietnam War: A Tribute to Our VetsHow Many Suicides by Vietnam Vets? (1991)To the Editor:Although the case Tom Brokaw cites in "Michael Creamer, a Casualty of Two Wars" (Op-Ed, Feb. 18) is tragic, a study of suicides among Vietnam veterans would be in order."Postservice Mortality Among Vietnam Veterans," a Centers for Disease Control study (Journal of the American Medical Association, Feb. 13, 1987, pages 790-95), indicated 1.7 suicides among Vietnam veterans for every one suicide by non-Vietnam veterans for the first five years after discharge. Beyond five years, there were fewer suicides in the Vietnam veterans' group than in the non-Vietnam veterans' group."Proportionate Mortality Study of U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps Veterans of the Vietnam War" by Breslan, Kang, Lee and others (Journal of Occupational Medicine, May 1988, pages 412-19) found that suicides were not higher among Vietnam veterans compared with non-Vietnam veterans.Suicides among Vietnam veterans have been said to be 50,000 to 100,000. At any time during the Vietnam conflict, there were 37 million males aged 18 through 35. Of this group approximately 2.6 million served in Vietnam. Of the entire 37 million male population there have been approximately 152,000 suicides.If 50,000 to 100,000 Vietnam veterans committed suicide, that would mean that between one-third and two-thirds of all the suicides in the 37 million population came from the 2.6 million subgroup. There is no factual evidence to support this assertion.The best estimate of suicide among Vietnam veterans, from the Centers for Disease Control in 1988 Congressional testimony, is 9,000.As a Vietnam veteran who regularly visits veterans' hospitals, I fully understand how war wounds the mind as well as the body. However, the problem of veterans of all wars should be considered without sensationalism, and not to make political points. BERNARD A. HEENEY Bayonne, N.J., Feb. 20, 1991The Poetry of the Vietnam WarOpinion | Why do so many veterans kill themselves? Here are four theories.By Thomas E. Ricks April 4Thomas E. Ricks is the author of five books about the U.S. military. He writes “The Long March” column for Task & Purpose, a veteran-oriented website.Why do so many soldiers continue to take their own lives at a higher rate than their civilian counterparts, whether young or old? I’ve spent a lot of time stewing about this over the past few days.It began Monday morning, when I got a note from a vet in a very dark place and contemplating the act. He’d served in Vietnam. His risk of suicide is about 22 percent higher than that of his non-veteran peers, according to a report last year from the Department of Veterans Affairs.That afternoon, I learned that an Army captain who had been featured a while back in my old “Best Defense” column on the Foreign Policy website had gone out in the middle of the night and sat on railroad tracks near Fort Carson, Colo., and a train ran over him; police are investigating the death. He was still in the military but may have been thinking of leaving. People getting out are at the highest risk in the year after they leave — about 1½ to two times as likely to kill themselves as those still on active duty.A friend of his wrote to me, “He was always a high-performing and intelligent guy. He had deployed to Afghanistan with 10th Mountain, then to Kuwait with 4th ID prior to Atlantic Resolve where it looks like you met him. He was on deck to teach Military Science at West Point. He had a wife and daughter. Nothing about his death makes sense. The only indicator I had that he was unhappy was his deep frustrations with the conventional military, the high op tempo for support roles and exercises, and the impact on his family.”Last month, the commander of the Marine 4th Reconnaissance Battalion was found dead in his home. He also had deployed several times to Iraq and Afghanistan.Also recently, I read that a retired major who had served in military intelligence in Iraq had killed himself and his wife.The suicide rate for veterans has gone up 35 percent since 2001, in part because of increases in post-9/11 veterans killing themselves.I know what I am seeing around me is anecdotal. But it just doesn’t feel right to me. What is going on here?Here are four possibilities, specific to the conditions of our recent war:A lost war: My initial thought was that perhaps people are feeling empty and lost as the Middle Eastern war winds down and we don’t have a lot to show for it, besides Iran being more powerful than ever. But a friend who did several tours in Vietnam said he also knew that feeling but didn’t see any rash of suicides in the ’70s among his former comrades.Death by rotation: Another theory is that everyone is born with just so much to give and that repeated deployments drain that reserve, without replenishment. At some point, a person might just decide they can’t do this anymore, that this is too painful and look for the fastest exit.Brain injury: A third theory, related to the extensive use of roadside bombs in the Middle East, suggests that the human brain can, at best, withstand only one or two nearby explosions and cannot heal the deep damage inflicted by repeated blasts.More to come: Or is it that depressed vets are responding to the whiff of another possible war on the horizon, with North Korea?Whether it is one of these, or a combination, or something else, it worries me deeply.A Vietnam War Reading List, Brought to You by the War HallAre more veterans killing themselves today than after Vietnam? (2011)Have military suicides increased?Writing in Slate last week, economist Joseph E. Stiglitz named the rate of suicides among veterans of recent wars as a "social cost of 9/11." He cited stats from a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs study that looked at the years 2005-07 and found 18 suicides per day among American ex-servicemen. In light of these numbers, and in honor of National Suicide Prevention Week (which began Sunday), the V.A. has posted a toll-free crisis hotline and a link for online chats to its website. Is the suicide rate among veterans any higher now than it has been in the past?It's hard to say because there aren't many reliable data from before the 1960s. But what evidence we have suggests that those who were recently discharged from service in the Vietnam War were more likely to kill themselves than veterans of today's campaigns.A 2004 study by a team led by researchers from the National Center for Environmental Health looked at numbers going back to 1965, and found that the suicide rate among Vietnam veterans in the five years after they were discharged was 34.5 per 100,000. For ex-military personnel who served after that war ended, the equivalent number was just 20.1. A few years later, epidemiologists for the Department of Veterans Affairs looked at U.S. veterans who'd returned from Iraq or Afghanistan, and found that 21.9 per 100,000 veterans committed suicide—not much higher than the control group in the previous study. It's possible that rates will go up in years to come, as more soldiers are discharged after multiple deployments.No one tracked military suicide rates carefully prior to the Vietnam War. Post-traumatic stress disorder wasn't officially recognized by the American Psychiatric Association until 1980, when the psychological fallout from an unpopular war was becoming more visible in the mental-health community.There's evidence that suicides are getting more common among soldiers who remain actively involved in the military. According to a recent study by the Rand Corporation, active-duty personnel killed themselves at a rate of 16.3 per 100,000 in 2008, up from 10.3 in 2001. Repeated exposure to combat zones may account for this increase. Some soldiers are sent back three or four times before they're off the hook.Maura Kelly is the author of Much Ado About Loving, about what classic novels can teach you about mating, relating, and Internet dating.What were major Battles of the Vietnam War? - The Vietnam WarSuicide Rate Spikes in Vietnam Vets Who Won't Seek Help (2012)Joe Amon/Denver Post/Getty ImagesVietnam Veteran Harold Evans stands with Martin Omafray at the Wall that Heals at Iron Horse Park at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs June 10, 2011.Every Christmas Rudi Gresham, a former combat soldier in Vietnam, gets a Christmas card from a fellow veteran who was nearly pushed to the brink of suicide because of despair."The guy was in his late 50s and his wife had left him and he came down with cancer from Agent Orange, he was broke and he had to move in with his mom and dad--he didn't know where to go from there," said Gresham, who was then serving as senior advisor to the Department of Veterans Affairs under the George W. Bush administration."Everything had gone to hell," said Gresham. "But I communicated with him."Now 68 and retired in South Carolina, Gresham was able to get the veteran the 10 years of back pay he deserved by authenticating his service with a commanding officer. Today, the man's cancer is under control and he has a new woman in his life.Gresham said getting that thank you card for saving the veteran's life was "the most gratifying moment" in his eight-year career with the VA. "I tell my kids, this is the reward for my work."But three other depressed friends were not so lucky and took their own lives, becoming statistics in a rising tide of suicides among baby boomers, many of them Vietnam War veterans.Just this week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its latest statistics on suicide rates among