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Post by dmether on Jan 22, 2011 23:41:53 GMT 8
No idea on the details of the map. Whatever is on the map is all the info there is.
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Post by dmether on Jan 22, 2011 23:33:40 GMT 8
A B-32 at Clark, July 1945. Probably one of the least known aircraft of WWII, it was built in case the B-29 program didn't work. Factiod: The B-32 was the last aircraft shot at in WWII. On 18 August 1945 two Dominators were flying a recon over Tokyo when the Japanese Air Force tried to intercept them. One crewmember was killed, Sergeant Anthony Marchione, the last American to die in air combat in WWII. Attachments:
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Post by dmether on Jan 22, 2011 22:04:07 GMT 8
This is a map I came across, there is a date on it of 6 May, I think its showing the defenses on that day. Attachments:
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Post by dmether on Jan 22, 2011 14:25:54 GMT 8
September 05, 2008
THE suspected remains of a World War II airman found dangling in trees in the jungle of Papua New Guinea have turned out to be just a moss-covered branch, the Australian military revealed today.
Hikers on the famed Kokoda Track, site of a brutal 1942 battle between Japanese and Australian troops, reported they had discovered what appeared to be the suspended skeleton of a flyer tangled in parachute cords two weeks ago.
But the Australian Defence Force said it had sent staff from Canberra's embassy in Port Moresby to inspect the remote site, only to discover that the suspected human skeleton was simply a tree limb tangled in vines.
“No remains were located,” the ADF said in a statement.
“While the location, near Kagi, is below a flight path that was commonly used by Allied aircraft during WWII sorties, the find has been confirmed by ADF staff as a moss-covered branch.
“It appears the branch has broken off the main tree and fallen across some vines, which from the ground, could have been confused with the body of an airman,” the statement said.
News that the remains of a flyer had been discovered more than 65 years after his death in the heat of the World War II battle for the Pacific had caused a sensation.
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Post by dmether on Jan 22, 2011 14:14:34 GMT 8
Unfortunately Lt. Nininger remains an MIA. He was reported to have been buried in grave #9, behind the Abucay church, then after the war moved as an unknown to the American Cemetery in Manila.
However, when the remains were examined to make an identification, they didn't fit the height for Niniger. And although the dental exam could fit Niniger, it could also fit several other unknowns from the same cemetery.
After an exhaustive search of all aspects of Ninigers burial, it was determined that the body in grave #9 was from a Philippine Scout, in fact all the bodies buried in that cemetery were non-caucasion It was also determined that there were no surviving witnesses to the burial except a Colonel who insisted he witnessed the burial but it turned out, had left Bataan before it took place.
What happened to Lt. Niniger? My guess is he died behind Japanese lines, his comrads were not able to recover his body and he was probably buried in an isolated grave after the war ended and remains there today.
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Post by dmether on Jan 22, 2011 10:06:58 GMT 8
Haven't heard that story although it wouldn't suprise me. I have heard that American's made the march in different ways, both riding trucks and walking. I've been to the National Archives twice and scanned in a couple hundred pages of dispositions from the survivors, heading back next month for 7 weeks; 6 hours a day 6 days a week, of research. Going to get as much scanned as possible from the American POW files. Worst case I came across is three GI's on the march were forced to bury another American that was more dead than alive. So they put a hankerchief over his face and covered him with dirt. A few minutes later he came running up to them on the road. The two guys who "buried" him saw him later in the camps, so he probably survived. Another was William (Billie) White. He was pulled out of an open grave, off a pile of dead American and Filipino corpses, he survived the war. (Thats his picture). Even the guys who were lucky enough to ride a truck could get in trouble. There is an instance where a group of GI's were in a stopped truck, a Japanese soldier walked up and stabbed one of them in the back with a bayonet, just a random act of violence, killing the American. Attachments:
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Post by dmether on Jan 22, 2011 9:38:56 GMT 8
I've wondered what might have happened to them once they were liberated. I think the Japanese made a distinction between those who surrendered and those who were captured. Either way, I doubt they were well treated.
I bet the front line American troops who survived the war weren't too happy to see a picture of the captured enemy eating better than what they had.
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Post by dmether on Jan 21, 2011 20:22:24 GMT 8
This is another one. Kenneth Hodge also remains MIA. Notice PFC Billie Brown also helped with the burial. Gottlieb Neigum ended up upsetting his Japanese hosts and was tied to a tree with another American POW and severly beaten. Not wanting any more of that he escaped while on a bridge repair detail. Unfortunately, five other POWs were executed for his escape. However, Gottleib was able to join up with a guerrilla unit and fought the Japanese until the end of the war. During that time, he met and married Alicia Taylor (American father, Filipina mother) of San Antonio Laguna, Philippines. They had 5 kids. Goblieb died in 1995 in California. Attachments:
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Post by dmether on Jan 21, 2011 19:51:52 GMT 8
Scanned this in the National Archives, thought it was interesting as it survived the Philippines Japanese POW camp system, being hidden by American prisoners. I did some research: James W. Gilbert remains MIA. The serial numbers of three of the guys are almost identical because they were in the same Minnesota National Guard unit. Of the guys listed: Roy Maghan is MIA, died 7 Sept 44. Emmerson Cornell died 22 Sept 42, buried in Manila. Don't know the fate of the other two guys. Attachments:
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Post by dmether on Jan 21, 2011 18:30:25 GMT 8
I have another document (again too large to post, because I scanned them) from a John K. Borneman, Chaplain.
Date: 9 August 1947
"In May of 1941 I arrived in the Philippines for duty and was assigned as Chaplain for the 60th Coast Artillery anti-aircraft Regiment on Corregidor.
Following the surrender of Corregidor in May of 1942 the Japanese would not permit us to bury our dead, the majority of these were killed in action during the invasion the night of May 5-6 1942.
Several days after the surrender the Chaplains took the iniative and went around Corregidor burying the dead and this included the digging of the grave. However no markers could be placed on the graves due to the tense situation then prevailing; in fact the Japanese threatened to shoot or decapitate any person discovered in the act of taking care of the American casualties.
This work we continued until 1 July 1942 when all of us were removed to Philippine Military Prison Camp No. 1 at Cabanatuan. During our internment in this camp 2,666 men died and were buried in the camp cemetery. It was from here that I was liberated 30 January 1945 by action of the 6th Army Rangers.
In the summer of 1946 I spent three months on Corregidor and in Manila locating isolated graves. This work was not entirely satisfactory to me due to the fact that it was the rainy season and our work was constantly interfered with by typhoons. In addition I twice had the Japanese prisoners who were the labor detail, removed from Corregidor for long periods and finally at the end of September they were taken away permanently for preparation to be sent back to Japan.
No map was available of Corregidor as it existed in peace time and this was necessary due to the changes in topography caused by American action in retaking the Rock in February 1945.
As nearly as I can estimate there are about 112 bodies still to be recovered on Corregidor. I have secured an engineer map from the Army Map Service and forwarded it to the Memorial Division in Manila.
Since my return home I have answered more that 2,200 letters from relatives of men who did not survive the war or prision camp and these are still coming in at the rate of about 50 a month.
I am therefore much interested in the repatriation of our Philippine dead.
Is there a possibility of returning to Manila under the auspicies of the Memorial Division to complete this work? I know there is none under the Chaplains Corps due to the dwindling number of Chaplains required in the Philippines and the consequent cut in funds for their work..."
No idea if the military took him up on his offer.
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