Claims
Michael Herrera: octagonal craft and black-clad operators in Sumatra (2009)
Unproven What these labels mean →Ex-Marine Michael Herrera (Shawn Ryan Show #66, July 2023) says that during 2009 earthquake relief near Padang, his 6-man team came upon a ~300 ft octagonal craft hovering over a clearing. Eight American-speaking operators in black gear disarmed and threatened them while four matte-black F-350s drove Pelican weapon cases and half-size containers onto a rising platform. The craft then left silently at extreme speed. He says his camera footage was confiscated by a nameless officer in Air Force dress blues. An unnamed contact at Greer's 2023 event later told him the containers held trafficked humans. The deployment is real. The encounter is single-witness with no corroborating Marines on record.
Ties
| To | Role | Years | Verdict | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Skunk Works | Herrera speculates Lockheed built it (F-22-like panels) | Unproven | youtube.com | |
| Steven Greer | brought him forward (Disclosure Project, DC, 2023); relayed the unnamed 'human trafficking' source | 2023 | Unproven | youtube.com |
| UAP Disclosure Act | he credits the 2022–23 whistleblower protections for coming forward | 2023 | Documented · occurred | |
| AARO | reported under-oath interview with AARO and Senate staff (Apr 2023) | 2023 | Unproven | curiosmos.com |
Tied from
| From | Role | Years | Verdict | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AARO | Herrera says he gave AARO a sworn interview (Apr 2023) | 2023 | Unproven | |
| Steven Greer | brought Herrera forward; source of the 'human trafficking' tip | 2023 | Unproven | youtube.com |
Links
- Video
- 2009 Sumatra earthquakes
- ReliefWeb: USS Denver / 31st MEU relief, Oct 2009
- DVIDS: 31st MEU aid delivery, Padang
Checked (2026-09-26)
| Claim | Record | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| M7.6 quake in West Sumatra, Sept 30, 2009 | Verified | quake |
| 'Earthquake and tsunami' | No significant tsunami from the Padang quake | no tsunami |
| 31st MEU diverted from Philippine typhoon relief (Ketsana/Parma) to Padang; USS Denver was the only ship; CH-53 aid drops | USS Denver arrived Oct 8, 2009. The 31st MEU split between Luzon and Sumatra. CH-53s flew aid from Padang | deployment |
| Herrera was a Marine in 2/5 Echo Co. on that deployment | Consistent with coverage. His service record isn't in public view | plausible |
| 'Testified under oath in front of Congress' (show intro) | Closed briefings: AARO and Senate intelligence staff (2023). No public hearing | closed briefing |
| 300-ft rotating octagon, silent hum, 'vantablack' vents, ~4–5,000 mph departure, no downwash | Single witness. Five other Marines unnamed; one reportedly declined to come forward | craft |
| Operators in black with futuristic ID scanners; F-350s with weapon cases | Single witness | operators |
| Camera footage confiscated by an unnamed Air Force officer | No record. A FOIA target would need the ship/unit logs | confiscation |
| The containers held trafficked humans | Third-hand: an unnamed man at a Greer event. Early press versions stressed weapons | trafficking |
| Helicopters now surveil his home | His account | surveillance |
Soft-synthesis flags
- The story's shape changed: weapons (2023 press) became human trafficking, based on a single unnamed attendee at a Greer event. Track which version appears in any sworn setting.
- A 300-ft craft appearing next to a multinational relief operation with many helicopters, and no pilot noticed (he asked). That is a cost the account has to carry.