Americans, finding that the number of middle-aged Americans who took their own lives was up more than 28 percent.Annual suicide rates among U.S. adults aged 35 to 64 increased from 13.7 to 17.6 suicides per 100,000 people between 1999 and 2010.The greatest increases in suicide rates were among people aged 50 to 54 years (48 percent) and 55 to 59 years (49 percent).For the whole population, the national rate was 12.4 per 100,000 in that decade, according to the CDC. The most common mechanisms were suffocation or hanging, poisoning and firearms. Increases were seen among both men and women.The CDC cites the recent economic downturn, a "cohort effect" among baby boomers who had unusually high suicide rates during their adolescent years, and a rise in intentional overdoses because of increased availability of prescription opioids.But suicide rates among Vietnam veterans are the highest of any particular group, according to John Draper, project director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.Eight million Americans report suicidal thoughts, and 1.1 million will attempt suicide. An estimated 38,000 will succeed in killing themselves, according to the CDC. Most are male, by a four to one margin, and are single and lack a college education.The suicide rate jumped higher for women (32 percent) than for men (27 percent)."Men tend to be more lonely and have a harder time maintaining and replacing relationships than women, especially when they get into middle age," said Draper. "Men are busy working or tie their relationships to work and when they lose their job, they lose their relationships."Those who are less stable in their personal lives are also less stable in the workforce, he said."I don't have all the answers," said Draper. "But we know about suicide prevention and people who are more socially connected and have a sense of belief and self-worth and are valued at work and in their relationships are way more protected and generally happier people."Post-traumatic stress disorder and associated mental health problems are to blame for many of the suicides among war veterans, according to Draper."The most important thing to remember is we can do something to stop this," said Draper, who, like Gresham, said that communication and support from others can help to prevent suicide.Since 2001, more than two million service members have been deployed to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The cost for treating veterans of all eras and conflicts is estimated at $48 billion, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.PTSD was not even recognized until after the Vietnam War, according to Gresham, who recognized at the onset of his government career in 2000 the importance of increasing the VA budget after predicting the staggering number of cases that were to follow. "I knew mental problems would exceed the physical," he said."I feel sorry for the younger soldiers," he said. "They are now married, got a wife and kids and suddenly come back and they can't find a job. These things all compound."As for the Vietnam veterans, they found less support in the 1960s and 1970s, when they returned from combat service. "The older veterans don't trust the government and they don't go for help," said Gresham.Unlike World War II soldiers who were hailed as heroes, these servicemen returned to "feel a bit outcast and rejected," according to Gresham, who sits on the Vietnam Veterans Foundation.Many of that generation refused to acknowledge they had PTSD and are suffering the consequences later in life. "Believe me, we have a real problem," he said."These guys were the first generation not to trust the guys in the white coats, and they didn't trust the government," said Gresham. "A lot of the Viet vets with PTSD held it in."They didn't want to let their family know their dark secret. They wanted to be in the workforce and be productive like the generation of World War II, but they were not respected by society."The VA in the 1970s was not responsive to the needs of these veterans, he said. "I've seen what has happened to a lot of these older vets."At a town meeting in Los Angeles several years ago, Gresham said he told a group of Vietnam vets. "You know Hollywood was correct when they did the movie the 'Fourth of July' with Tom Cruise. The VA did a lousy job of taking care of vets."But today, according to Gresham, "The VA has made "tremendous efforts to spend lots of money on [PTSD]," he said.In 2007, the VA partnered with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to create a dedicated line manned by veterans on the National Suicide Lifeline.The so-called Veterans Crisis Line has fielded more than 250,000 calls a year from veterans and active members of the military, according to Lifeline director Draper."It's a brilliant idea and it's saved taxpayers money and saved lives," he said.Draper said it is too early to see the impact of this collaboration but predicts that CDC suicide numbers will eventually drop, at least among veterans.Gresham, who was involved in the creation of the hotline, is also hopeful. "It's so much better for veterans to get help from other veterans," he said. "There is a strong bond.""If you have suicide thoughts and there's another veteran on the line, you trust your brother, whether it's a man or a woman," he said. "If they have been in combat, there is someone who understands you.""They didn't trust the VA for a long time and now the VA has its arms open," said Gresham. "They do very good work now. They understand the problem."In 1971 speech, John Kerry spoke of the monster created by the Vietnam WarNew VA Study finds 20 veterans commit suicide each day (militarytimes.com) (2016)Pedestrians walk in front of the Department of Veterans Affairs building in Washington, Friday, June 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)Roughly 20 veterans a day commit suicide nationwide, according to new data from the Department of Veterans Affairs — a figure that dispels the often quoted, but problematic, "22 a day" estimate yet solidifies the disturbing mental health crisis the number implied.In 2014, the latest year available, more than 7,400 veterans took their own lives, accounting for 18 percent of all suicides in America. Veterans make up less than 9 percent of the U.S. population.About 70 percent of veterans who took their own lives were not regular users of VA services.The new data, being released publicly today, is the most comprehensive suicide study ever conducted by the department.For years, the department has estimated the veterans suicide toll nationwide at around 22 individuals a day, but veterans groups noted numerous gaps in how that estimate was constructed. Most notably, the numbers were based on information from only about 20 states and did not contain full military records from the Defense Department.The new study includes more than 50 million veterans’ records from 1979 to 2014, including every state. The data, compiled over the last four years, also comes from the Centers for Disease Control.VA officials said in a statement that the information will allow them to "inform our suicide prevention programs and policies, especially for groups at elevated risk for suicide, including older and female veterans."Together, the numbers point to a significant mental health risk for individuals who served in the military, though the specific reasons remain unclear.Researchers found that the risk of suicide for veterans is 21 percent higher when compared to civilian adults. From 2001 to 2014, as the civilian suicide rate rose about 23.3 percent, the rate of suicide among veterans jumped more than 32 percent.The problem is particularly worrisome among female veterans, who saw their suicide rates rise more than 85 percent over that time, compared to about 40 percent for civilian women.And roughly 65 percent of all veteran suicides in 2014 were for individuals 50 years or older, many of whom spent little or no time-fighting in the most recent wars.Providing support and assistance to suicidal veterans has proven difficult, in part because of the lack of data on the scope of the problem.In recent years, VA has hired 5,300 mental health providers and support personnel and upgraded its Veterans Crisis Line in response to the problem. It has also elevated the profile of its suicide prevention office within the department and launched new partnerships with community health providers to offer counseling to veterans.Officials hope to use the data to further expand those offerings, targeting specific regions and populations within the veterans community to more effectively deliver care.Veterans groups hailed the new research as a critical step ahead in addressing the problem."Of course, this is still 20 [deaths] too many," said Joe Chenelly, executive director at AMVETS. "But we are grateful for the deeper, more accurate data analysis. Much still needs to be done, and this gives us a better idea where to focus."Full year-by-year and demographic breakdowns of the data are expected to be released by the department by the end of July.Leo Shane III covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He can be reached at [email protected] Kime covers military and veterans health care and medicine for Military Times. She can be reached at [email protected] the Vietnam War, 42 Years After US Troops WithdrewPSYCHOLOGY BENEFITS SOCIETYWe Lose Too Many Vietnam Veterans to Suicide: Here’s How You Can Help (2017)By Meg Lacy (Doctoral Student, Palo Alto University)As our Vietnam veteran population ages, many may become increasingly vulnerable for death