Horrible fire leaves many dead and fate of Treasure of Paradise in limbo

[Combat K]

Just as I was about to update whathappenedtojerry.com and right after my request to the City Clerk of Paradise (hopefully still alive) to comment on what town officials knew/know of the where-a-bouts of Jerry Strickland, former CIA contract pilot spoken of in a book written in federal prison some years back 2 things happened. 1. The clerk acknowledged my email but never replied to the questions and 2. the entire place burned to the ground. I really didn't think those damn winds blew so hard that far north. Sure, I have seen the infamous Santa Anna's howl many times as well as the Santa Barbara area 'Sundowners' but nothing like this. Now it is no longer just Jerry that is being searched for and my deepest sorrow and sympathies go out for those lost and for those looking for the lost. As for the half billion dollars in gold and cash we think was buried up there near the air park, it is now a good question. The story I was told by Senior Lencho was the treasure was placed in a dozen box's and then buried somewhere on Jerry's ten acre spread. I was going to make my next post a video with my reading of the directions I had. Though not an exact set of directions, I think it may be close. But the question now (and it only adds to the drama and mystery of the Treasure of Paradise) is did that inferno melt or destroy the treasure after these 32 + years it has gone missing? If gold (pure gold as the treasure is probably coins and ingots) melts at around 2000 degrees but the stuff was buried perhaps six feet deep, does anyone have a guess if it's still intact? The fire raged at temps hot enough to melt aluminum (1200 +) and perhaps 14-1800 degrees to evaporate a body. So there you have it. As things calm down up there I will be back at whathappenedtojerry.com to continue the search. In the meantime, I sincerely send sympathies to Paradise, Calif.and greatly appreciate any thoughts you fellow treasure hunters might contribute to this fascinating but now tragic story and search.

 

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[SeabeeRon]

With this tragic loss of life, this lost gold fable is my last concern! Know of many people who retired and live up in that beautiful area!!

 

[Tree!]

The gold would be fine at 6 feet under.

 

[SeabeeRon]

Don’t think people in the Paradise area are thinking about some dubious gold fable right now!

 

[Combat K]

All treasure legends are 'dubious' I suppose

Don’t think people in the Paradise area are thinking about some dubious gold fable right now!

What years were you in the Seabee's Ron? I was a Seabee in the reserves after my active years. RNMCB 17 out of San Diego. And as for the Treasure and now fire of Paradise, it is being postulated the fire was deliberately set and if so (to add to what you would probably call 'additional dubiousness') it was the CIA to cover up the source of the treasure. www.whathappenedtojerry.com

 

[Tpmetal]

that gold would be fine at 6 feet, even at only like a foot deep. The soil is a pretty good insulator of heat, especially when fires are moving that fast. I work with glass furnaces and other equipment that spews lots of hot heat, and even built a few "ancient glass furnaces" out of dirt and clay.

 

[SeabeeRon]

What years were you in the Seabee's Ron? I was a Seabee in the reserves after my active years. RNMCB 17 out of San Diego. And as for the Treasure and now fire of Paradise, it is being postulated the fire was deliberately set and if so (to add to what you would probably call 'additional dubiousness') it was the CIA to cover up the source of the treasure. www.whathappenedtojerry.com

I served from 1969 - 1973, lastly with MCM 10 out of Port Hueneme, CA.

As to the rest, sorry, but I just do not buy into conspiracy theories!!

 

[Combat K]

Honestly Ron, I probably don't either but given the track record of known evil stunts the CIA has been involved in (certainly including the 'Treasure of Paradise and it's provenance), nothing shouldn't be assumed about them, nothing can be put past them. If you have read the rather short web page whathappenedtojerry you might see what I mean. And the guy I got this story from almost a decade ago was/is very believable and solid. If Lencho said it was true, it was true. I fact checked just about all the wild stories in the book once I was released and they checked out. Hence I believe the Treasure of Paradise was or still is buried in Paradise and now under a lot of rubble. Its a lurid tale as well (I wrote CIA twice asking for comment and didn't even get back a cover letter) and like I said, nothing is beyond the pall in this day and age. Best to you fellow Seabee. -Combat Kelley SW2 RNMCB 17 (so long ago!)