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Post by dmether on May 12, 2012 12:54:35 GMT 8
Couple of pictures of what can still be found in Papua, this is the throttle from the "Ole Tomato" located a few miles outside of Lae. Attachments:
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Post by dmether on May 12, 2012 10:24:04 GMT 8
Also picked up a data plate. Top row says: "Model Zero No 1 Fighter of the aircraft carrier Middle: " Mitsubishi No. 2721 Type Bottom is the serial number. Attachments:
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Post by dmether on May 12, 2012 10:09:01 GMT 8
The "Ole Tomato" Attachments:
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Post by dmether on May 12, 2012 10:03:59 GMT 8
Here is what I kept from Papua, a row of bomb mission markers off a B-25 "Ole Tomato" from the crash site we found. I have it in my house in Angeles City. Attachments:
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Post by dmether on May 12, 2012 9:55:19 GMT 8
"Lady Be Good" was found 440 miles south of Benghazi in April 1959. In March 1960 five of the nine crew members were located. On one of the bodies (Lt. Toner) a diary was found, he had recorded what happened to them from 4 to 12 April 1943. By the 11th they had run out of water and were going blind. On the 12th five of them laid down and never moved again. Two guy went on ahead, their bodies were discovered miles away in an area that had 500' sand dunes. The navigator was also found, his parachute had failed to deploy. The last member of the crew of 9 was never found.
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Post by dmether on May 12, 2012 9:32:52 GMT 8
Yes, have info on aircraft site, kept my map from when we went looking for them. But the guy who is the Master of aircraft sites is Brian Bennett, look him up on Pacific Wrecks. He's been looking for aircraft in Papua since 1975. In my picture, he's the guy holding the piece of nose art, I took the picture.
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Post by dmether on May 7, 2012 16:44:53 GMT 8
B-24 nose art is still crisp, this was in 2003 about 10,500' up the side of a mountain. Attachments:
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Post by dmether on May 7, 2012 16:37:14 GMT 8
Papua also has some of the best WWII crash sites, however you need a helicopter to get to them. Attachments:
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Post by dmether on May 5, 2012 8:36:46 GMT 8
I've also found that in other places in the Philippines, sites being destroyed or built over. Look at Camp O'Donnell, the American part of the camp is now a housing area.
I got the maps in the US National Archives, spent two months there last year.
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Post by dmether on Apr 28, 2012 13:58:29 GMT 8
Thought this was an interesting story that I came upon while looking for something else. Talaud Island is about 150 miles south of Mindanao. On 6 November 1944, Lt. James Steele was flying a P-47 during a mission to Cebu, when he became lost and ran out of fuel. He went down on Talaud Island where he was picked up and turned over to the Japanese by the locals. On 13 January 1945 four Australian Air Force P-40s became lost while flying between Noemfoor Island and Morotai. Three of the pilots, Flying Officer Hann, Flight Sergeant King, and Warrant Officer Waters went down near Talaud Island where the locals captured and turned them over to the Japanese garrison at the village of Boe. Don’t know what happened to the fourth pilot. On 23 March 1945, the Japanese tied the four airmen to wooden crosses (after infliction “some indignities” on the men) and used the airmen for bayonet practice. On 13 May 1945, Flight Officer Rodney Neilson went down near the island. He was flying a F-5F and ran out of fuel. On 15 May an Australian Air Force search aircraft spotted the F-5F, a Catalina Aircraft landed and a crewmember examined the F-5F and interviewed some locals who said the pilot had been apprehended by the native police and taken away to Boe. The Japanese decapitated him on 10 June 1945. In September 1945 an Australian ship visited the island to round up the Japanese garrison. The Japanese commander (Col. Koba) said the five POWs were sent to the Celebes, however after interviewing some locals the graves were discovered. The Australians put on trial five Japanese soldiers for the execution of the two Americans and three Australians; all five were found guilty and hanged. The remains of Lt. Steele and F/O Neilson were returned to the US in 1947. Attachments:
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