by suicide. Despite the fact that the Vietnam war occurred approximately 40 years ago, the moral injuries sustained are still felt by many who served our country. It is not unusual for Vietnam Veterans to have coped with difficult times by staying busy at home or at work. As retirement looms, it is not unusual for Vietnam era veterans to experience additional age-related risks such as social isolation, a feeling of burdensomeness, and changes in health status.These changes can coalesce to hamper coping strategies that previously worked to manage mental distress, such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. Alcohol and substance use increases the risk of suicide as the abuse of substances, particularly alcohol, is strongly associated with both suicide attempts and deaths. So what should friends and family watch out for and what could be done in response to warning signs?Warning signs:In general, individuals most at risk of suicide are white older adult males who have health issues. As risk factors associated with veteran status converge on risk factors associated with later life, there are a few specific things friends and family should be aware of.What’s going on in their life?A major change in routine including retirement or loss of a jobThe death of a spouseA new medical diagnosisA break-up, separation or divorceNot having a stable place to liveInadequate family incomeHow are they behaving?Increase in drinking or drug useSleeping considerably more or lessA loss of interest in things they typically enjoySocial withdrawalImpulsivity – engaging in risky behavior (running red lights, driving recklessly, looking like they have a “death wish”)Becoming aggressive- examples of this are punching holes in walls, seeking revenge, getting into fightsAnxiety- worrying excessively about things they cannot controlAgitation and mood swingsPutting affairs in order such as giving away prized possessions or making out a willSeeking out firearms access to pillsNeglecting personal welfare including deteriorating physical appearance or hygieneWhat are they saying?A sense of hopelessness: “I have no purpose”, “I have no value”, “Nothing is ever going to get better”Rage or anger: expressed toward people or thingsExpressed feelings of excessive guilt, shame or failure: “My family would be better off without me”Feelings of desperation: “There is no solution”, “I just feel trapped”What do they have access to?Familiarity and access to a firearm make suicide by firearm more likely. Any means by which a suicide can be attempted, including pills, is something that should be asked about. Veterans are more likely to own a gun and are comfortable using one making death by firearm a common means of suicide among this population.How can you help?Social support is one of the most effective protective factors against suicide (Cummings et al., 2015). However, many veterans have isolated themselves and their friends and family struggle to talk to them. Inviting them to an event, writing them a letter or participating in a shared activity (building something, fishing, walking, etc.) are great ways to get things started.Talk about it. Suicide is an uncomfortable topic but its best to be direct. Ask overtly if they are planning on killing themselves or have had thoughts about killing themselves. Just because they say no doesn’t mean that they don’t still have suicidal intentions so be sure to have additional information to provide such as a suicide hotline number for veterans, apps they could utilize (PTSD Coach), or a therapist’s contact information.If your loved one has a plan or tells you they are going to kill themselves, call 911. It's better to put their safety first. Demonstrating your support by seeking additional help is always best. If you can, include them in the process of seeking immediate help. Calling 911 or visiting the ER does not have to be a one-sided decision.These by no means are the only risk factors, signs or solutions for suicidality. However, engagement with friends and family has shown to be extremely effective against suicide. Demonstrating your support with regular calls or visits is an important step toward safety for many veterans.Related Resources:Veterans Crisis LineAPA Psychology Topic: SuicideResources for Caregivers of Service Members and VeteransWhen Will We Face the Facts about Suicide in Older Men?References:Chronic PTSD in Vietnam combat veterans: Course of illness and substance abuse (1996). American Journal of Psychiatry, 153(3), 369–375. doi:10.1176/ajp.153.3.369Conner, K. R., Britton, P. C., Sworts, L. M., & Joiner, T. E. (2007). Suicide attempts among individuals with opiate dependence: The critical role of belonging. Addictive Behaviors, 32(7), 1395–1404. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2006.09.012Conwell, Y., Van Orden, K., & Caine, E. D. (2011). Suicide in older adults. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 34(2),. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3107573/Cummins, N., Scherer, S., Krajewski, J., Schnieder, S., Epps, J., & Quatieri, T. F. (2015). A review of depression and suicide risk assessment using speech analysis. Speech Communication, 71, 10–49. doi:10.1016/j.specom.2015.03.004Identifying signs of crisis. Retrieved February 26, 2017, from https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/SignsOfCrisis/Identifying.aspxLambert, M. T., & Fowler, R. D. (1997). Suicide risk factors among veterans: Risk management in the changing culture of the department of veterans affairs. The Journal of Mental Health Administration, 24(3), 350–358. doi:10.1007/bf02832668Lester, D. (2003). Unemployment and suicidal behaviour. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 57(8), 558–559. doi:10.1136/jech.57.8.558Military Suicide Research Consortium (MSRC) Newsroom. (2017, January 28). Retrieved February 26, 2017, from https://msrc.fsu.edu/news/study-reveals-top-reason-behind-soldiers-suicidesNademin, E., Jobes, D. A., Pflanz, S. E., Jacoby, A. M., Ghahramanlou-Holloway, M., Campise, R., Johnson, L. (2008). An investigation of interpersonal-psychological variables in air force suicides: A controlled comparison study. Archives of Suicide Research, 12(4), 309–326. doi:10.1080/13811110802324847Price, J. L. (2016, February 23). Findings from the national Vietnam veterans’ readjustment study. Retrieved February 26, 2017, from http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/research-bio/research/vietnam-vets-study.aspUnited States Department of Veterans Affairs. (July 2016) VA Suicide Prevention Program: Facts about Veteran Suicide. Retrieved from https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/factsheets/Suicide_Prevention_FactSheet_New_VA_Stats_070616_1400.pdfVan Orden, K. A., Witte, T. K., Gordon, K. H., Bender, T. W., & Joiner, T. E. (2008). Suicidal desire and the capability for suicide: Tests of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior among adults. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76(1), 72–83. doi:10.1037/0022-006x.76.1.72Van Orden, K. A., Witte, T. K., Cukrowicz, K. C., Braithwaite, S. R., Selby, E. A., & Joiner Jr, E. (2010). The interpersonal theory of suicide. Psychological Review, 117(2), 575.Warning signs of crisis. Retrieved February 26, 2017, from https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/SignsOfCrisis/Biography:Meg Lacy is a first-year doctoral student at Palo Alto University. She is interested in researching early intervention to trauma in combat soldiers and amongst first responders. Additionally, she is interested in the veteran population and suicide prevention.Image source: Flickr user Elvert Barnes via Creative CommonsStoned in Combat: Weed Smokers in the Vietnam War

Olive Oatman- Possibly the First Tattooed Caucasian American WomanOlive Oatman after she was ransomed (Olive Oatman - Wikipedia)2012 was the first year in which more women than men were tattooed in the U.S (twenty-three per cent of women, compared with nineteen per cent of men).[1][1][1][1] Tattoos appeal to contemporary women both as emblems of empowerment in an era of feminist gains and as badges of self-determination at a time when controversies about abortion rights, date rape, and sexual harassment have made them think hard about who controls their bodies—and why.[2][2][2][2]For thousands of years, across numerous cultures, women have tattooed themselves as a symbol of maturity, affiliation and cultural heritage. In the early 19th century, tattoos had long been associated with criminals, sailors, the underworld and native peoples- individuals occupying the fringes of America society.[3][3][3][3] So how did people react when a young teenage girl returned to mainstream society after living with a Mojave tribe for several years with a distinctive and permanent blue tattoo symbolizing her inclusiveness with the Mojave?Olive Oatman was a fourteen-year-old girl whose family was killed in 1851 in present-day Arizona by Native Americans, possibly the Yavapai, who captured and enslaved Olive and her sister. A year later Mojave Indians adopted the two girls. After four years with the Mojave, during which time her sister died of starvation, Olive returned to white society. Her story has been told, retold and embellished so many times – in the media and in her own memoir and speeches – that the truth is not easy to discern.Born into the family of Royce and Mary Ann Oatman in Illinois in 1837, Olive was one of seven children who grew up in the Mormon religion. Royce Oatman conducted a mercantile business, until the economic decline of 1842, when his business went bankrupt.