WWII Pilot's Skeleton Found on Kokoda Track

[Jack Cook]

Did anyone read the responses?

Frankly, this skeleton now serves a purpose, it supports an assortment of life and is now part of a rich ecosystem in one of the few areas in the world where biodiverstiy is relatively untainted by human greed. Let it stay, and let us not forget that it now supports our existence on this planet.

He should tell the family that

[JDK]

Gentlemen, with total respect to all concerned, particularly the dead. How much do you guys know about recovering MIA's? Are you aware that the U.S. Army Joint Personnel Accounting Command(JPAC) at Hickam HI have a limited budget? That Iraq, Afganistan and Vietnam are the priority sites. That a "PNG List" of MIA sites exists and is, time & funding permitting, slowly being investigated. That Multi Crew aircraft take priority over single seat fighters(why? Because the results are greater-statistics!). MIA's are a VERY emotive issue, and everybody has an opinion, but at the end of the day real world issue dictate how these matters are handled. There is a elderly gentleman on Rhode Island who has been waiting 64 years for his brothers remains to be exhumed from a shallow grave on Kairuru Island(off Wewak). Should that be put off to pursue this current find? How about the C-47 "Windy City", seen to crash on Mt Victoria by his fellow pilots, in December 1943.Not recovered at the time, located again by villagers in late 2007 and slated for initial investigation in January 2009 or two P-38's(probably 475th FG-triple digits on nose) located in Mountains above Astrolabe Bay in 1960's by Australian Patrol Officer, yet to be investigated by JPAC. Those guys do an excellent job with the resources available to them, but we need to be mindful of their limitations.

I don't understand your reaction. No one here was suggesting the question wasn't important, or not wanting it to be followed up. I know very little about recovering those missing in action; but so far, as I said before, there is a current investigation being undertaken by the appropriate authorities, who aren't (yet) JPAC anyway. At the moment, it's a hot news item, which has forced an urgent (non-US non-JPAC resourced) investigation based on scant (but clear) facts.

For general interest:

Another news item

The battle of the Kokoda track is of great importance in Australia, and is under-regarded in history as against, say Gallipoli. It would not be too much to say it was when the Australian Army shut the door on the Japanese advance, where the Allies expected them to be invading Australia. If you wanted to know more, this is as good a place to start.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokoda_Track_campaign

Whatever does come out of this investigation, the good bit is several thousand people will get to hear of this battle for the first time.

Hey, Jack, don't get wound by the remarks in those reports - half of them are just trolling anyway, the others just want to be heard; so unlike the rich life at WIX. Incidentally, there's not the same drive to 'bring them back' in Australia anyway, although we'd rather have they a decent burial, where we all become part of the ecosystem, eventually.

And on the Japanese side: The Bone Man of Kokoda.

Sydney Morning Herald
Japan Times
ABC Radio report

Regards,

[tom d. friedman]

Gentlemen, with total respect to all concerned, particularly the dead. How much do you guys know about recovering MIA's? Are you aware that the U.S. Army Joint Personnel Accounting Command(JPAC) at Hickam HI have a limited budget? That Iraq, Afganistan and Vietnam are the priority sites. That a "PNG List" of MIA sites exists and is, time & funding permitting, slowly being investigated. That Multi Crew aircraft take priority over single seat fighters(why? Because the results are greater-statistics!). MIA's are a VERY emotive issue, and everybody has an opinion, but at the end of the day real world issue dictate how these matters are handled. There is a elderly gentleman on Rhode Island who has been waiting 64 years for his brothers remains to be exhumed from a shallow grave on Kairuru Island(off Wewak). Should that be put off to pursue this current find? How about the C-47 "Windy City", seen to crash on Mt Victoria by his fellow pilots, in December 1943.Not recovered at the time, located again by villagers in late 2007 and slated for initial investigation in January 2009 or two P-38's(probably 475th FG-triple digits on nose) located in Mountains above Astrolabe Bay in 1960's by Australian Patrol Officer, yet to be investigated by JPAC. Those guys do an excellent job with the resources available to them, but we need to be mindful of their limitations.

