Quote Originally Posted by Cabbage Patch View Post
My personal theory is that Fort Irwin is where the government took people who were doing research into the zombies. A group from Star Labs group was evacuated out of LAX, but one helicopter, the Coast Guard Pelican, never arrived. It was carrying vital equipment/supplies/research, etc. and everyone has been alerted to look for it. The Tower survivors didn't know what the cargo on the helicopter was, and left it sitting on the pad at LAX. This necessitates a trip back to LA to retrieve the cargo.
Great thinking, Cabbage Patch... I had the same idea yesterday but you one-upped me with the additional theory about the Star Labs group. Any evidence so far that Star Labs was evac'd out of LAX? Also, I couple of things about this that weren't mentioned:

Misc. Thoughts about Irwin as Evac Site

1. My initial thinking was that it was named as an evac site after the outbreak, and that all available choppers in the LA area were made rescue vehicles. About the #1420... I'm not sure how choppers are numbered, but maybe Irwin was designated all choppers numbered from 1000-2000 or something. This might explain why the number was recognized. The other explanation, as CP wrote, was that the guys at Irwin were on the lookout for this specific bird.

2. LAX and the old park at the Colony were two of the evac sites that were hastily set up, but perhaps only a few birds actually got people out before all was overrun and dissolved into chaos. I still think the 1420 bird was just attacked by Eaters before they could get a full load off the ground (destined for Irwin), which would explain the soldiers being puzzled as to why this bird finally showed up, months late, and with different passengers than they were expecting. Also, there is the lingering issue of 'who killed the other guys', which Mike and the boys will have to answer.

3. If some birds did succeed in evacuating people before all was overrun, then it's possible that some people at Irwin could have been flown out from the colony area before it became the colony. Maybe some of them even know Saul's mom.

4. So why haven't any of these other birds been up in the air looking for survivors, if Irwin is indeed an evac site? The only two answers I can think of is that there's no pilots or there's no fuel. I think it's the latter situation at Irwin.

5. One more thing not mentioned: anyone else notice the kind of laid-back reception they got upon arrival at Irwin? Very different from the harsh in-processing they got at the Colony, right? In fact, none of the army guys seemed to know what to do with visitors, which tells me that they probably haven't gotten any new visitors in a long time. Also, the absence of some strict in-processing procedure tells me that the natural isolation of the base has also kept them safe from Eater attacks.