[4][4][4][4] He moved temporarily to Pennsylvania for a time, but soon returned to Chicago, Illinois, where he engaged in farming. Having received a serious injury while assisting a neighbor dig a well,[5][5][5][5] Royce decided to go to New Mexico, where it was thought the milder climate would be beneficial.In 1850 they joined a wagon train led by James C. Brewster, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), whose attacks on, and disagreements with, the church leadership in Salt Lake City, Utah, had caused him to break with the followers of Brigham Young in Utah and lead his fol-lowers--Brewsterites--to California, which he claimed was the "intended place of gathering" for the Mormons.[6][6][6][6]Referred to in several books of the Bible as rich pastureland for cattle with rugged mountains and beautiful plains, Brewster believed Bashan to be the true Zion and that it was located at the confluence of the Gila and Colorado Rivers.[7][7][7][7]In the days of the Oregon Trail, travelers headed West were exposed to serious dangers, but many of them packed up and left the East anyway.[8][8][8][8] Along with the enticing Gold Rush, there was another promise drawing settlers across the continent: the Mormon holy lands in Utah and California. With so many white travelers crossing through Native American tribal lands in the plains and desert, it was only a matter of time before conflicts started to arise.[9][9][9][9] There were numerous reports of settlers clashing with natives, usually over issues stemming from lack of resources in a part of the country where water and food was already scarce.[10][10][10][10]The Brewsterite emigrants, numbering close to 90, left Independence, Missouri, August 5, 1850.[11][11][11][11]Dissension caused the group to split near Santa Fe in New Mexico Territory, with Brewster following the northern route. The Oatmans and several other families chose the southern route via Socorro, Santa Cruz, and Tucson.[12][12][12][12] Near Socorro, Royce Oatman took command of the remaining wagons. They reached New Mexico Territory early in 1851 only to find the terrain and climate extremely unfavorable. Consequently, they abandoned the idea of reaching the mouth of the Colorado River.When they reached Maricopa Wells, they learned that the trail ahead was rough and the Indians hostile.[13][13][13][13] The other families decided to stay at Maricopa Wells, but this was not what Royce Oatman had envisioned for his family. He was determined to find a place where he could build a future for his seven children, who ranged in age from one to seventeen. Eight of the wagons followed the Rio Grande-Gila route with Royse Oatman at the helm.[14][14][14][14] With a shift in his objective and a new determination to go to California, Oatman led his party with little mercy. They rode long and hard under the sun’s oppressive heat and atop the unruly terrain, and when several of his oxen collapsed from exhaustion and members of the crew wanted to stop and rest, Oatman forged on with his family, fearing that his stock would perish before reaching California.Site of the Oatman massacre (Olive Oatman - Wikipedia)On the fourth day of their solo travels, a group of Native Americans approached them, requesting tobacco, guns and food. Olive later identified them as Apaches, commonly assumed, at the time, to encompass a variety of dangerous Southwest tribes, her captors were probably much less notorious.[15][15][15][15] Their proximity to the murder site, regular contact with the Mohave Indians, hunter-gatherer lifestyle and small scale farming practices suggest they were one of four fluid groups of Yavapais.[16][16][16][16] Most likely they were Tolkepayas[17][17][17][17], a name that distinguishes them more geographically than culturally from other free-ranging yet interconnected Yavapais.On February 18, 1851, a group of Yavapai tribesmen attacked them Oatmans on the banks of the Gila River 80–90 miles east of what is now Yuma, Arizona. Royce, Mary and four of their children were killed at the scene, and fifteen-year-old son Lorenzo was badly injured.[18][18][18][18] Lorenzo regained consciousness to find his family killed and Olive and Mary Ann missing. He eventually reached a settlement where he was treated for his wounds, and rejoined the original wagon train.[19][19][19][19] Three days later, Lorenzo backtracked and found the bodies of his slain parents and siblings.Lorenzo and the men who accompanied him had no way of digging proper graves in the rocky soil, so they gathered the bodies together and formed a cairn over them.[20][20][20][20] It has been reported that the remains were reburied several times in the ensuing years, and Arizona pioneer Charles Poston supposedly moved them to the river for a final reinterment.[21][21][21][21]Olive, age 14, and Mary Ann, age 7, were captured and held as slaves at a village near the site of modern Congress, Arizona. They recollect that their attackers divided into two groups, one herding the animals and carrying the looted items while the others shepherded the captured girls about half a mile to a campsite.[22][22][22][22]Tied with ropes and forced to walk along the Arizonan desert, the girls' health suffered deeply; they became hungry and dehydrated. Whenever they asked for rest or water, they would be poked by their captors with lances. After a brief rest and some food, which the girls refused, they continued their march. By this time their captors had removed the girls’ shoes, knowing that would prevent their escape. Their feet were quickly bruised and bloodied by the volcanic rock.[23][23][23][23]The Reason This Woman From The Wild West Had A Tattoo On Her Face Is Frankly ChillingAfter arriving at the Yavapai rancheria, the girls were treated in a way that appeared threatening, and both feared they would be killed. However, they were used as slaves, forced to forage for food, carry water and firewood, and other menial tasks; they were frequently beaten and mistreated.[24][24][24][24] Mary Ann and Olive were forced to hard labor, and would be bothered by Yavapai children, who used sticks to burn them.[25][25][25][25]A year later, a group of Mojave Indians lead by a young woman who, Olive later learned, was the daughter of their chief, “beautiful, intelligent, well-spoken, fluent in the languages of both tribes,” and most importantly, sympathetic to the predicament of the girls,[26][26][26][26] visited the Yavapai village and traded two horses, vegetables, blankets, and other trinkets for the girls. Once the transaction was complete, they were forced to walk several hundred miles to a Mojave village where the Gila River met the Colorado River, near what is now Needles, California.[27][27][27][27]Tribal leader Espianola and his family immediately adopted Mary Ann and Olive Oatman.[28][28][28][28] The Mojave were more prosperous than the Yavapai, and both Espianola’s wife Aespaneo and daughter Topeka took an interest in the Oatman girls. Aespaneo arranged for the Oatman girls to be given plots of land to farm.[29][29][29][29] Olive expressed her deep affection for these two women numerous times over the years.Taken after her ransom, this photo of white Mormon Olive Oatman shows her blue cactus ink tattoo given to her on her chin by the Mohave who adopted her: five vertical lines, with triangles set at right angles. (Olive Oatman, the Pioneer Girl Abducted by Native Americans Who Returned a Marked Woman)Native Americans have extensive cultural traditions that involve tattooing, but each group has different customs. In the past, several factors affected their tattooing, such as the location of the group, the natural resources to which they had access, and the religion and creation stories in which they believed.A specific example is the Mojave tribe, which was known at least as far back as the 16th century by the Spanish. Located mainly in California and Arizona along the Colorado River, the tribe used ink from the blue cactus plant to tattoo adolescents as a rite of passage.[30][30][30][30]As with most North American Indians, they were fond of personal adornment. Two of their favorites were tattooing and body painting. Men and women would tattoo their chins and sometimes their foreheads. Both sexes would also paint striking designs on their faces, hair and body. There was no special guild of tattooists and most tattooing was done on people between the ages of 20 and 30. Part of the Mohave belief is that any man or woman without a tattoo on the face would be refused entrance to Sil'aid, the land of the dead. Their belief was so strong that black paint would be rubbed on the tattoo marks of the dead so they were more visible on judgment day. Because of this belief, many old folks who had not been tattooed in their youth were tattooed on their deathbeds.[31][31][31][31]The Mojave also got tattoos for luck and protection when heading into battle and for religious ceremonies.The Mojave marked both Oatman girls on their chins with indelible blue cactus tattoos in keeping with tribal custom. According to Mojave tradition, such marks were given only to their own people to ensure that they would have a good afterlife.[32][32][32][32]“[They] pricked the skin in small regular rows on our chins with a very sharp stick, until they bled freely,” Olive would later write.[33][33][33][33] The sticks were then dipped in weed juice and blue stone powder which was then applied to the pinpricks on the face.Mohave Indians, Illustrated by Balduin Möllhausen, during Lt. Amiel Weeks Whipple’s 1853-54 expedition (Heart Gone Wild - True West Magazine)Olive stated that Mary Ann died "about a year" before her own release in 1856.