good points, but the story seems like bunk. my dad was on new guinea as an infantry company commander & related stories where they left the dead while on plus days patrols. they left markers to retrieve them on their egress from the jungle only to find the combat area totally over grown to where they couldn't retrieve them, in a matter of days!!! the humidity, jungle varmints etc, bugs, what ever leaves me feeling that this is b.s. after this many years. no parachute harness could survive 60 plus years hanging in that environment.

[fotobass]

WEll, with all due respect, I'd point out that at this point, the skeleton of this airman is preciesly known, and I'd think the recovery time would be dramatically less than what's involved in tracking down the wrecks you mentioned and painstakingly investigating the sites in question.

[JägerMarty]

We'll see hwn the ADF go up there and investigate won't we?

[n5151ts]

...quick call TIGHAR they have a great track record....er....uh......well...

[AVATRBR]

Here in Arizona back in the 80's hunters came across a T-50 upside down hanging in the trees on top of Mt Graham around the 11000 ft level.
there were two bodies, the Army AF Instructor and his student. the remains were mummified skeletons. Their wallets and ID's were mainly intact.
Only saw one story about this in the paper then nothing..Pooner do you know anything about this?

[Chris Brame]

Hi Bob, welcome to WIX!
I'm not Pooner but I remember the story. The October '74 issue of Air Classics quoted from an article in the Army Times that stated that the wreckage of UC-78B 43-7873, which disappeared on a training mission on 12/28/43, was found by hikers on 4/28/74 "upside down in two to three feet of snow on the north slope of the mountain" (rather than being up in a tree). According to a letter by Rhodes Arnold in the December '74 AC, the remains of the aircraft were acquired by the Tucson Air Museum and removed from the mountain between May and August '74, and at the time the intention was to restore the aircraft using what they had plus another T-50 hulk. The bodies of the crew, instructor pilot Lieutenant Douglas McDow and Cadet Clarence A. Thompson, were recovered by the Army's Graves Registration team.

Last edited by Chris Brame on Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:00 am, edited 2 times in total.

[AVATRBR]

74? Oh Boy..time sure flys when your havin fun!

[tom d. friedman]

74? Oh Boy..time sure flys when your havin fun!

great avatar pic to your wix profile!!! welcome aboard!!!

[AVATRBR]

74? Oh Boy..time sure flys when your havin fun!

great avatar pic to your wix profile!!! welcome aboard!!!

Oh Yeah! I don't have a smile on my face for nothing.. and thanks for the welcome you guys..that gives me another post..Whats my rank now?

[Jesse C.]

74? Oh Boy..time sure flys when your havin fun!

great avatar pic to your wix profile!!! welcome aboard!!!

Oh Yeah! I don't have a smile on my face for nothing.. and thanks for the welcome you guys..that gives me another post..Whats my rank now?

Window Inspector! Make sure it is super squeaky clean!

Welcome to WIX!

[Shay]

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/world/body-of-wwii-pilot-found-on-kokoda-track/2008/08/28/1219516615196.html

Here 's a different angle all be it small. Sure does look feet to me and the witness states he saw goggles. I can't help but being reminded of the WW2 Pacific Island scene in Heavy Metal.

If it is an Airman you have to imagine that he was dead or close to it when he hit the Jungle canopy.

May he find peace


Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[muddyboots]

74? Oh Boy..time sure flys when your havin fun!

great avatar pic to your wix profile!!! welcome aboard!!!

Oh Yeah! I don't have a smile on my face for nothing.. and thanks for the welcome you guys..that gives me another post..Whats my rank now?

Is she thumbing a ride?

[bluehawk15]

What service/country connected the parachute to the harness with cables? That's what the article says the body is swinging from.