[34][34][34][34] Mary Ann, after 3–4 years with the Mojave, died of starvation during a famine in which many Mojave died as well.[35][35][35][35] In 1855, according to contemporary weather reports, the tribe experienced a severe drought and an accompanying shortage of food.Shortly before dying, she tried to comfort her sister by telling her "I have been a great deal of trouble to you, Olive. You will miss me for a while, but you will not have to work so hard when I'm gone."[36][36][36][36]Engraving of the death of Mary Ann Oatman (Mary Ann Oatman - Wikipedia)The date of Mary Ann's death is significant because it suggests that the two girls had at least partially assimilated into the tribe. Whether Olive and Mary Ann were truly adopted into that family and the Mojave people is unknown. Olive told one of the first reporters to interview her that the Mohaves always told her she was free to leave when she wanted to, but that they wouldn’t accompany her to the nearest white settlement for fear of retribution for having kept her for so long.[37][37][37][37] Since she didn’t know the way, she reasoned, she couldn’t go.Later she would claim that she and Mary Ann were captives and that she was afraid to leave. Yet it seems Olive grew accustomed to life with the Mohave. Over time she acclimated to their society and even began following their customs, taking on a clan name of Oach.[38][38][38][38] The Mohave referred the girls as “ahwe,” meant “stranger” or “enemy,” not “slave” or “captive.” The tribe loved teasing and obscene nicknames. Olive’s name, Spantsa (“unquenchable lust”) appeared on the travel pass that was sent by the U.S. army to the Mohave for her ransom.[39][39][39][39]When a group of railway surveyors under the command of Amiel Weeks Whipple visited the village in March 1854, she did not attempt to identify herself to the visitors.[40][40][40][40] Years later she met with a Mojave leader named Irataba in New York City and spoke with him of old times.[41][41][41][41] While Olive sometimes spoke with fondness of the Mojave, she became less positive about her experience over time; she may have suffered from Stockholm Syndrome.[42][42][42][42]Lorenzo Oatman (The Extraordinary Story of Olive Oatman)During the time the two girls were with the Mojave, their brother, Lorenzo Oatman continued to search for his sisters. At some point during the winter of 1855-56 the U.S. Army received word that Olive was living with the Mojave.When Olive was 19 years old, a Yuma Indian messenger named Francisco arrived at the village with a message from the authorities at Fort Yuma, which is in Imperial County, California, across the Colorado River from Yuma, Arizona.[43][43][43][43] Rumors were circulating that a white girl was living with the Mojave and the post commander requested her return – or to know why she chose not to return.The Mojave initially sequestered Olive and resisted the request, first denying that Olive was white. Over the course of negotiations, they also expressed their affection for Olive. Shortly thereafter Francisco made a second fervent attempt to persuade the Mojave to part with Olive, offering them blankets and a white horse in exchange, and he passed on threats that the whites would destroy the Mojave if they did not release Olive.[44][44][44][44]After some discussion, in which Olive was included, the Mojave decided to accept these terms. On February 28, 1856, Olive Oatman was ransomed and escorted on a twenty-day journey to Fort Yuma.[45][45][45][45] Topeka (daughter of Espianola and Aespaneo) went on the journey with Olive. She described the negotiations as follows:“I found that they had told Francisco that I was not American, that I was from a race of people much like the Indians, living away from the setting sun. They had painted my face, and hands, and feet of a dun, dingy color that was unlike that of any race I ever saw. This they told me they did to deceive Francisco; and that I must not talk to him in American. They told me to talk to him in another language, and to tell him that I was not American. Then they waited to hear the result, expecting to hear my gibberish nonsense, and to witness the convincing effect upon Francisco. But I spoke to him in broken English, and told him the truth, and also what they had enjoined me to do. He started from his seat in a perfect rage, vowing that he would be imposed upon no longer.”Before entering Fort Yuma, Olive insisted she be given proper clothing, as she was clad in a traditional Mojave skirt with no covering above her waist.[46][46][46][46] She washed the paint from her face, the dye from her hair, and dress in appropriate Western clothing before entering the fort. Inside the fort, Olive was surrounded by cheering people. Within a few days, she discovered her brother Lorenzo was alive and had been looking for her. Their reunion made headlines across the West.Olive cried into her hands when she was delivered to the U.S. Army at Fort Yuma. She paced the floor and wept at night after she and Lorenzo moved to Oregon to live near their cousins. A friend described her as a “grieving, unsatisfied woman” who longed to return to the Mohave.[47][47][47][47] When Olive heard that a tribal dignitary named Irataba was traveling to New York in 1864, she went to visit him.[48][48][48][48] Interviews given after her return to society indicated that her time woth the Mojave was not the Indian nightmare so mamy expected.There are numerous unsubstantiated rumors that Olive was married to the son of the Mojave chief and that she gave birth to two boys when married to him.[49][49][49][49] The Arizona Republican in Phoenix, dated 30 April 1922, reported “opening skirmish of one of the most interesting legal battles in the history of Mohave county . . . in Oatman Court of Domestic Relations when John Oatman, wealthy Mohave Indian, was sued for divorce by his wife, Estelle Oatman . . . John Oatman claims to be the grandson of Olive Oatman, famous in Arizona history.”[50][50][50][50]Contrary to stories circulating after her release, Olive almost certainly didn’t marry a Mohave or bear his children. If she had, it would have been a highly unusual, thus memorable, piece of tribal history. However, Olive did confess to a friend (according to the friend) that she had married a Mohave man and had two sons with him – and that her depression upon returning to society was actually grief at having left them behind.[51][51][51][51]The late Llewellyn Barrackman, who was the tribe’s unofficial historian, reported that if Olive had, “we would all know.”[52][52][52][52] He added that the children would have stood out as mixed-race Mohaves who could have been easily traced to her. Furthermore, though she married after her ransom, Olive never had biological children, which raises the possibility that she couldn’t. Finally, a half century after her ransom, when the anthropologist A.L. Kroeber interviewed a Mohave named Musk Melon who had known Olive well, he said nothing about her having been married.[53][53][53][53]Olive had assimilated so well into Mohave culture during the four years that she lived among them that she had nearly forgotten English. But after returning to the east to live with relatives in Albany, New York and attending school, she quickly regained her mother tongue.[54][54][54][54]Stories about white people being captured by Native Americans and enslaved were a popular genre at the time. They tended, however, to have racist overtones and chimed with a widespread belief that Native Americans were barbaric savages. Olive’s story had all the right ingredients, and her tale was all the more gripping because of the tattoos that marked her face.The Reason This Woman From The Wild West Had A Tattoo On Her Face Is Frankly ChillingIn 1857, the Reverend Royal Stratton wrote Olive’s story: Life Among the Indians: Captivity of the Oatman Girls, one of the few published accounts of Indian captivity at that time.[55][55][55][55] It was incredibly successful and sold out three editions in one year, a best-seller. In 1858, the Oatmans moved to New York with Stratton, and Olive went on the lecture circuit to promote his book. Royalties from Stratton’s book paid for the education of Lorenzo and Olive at the University of the Pacific.[56][56][56][56]These appearances were among the few occasions on which she appeared in public without wearing a veil to cover her tattooed face. Olive stated that the Mojave tattooed their captives to ensure they would be recognized if they escaped. “You perceive I have the mark indelibly placed upon my chin,” she said, neglecting to mention that most Mojave women wore chin tattoos.[57][57][57][57] Stratton’s book also claimed that the girls received designs specific to “their own captives.” But the very pattern Olive wore appears on a ceramic figurine of the late 19th-early 20th century that displays traditional Mohave face painting, tattoo, beads and clothingMuch of what actually happened to Olive Oatman during her time with Native Americans remains unknown. In response to rumors to the contrary, Olive denied that she had been married to a Mojave or was ever raped or sexually mistreated by either tribe.[58][58][58][58] In Stratton’s book she declared that “to the honor of these savages let it be said, they never offered the least unchaste abuse to me.”[59][59][59][59]In November 1865, Olive married cattleman John Fairchild.[60][60][60][60] After her marriage, she gave up all of her lecture activities, remaking herself into a proper Victorian lady, complete with a child (the couple adopted) and a beautiful house. Olive did charity work, and like a many a Victorian woman, she apparently suffered from neurasthenia, a malady Olive may have been more susceptible to after her years of freedom, fresh air, and activity with Mohave.[61][61][61][61] They lived in Detroit, Michigan for seven years before moving to Sherman, Texas in 1872, where Fairchild was president of the City Bank. He made his fortune there in banking and real estate. During 1876, they adopted a baby girl named Mary Elizabeth (called Mamie) and moved into a handsome two-story house.[62][62][62][62]Although Olive was a respected member of the Sherman community and Fairchild was one of its most prominent businessmen, she was clearly troubled. Shy and retiring, Olive was interested in the welfare of orphans but rarely discussed her own youth as an orphan and Indian captive. She always kept a jar of hazelnuts, a staple Mojave food, as a reminder of her earlier adventures.[63][63][63][63] She rarely left her home and, when she did, attempted to cover her chin tattoo with veils and face powders.Her time spent with the native tribes marred the rest of Olive Oatman’s life, since she lived, literally as a marked woman. If she had, in fact, been married to a native man or even if she’d engaged in sexual activity with any of them, the pressure to hide it would be serious, now that she was away from the so-called savages and back in conservative Western society, where a woman’s virginity was sacrosanct.[64][64][64][64] Even friendships between white and Native American people were frowned upon, to say nothing of sexual relationships. She already had the social fallout from the face tattoo to deal with, and the pressure of instant celebrity didn’t helpIn her forties, Olive battled debilitating headaches and depression. In 1881, she spent nearly three months at a medical spa (sanitarium) in Canada, largely in bed.[65][65][65][65] Oatman seemed to suffer from some chronic form of post-traumatic stress for most of her later life. Letters found after her death bore evidence to the psychological scars she had suffered in her early years.[66][66][66][66] Often ascribed to mistreatment by the Indians, her emotional problems were just as likely due to the loss of her family members and the bittersweet memories she left behind in the Mohave Valley.Olive Ann Fairchild (Oatman) 1837 - 1903 BillionGraves RecordOlive died in Sherman on March 21, 1903, at the age of sixty-five from a heart attack. John Brant Fairchild died four years later, on April 25, 1907. Both were interred in an elaborate grave Fairchild had prepared in Sherman’s West Hill Cemetery.Footnotes[1] Tattooed women outnumber men in a new poll[1] Tattooed women outnumber men in a new poll[1] Tattooed women outnumber men in a new poll[1] Tattooed women outnumber men in a new poll[2] A Secret History of Women and Tattoo[2] A Secret History of Women and Tattoo[2] A Secret History of Women and Tattoo[2] A Secret History of Women and Tattoo[3] Encyclopedia of Body Adornment[3] Encyclopedia of Body Adornment[3] Encyclopedia of Body Adornment[3] Encyclopedia of Body Adornment[4] Oatman[4] Oatman[4] Oatman[4] Oatman[5] The Tattooed Pioneer Girl[5] The Tattooed Pioneer Girl[5] The Tattooed Pioneer Girl[5] The Tattooed Pioneer Girl[6] Church of Christ (Brewster)[6] Church of Christ (Brewster)[6] Church of Christ (Brewster)[6] Church of Christ (Brewster)[7] Gila Bend and the Oatman Tragedy[7] Gila Bend and the Oatman Tragedy[7] Gila Bend and the Oatman Tragedy[7] Gila Bend and the Oatman Tragedy[8] What Life on the Oregon Trail Was Really Like[8] What Life on the Oregon Trail Was Really Like[8] What Life on the Oregon Trail Was Really Like[8] What Life on the Oregon Trail Was Really Like[9] The Incredible Story of Olive Oatman, The Tattooed Texas Woman[9] The Incredible Story of Olive Oatman, The Tattooed Texas Woman[9] The Incredible Story of Olive Oatman, The Tattooed Texas Woman[9] The Incredible Story of Olive Oatman, The Tattooed Texas Woman[10] Native American Timeline of Events[10] Native American Timeline of Events[10] Native American Timeline of Events[10] Native American Timeline of Events[11] Royce Boise Oatman, Sr.[11] Royce Boise Oatman, Sr.[11] Royce Boise Oatman, Sr.[11] Royce Boise Oatman, Sr.[12] Oatman[12] Oatman[12] Oatman[12] Oatman[13] Olive Oatman, the Pioneer Girl Abducted by Native Americans Who Returned a Marked Woman[13] Olive Oatman, the Pioneer Girl Abducted by Native Americans Who Returned a Marked Woman[13] Olive Oatman, the Pioneer Girl Abducted by Native Americans Who Returned a Marked Woman[13] Olive Oatman, the Pioneer Girl Abducted by Native Americans Who Returned a Marked Woman[14] Gila Bend and the Oatman Tragedy[14] Gila Bend and the Oatman Tragedy[14] Gila Bend and the Oatman Tragedy[14] Gila Bend and the Oatman Tragedy[15] 10 Myths About Olive Oatman | True West Magazine[15] 10 Myths About Olive Oatman | True West Magazine[15] 10 Myths About Olive Oatman | True West Magazine[15] 10 Myths About Olive Oatman | True West Magazine[16] Nature, Culture and History at the Grand Canyon[16] Nature, Culture and History at the Grand Canyon[16] Nature, Culture and History at the Grand Canyon[16] Nature, Culture and History at the Grand Canyon[17] Surviving Conquest[17] Surviving Conquest[17] Surviving Conquest[17] Surviving Conquest[18] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[18] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[18] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[18] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[19] The story of the young pioneer girl with the tattooed face[19] The story of the young pioneer girl with the tattooed face[19] The story of the young pioneer girl with the tattooed face[19] The story of the young pioneer girl with the tattooed face[20] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[20] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[20] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[20] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[21] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://arizonaexperience.org/remember/charles-poston&ved=2ahUKEwjaiK7mntXiAhUCzlkKHc8YBEcQFjALegQIChAB&usg=AOvVaw0sbx36EgMo-Qbn7zJZAiVh&cshid=1559837359285[21] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://arizonaexperience.org/remember/charles-poston&ved=2ahUKEwjaiK7mntXiAhUCzlkKHc8YBEcQFjALegQIChAB&usg=AOvVaw0sbx36EgMo-Qbn7zJZAiVh&cshid=1559837359285[21] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://arizonaexperience.org/remember/charles-poston&ved=2ahUKEwjaiK7mntXiAhUCzlkKHc8YBEcQFjALegQIChAB&usg=AOvVaw0sbx36EgMo-Qbn7zJZAiVh&cshid=1559837359285[21] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://arizonaexperience.org/remember/charles-poston&ved=2ahUKEwjaiK7mntXiAhUCzlkKHc8YBEcQFjALegQIChAB&usg=AOvVaw0sbx36EgMo-Qbn7zJZAiVh&cshid=1559837359285[22] Olive Oatman’s Rescue: A True Indian Captive Story[22] Olive Oatman’s Rescue: A True Indian Captive Story[22] Olive Oatman’s Rescue: A True Indian Captive Story[22] Olive Oatman’s Rescue: A True Indian Captive Story[23] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[23] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[23] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[23] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[24] Olive Oatman - Wikipedia[24] Olive Oatman - Wikipedia[24] Olive Oatman - Wikipedia[24] Olive Oatman - Wikipedia[25] Olive Oatman’s Rescue: A True Indian Captive Story[25] Olive Oatman’s Rescue: A True Indian Captive Story[25] Olive Oatman’s Rescue: A True Indian Captive Story[25] Olive Oatman’s Rescue: A True Indian Captive Story[26] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[26] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[26] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[26] Oatman Massacre: The Bones Still Speak[27] The Strange Story of a 19th Century American Settler and The Bizarre Tattoos on Her Face[27] The Strange Story of a 19th Century American Settler and The Bizarre Tattoos on Her Face[27] The Strange Story of a 19th Century American Settler and The Bizarre Tattoos on Her Face[27] The Strange Story of a 19th Century American Settler and The Bizarre Tattoos on Her Face[28] The story of the young pioneer girl with the tattooed face[28] The story of the young pioneer girl with the tattooed face[28] The story of the young pioneer girl with the tattooed face[28] The story of the young pioneer girl with the tattooed face[29] The Extraordinary Story of Olive Oatman[29] The Extraordinary Story of Olive Oatman[29] The Extraordinary Story of Olive Oatman[29] The Extraordinary Story of Olive Oatman[30] The Blue Tattoo | The Mohave Indians | Olive Oatman[30] The Blue Tattoo | The Mohave Indians | Olive Oatman[30] The Blue Tattoo | The Mohave Indians | Olive Oatman[30] The Blue Tattoo | The Mohave Indians | Olive Oatman[31] Olive Oatman[31] Olive Oatman[31] Olive Oatman[31] Olive Oatman[32] Olive Oatman: The Girl With the Mojave Tattoo | JSTOR Daily[32] Olive Oatman: The Girl With the Mojave Tattoo | JSTOR Daily[32] Olive Oatman: The Girl With the Mojave Tattoo | JSTOR Daily[32] Olive Oatman: The Girl With the Mojave Tattoo | JSTOR Daily[33] Hell on Wheels Handbook – Olive Oatman, a Historical Counterpart to Eva[33] Hell on Wheels Handbook – Olive Oatman, a Historical Counterpart to Eva[33] Hell on Wheels Handbook – Olive Oatman, a Historical Counterpart to Eva[33] Hell on Wheels Handbook – Olive Oatman, a Historical Counterpart to Eva[34] Captured: Olive Ann Oatman[34] Captured: Olive Ann Oatman[34] Captured: Olive Ann Oatman[34] Captured: Olive Ann Oatman[35] The High Chaparral Oatman Girls[35] The High Chaparral Oatman Girls[35] The High Chaparral Oatman Girls[35] The High Chaparral Oatman Girls[36] http://McGinty, Brian (2014). The Oatman Massacre: A Tale of Desert Captivity and Survival. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0806180242[36] http://McGinty, Brian (2014). The Oatman Massacre: A Tale of Desert Captivity and Survival. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0806180242[36] http://McGinty, Brian (2014). The Oatman Massacre: A Tale of Desert Captivity and Survival. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0806180242[36] http://McGinty, Brian (2014). The Oatman Massacre: A Tale of Desert Captivity and Survival. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0806180242[37] r/HumanPorn - Olive Oatman, a White woman who lived with a Mojave tribe for 5 years after being kidnapped at 14 and traded by a Yavapai tribe. Seen here with traditional Mojave face tattoo [1000 × 1478][37] r/HumanPorn - Olive Oatman, a White woman who lived with a Mojave tribe for 5 years after being kidnapped at 14 and traded by a Yavapai tribe. Seen here with traditional Mojave face tattoo [1000 × 1478][37] r/HumanPorn - Olive Oatman, a White woman who lived with a Mojave tribe for 5 years after being kidnapped at 14 and traded by a Yavapai tribe. Seen here with traditional Mojave face tattoo [1000 × 1478][37] r/HumanPorn - Olive Oatman, a White woman who lived with a Mojave tribe for 5 years after being kidnapped at 14 and traded by a Yavapai tribe. Seen here with traditional Mojave face tattoo [1000 × 1478][38] Olive Oatman, The Mormon Girl Who Was Raised By The Mohave[38] Olive Oatman, The Mormon Girl Who Was Raised By The Mohave[38] Olive Oatman, The Mormon Girl Who Was Raised By The Mohave[38] Olive Oatman, The Mormon Girl Who Was Raised By The Mohave[39] The Reason This Woman From The Wild West Had A Tattoo On Her Face Is Frankly Chilling[39] The Reason This Woman From The Wild West Had A Tattoo On Her Face Is Frankly Chilling[39] The Reason This Woman From The Wild West Had A Tattoo On Her Face Is Frankly Chilling[39] The Reason This Woman From The Wild West Had A Tattoo On Her Face Is Frankly Chilling[40] Amiel Weeks Whipple - Wikipedia[40] Amiel Weeks Whipple - Wikipedia[40] Amiel Weeks Whipple - Wikipedia[40] Amiel Weeks Whipple - Wikipedia[41] http://Brian McGinty. The Oatman Massacre: A Tale of Desert Captivity and Survival. 2004.[41] http://Brian McGinty. The Oatman Massacre: A Tale of Desert Captivity and Survival. 2004.[41] http://Brian McGinty. The Oatman Massacre: A Tale of Desert Captivity and Survival. 2004.[41] http://Brian McGinty. The Oatman Massacre: A Tale of Desert Captivity and Survival. 2004.[42] Heart Gone Wild - True West Magazine[42] Heart Gone Wild - True West Magazine[42] Heart Gone Wild - True West Magazine[42] Heart Gone Wild - True West Magazine[43] Location, Clothes, Food, Lifestyle, History and famous Chiefs***[43] Location, Clothes, Food, Lifestyle, History and famous Chiefs***[43] Location, Clothes, Food, Lifestyle, History and famous Chiefs***[43] Location, Clothes, Food, Lifestyle, History and famous Chiefs***[44] The Abduction of Olive Oatman[44] The Abduction of Olive Oatman[44] The Abduction of Olive Oatman[44] The Abduction of Olive Oatman[45] Olive Oatman's First Account of Her Captivity Among the Mohave[45] Olive Oatman's First Account of Her Captivity Among the Mohave[45] Olive Oatman's First Account of Her Captivity Among the Mohave[45] Olive Oatman's First Account of Her Captivity Among the Mohave[46] Redirect Notice[46] Redirect Notice[46] Redirect Notice[46] Redirect Notice[47] Olive Oatman's First Account of Her Captivity Among the Mohave[47] Olive Oatman's First Account of Her Captivity Among the Mohave[47] Olive Oatman's First Account of Her Captivity Among the Mohave[47] Olive Oatman's First Account of Her Captivity Among the Mohave[48] http://800 Copeland Ave La Crosse, WI 54603[48] http://800 Copeland Ave La Crosse, WI 54603[48] http://800 Copeland Ave La Crosse, WI 54603[48] http://800 Copeland Ave La Crosse, WI 54603[49] The Incredible Story of Olive Oatman, The Tattooed Texas Woman[49] The Incredible Story of Olive Oatman, The Tattooed Texas Woman[49] The Incredible Story of Olive Oatman, The Tattooed Texas Woman[49] The Incredible Story of Olive Oatman, The Tattooed Texas Woman[50] Olive Oatman: More Than the Girl with the Chin Tattoo[50] Olive Oatman: More Than the Girl with the Chin Tattoo[50] Olive Oatman: More Than the Girl with the Chin Tattoo[50] Olive Oatman: More Than the Girl with the Chin Tattoo[51] Remembering Olive Oatman, the Pioneer Girl Who Became a Marked Woman[51] Remembering Olive Oatman, the Pioneer Girl Who Became a Marked Woman[51] Remembering Olive Oatman, the Pioneer Girl Who Became a Marked Woman[51] Remembering Olive Oatman, the Pioneer Girl Who Became a Marked Woman[52] The Rhythmic Journey Home -- Birdsingers Ensured Victory at Ward Valley[52] The Rhythmic Journey Home -- Birdsingers Ensured Victory at Ward Valley[52] The Rhythmic Journey Home -- Birdsingers Ensured Victory at Ward Valley[52] The Rhythmic Journey Home -- Birdsingers Ensured Victory at Ward Valley[53] Captivity of the Oatman Girls[53] Captivity of the Oatman Girls[53] Captivity of the Oatman Girls[53] Captivity of the Oatman Girls[54] Remembering Olive Oatman, the Pioneer Girl Who Became a Marked Woman[54] Remembering Olive Oatman, the Pioneer Girl Who Became a Marked Woman[54] Remembering Olive Oatman, the Pioneer Girl Who Became a Marked Woman[54] Remembering Olive Oatman, the Pioneer Girl Who Became a Marked Woman[55] Myths and Traditions of the Crow Indians[55] Myths and Traditions of the Crow Indians[55] Myths and Traditions of the Crow Indians[55] Myths and Traditions of the Crow Indians[56] Olive Oatman, ca. 1860[56] Olive Oatman, ca. 1860[56] Olive Oatman, ca. 1860[56] Olive Oatman, ca. 1860[57] Olive Oatman, The Mormon Girl Who Was Raised By The Mohave[57] Olive Oatman, The Mormon Girl Who Was Raised By The Mohave[57] Olive Oatman, The Mormon Girl Who Was Raised By The Mohave[57] Olive Oatman, The Mormon Girl Who Was Raised By The Mohave[58] Olive Oatman: More Than the Girl with the Chin Tattoo[58] Olive Oatman: More Than the Girl with the Chin Tattoo[58] Olive Oatman: More Than the Girl with the Chin Tattoo[58] Olive Oatman: More Than the Girl with the Chin Tattoo[59] Myths and Traditions of the Crow Indians[59] Myths and Traditions of the Crow Indians[59] Myths and Traditions of the Crow Indians[59] Myths and Traditions of the Crow Indians[60] FAIRCHILD, OLIVE ANN OATMAN[60] FAIRCHILD, OLIVE ANN OATMAN[60] FAIRCHILD, OLIVE ANN OATMAN[60] FAIRCHILD, OLIVE ANN OATMAN[61] Taking it on the Chin[61] Taking it on the Chin[61] Taking it on the Chin[61] Taking it on the Chin[62] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://medium.com/%40belleoftheplain/olive-oatman-the-mohave-tribe-4ba8c9135abf&ved=0ahUKEwjgqcy_89XiAhUFQ60KHZAsB7YQ2aoCCNEBMBg&usg=AOvVaw0A_nsUpSa7IyH6h89OIr0V[62] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://medium.com/%40belleoftheplain/olive-oatman-the-mohave-tribe-4ba8c9135abf&ved=0ahUKEwjgqcy_89XiAhUFQ60KHZAsB7YQ2aoCCNEBMBg&usg=AOvVaw0A_nsUpSa7IyH6h89OIr0V[62] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://medium.com/%40belleoftheplain/olive-oatman-the-mohave-tribe-4ba8c9135abf&ved=0ahUKEwjgqcy_89XiAhUFQ60KHZAsB7YQ2aoCCNEBMBg&usg=AOvVaw0A_nsUpSa7IyH6h89OIr0V[62] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://medium.com/%40belleoftheplain/olive-oatman-the-mohave-tribe-4ba8c9135abf&ved=0ahUKEwjgqcy_89XiAhUFQ60KHZAsB7YQ2aoCCNEBMBg&usg=AOvVaw0A_nsUpSa7IyH6h89OIr0V[63] Location, Clothes, Food, Lifestyle, History and famous Chiefs***[63] Location, Clothes, Food, Lifestyle, History and famous Chiefs***[63] Location, Clothes, Food, Lifestyle, History and famous Chiefs***[63] Location, Clothes, Food, Lifestyle, History and famous Chiefs***[64] Colonial Women in Indian Captivity: Assumptions About Gender & Race[64] Colonial Women in Indian Captivity: Assumptions About Gender & Race[64] Colonial Women in Indian Captivity: Assumptions About Gender & Race[64] Colonial Women in Indian Captivity: Assumptions About Gender & Race[65] https://www.google.com/amp/s/blogs.ancestry.com/cm/the-girl-with-the-tattooed-face/amp/[65] https://www.google.com/amp/s/blogs.ancestry.com/cm/the-girl-with-the-tattooed-face/amp/[65] https://www.google.com/amp/s/blogs.ancestry.com/cm/the-girl-with-the-tattooed-face/amp/[65] https://www.google.com/amp/s/blogs.ancestry.com/cm/the-girl-with-the-tattooed-face/amp/[66] Oatman family member to speak about historic massacre[66] Oatman family member to speak about historic massacre[66] Oatman family member to speak about historic massacre[66] Oatman family member to speak about historic massacre

Aron Ralston : Cheating Death in Blue John CanyonHis is one of the most astonishing stories of survival that one has ever encountered. Instead of dying in Bluejohn Canyon a Colorado canyoneer accomplishes one of the most daring self-rescues in mountaineering history.He is the inspiration behind the Oscar Nominated film 127 Hours directed by Danny Boyle and the central character played by James FrancoThe above is a self portrait of Aron Ralston taken in Water Holes Canyon, 2001.The Story:April 26, 2003, started as a routine Saturday of climbing for Aron Ralston, an avid outdoorsman and mountain climber. He planned to spend the day riding his mountain bike and climbing the red rocks and sandstone just outside the Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah. The area is some of the most desolate and intriguing wilderness in the lower 48 states with areas of buttes, mesas and convoluted canyons.Ralston had climbed alone before plenty of times. He had scaled all 59 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, 45 of them solo in winter, and this outing was a warm-up for an ascent of North America's highest mountain, 20,320-foot tall Mount McKinley.Ralston, 27, of Aspen, Colorado, parked his pickup truck at the Horseshoe Canyon Trailhead and took off on his mountain bike for the 15-mile ride to the Bluejohn Canyon Trailhead where he locked his mountain bike to a juniper tree.Dressed in a T-shirt and shorts and carrying a backpack he planned to canyoneer down remote Bluejohn Canyon and hike out adjacent Horseshoe Canyon to where he parked his truck and then go back for the mountain bike. His backpack contained two burritos, less than a liter of water, a cheap imitation of a Leatherman brand multi-tool, a small first aid kit, a video camera, a digital camera and rock climbing gear. The backpack did not contain a jacket or extra clothing. Canyoneering is where a climber uses rock-climbing skills, ropes and gear to negotiate narrow slot canyons.Ralston was 150 yards above the final rappel in Bluejohn Canyon. He was maneuvering in a 3-foot wide slot trying to get over the top of a large boulder wedged between the narrow canyon walls. He climbed up the boulder face and it seemed very stable as he stood on top. As he began to climb down the opposite side the perfectly balanced 800-pound rock shifted several feet, pinning his right arm - he was trapped.Within the first hour after becoming trapped Ralston had calculated his options and came up with four possible solutions.Someone would happen along and rescue him.He would be able to chip away at the rock and free his hand.He would be able to rig up something with the ropes and equipment he had to move the rock.If all else failed, he would need to sever the arm.Death was a 5th possibility that Ralston didn't want to consider.Ralston tried ropes, anchors, anything to move the boulder, but it wouldn't budge. Next he tried to chip away at the rock with a cheap imitation of a Leatherman brand multi-tool, with no positive results. Ten hours of chipping at the rock managed to produce only a small handful of rock dust.Temperatures dipped into the 30's at night, and still Ralston worked to free himself. Sunday and Monday passed but he was still trapped. Sunlight reached the narrow canyon floor for only a very short period of time each day. He ran out of food and water on Tuesday.On Wednesday, Ralston began sipping the urine he had started saving a day earlier. He pulled out his video camera and recorded a message to his parents. He next etched his name, birth date, and what he was certain was his last day on earth into the canyon wall. He topped it off with RIP.On Thursday morning, Ralston had a vision of a 3-year-old boy running across a sunlit floor to be scooped up by a one-armed man. He understood this vision to be of his future son and decided that his survival required drastic action. If he did not rescue himself now, he would not have the physical strength remaining to do it later.Ralston prepared to amputate his right arm below the elbow using the knife blade on his multi-tool. Realizing that the blade was not sharp enough to cut through the bone he forced his arm against the boulder and broke the bones so he would be able to cut through the tissue. First he broke the radius bone, which connects the elbow to the thumb. Within a few minutes he cracked the ulna, the bone on the outside of the forearm. Next he applied a tourniquet to his arm. He than used his knife blade to amputate his right arm below the elbow. The entire procedure required approximately one hour.Ralston administered first aid to himself from the small kit in his backpack. He rigged anchors and fixed a rope to rappel nearly 70-feet to the bottom of Bluejohn Canyon. Leaving his rope hanging he hiked 5 miles downstream into adjacent Horseshoe Canyon, where he encountered a Dutch family on vacation.The Dutch couple Eric and Monique Meijer and their son, Andy, had just finished photographing the famous Grand Gallery. As they packed up their gear and began to hike out of the canyon they heard a voice behind them cry "Help, I need help". The couple immediately realized that this must be the lost hiker whom they had been briefed about by a ranger earlier in the day.Ralston walked quickly toward the couple. His arm, or what was left, hung in a self-made sling and he spoke clearly: "Hello, my name is Aron, I fell off a cliff on Saturday and I was stuck under a boulder. I just cut off my hand four hours ago and I need medical attention. I need a helicopter".It was decided that the wife and son would try to get out of the canyon as quickly as possible to get help. Eric remained with the injured man to guide him in the correct direction and provide him with food, water and mental support. Despite all of the blood loss, Ralston maintained a strong walking pace until sand in his shoes started to irritate him. He stopped in a shady part of the canyon to cure the annoyance so he could continue.In the meantime Ralston’s friends at the Ute Mountaineer store in Aspen began to worry when he failed to appear for work and called authorities. The dilemma was that Ralston had neglected to notify anyone of his itinerary. His mother found out her son was missing Wednesday when his boss called her. A friend helped her break into her son's e-mail for clues on his whereabouts to no avail. Authorities in Aspen discovered he had used a credit card to buy groceries in Moab, Utah and notified authorities there to start searching for him.Mitch Vetere, a patrol sergeant with the Emery County Sheriff's Office in Green River, got the call Thursday morning. A climber was several days overdue. His truck had been found at the Horseshoe Canyon Trailhead, but no one had seen Ralston.Terry Mercer, a helicopter pilot with the Utah Highway Patrol in Salt Lake City, met Vetere and another deputy about 1:00 p.m. Thursday at Horseshoe Canyon, where Ralston's truck was parked. After reading notes and looking at Ralston's equipment in his truck, Mercer and Vetere knew Ralston was an experienced climber. The search helicopter was soon airborne and Mercer flew for about two hours - Nothing.Suddenly the flight crew noticed two people deep in Horseshoe Canyon waving. It was the Dutch wife and son and they were franticly signaling the helicopter and pointing in the direction of the victim. The flight crew quickly perceived the signals and landed in a wide spot in the canyon near Ralston. The flight crew was shocked at the sight - dry and fresh blood coating his body - and the missing arm. The rescue crew could not believe it; Ralston was within a mile of his pickup truck. He almost didn't even need to be rescued.After Ralston was helped into the helicopter, Mercer peeked back at him. Ralston's right arm was in a makeshift sling made from a Camelback used to carry water. Ralston leaned his head back in the helicopter and sipped on some water. Vetere kept him talking, so he wouldn't lose consciousness. Twelve minutes later, the helicopter arrived at Allen Memorial Hospital in Moab, Utah. Ralston walked into the emergency room without help, then pointed out on a map where he had been stuck.The rescuers were amazed at Ralston's will to live. A helicopter likely would not have found him because of his position in the deep and narrow slot canyon.Mercer and two other deputies went back into the canyon hoping they could retrieve Ralston's arm and that it could be reattached but the trip was futile. The deputies could not move the boulder. It would take thirteen men with equipment to later remove the severed arm.Aron Ralston had an amazing will to live, he never gave up and he saved himself.127 Hours:In November 2010 the movie 127 HOURS, directed by Danny Boyle and starring James Franco was released. This movie is having a large impact on Bluejohn Canyon. For the curious and those considering visiting Bluejohn Canyon please read the following information carefully.Everything needed to visit the spot where Aron Ralston was trapped is included in my Bluejohn Canyon Route Information. Bluejohn Canyon is located in one of the most remote regions of the lower 48 states. The canyon is 40 miles from the nearest paved road and about 3 hours from the nearest town. If you are injured in this area mediocre medical care is at least 6 hours away.Bluejohn Canyon is an extensive canyon system that requires 3 or 4 days to completely explore. If you were doing the complete "Ralston Route" it would require a very long day and one mandatory 70-foot rappel. If you wanted to visit the spot where Aron's accident occurred you can hike down to it and back up without a rappel. Doing that would require some scrambling and most of a day.Much of the 127 HOURS movie was actually filmed in Leprechaun Canyon. This is a very beautiful slot canyon located in Southern Utah. For those interested in visiting a slot canyon this is a much better choice than Bluejohn Canyon. Leprechaun Canyon is easier to access and is more beginner friendly. Everything you need to visit Leprechaun Canyon is in my route information.There is no Blue Pool in Bluejohn Canyon as shown in the movie. The Blue Pool is nothing but Hollywood's need to pump up and hype the movie. The Blue Pool scene was filmed at a local tourist resort in the Wasatch Mountains known as Homestead Resort located in Midway, Utah.