I have traveled to Yap twice in the last year to search for my uncle's B-24. In the process, I have located numerous American and Japanese crash and wreck sites. Pictures from our search trips can be viewed at:
Missing Air Crew Project, Yap Island Search Trips:
http://www.missingaircrew.com/trip/
The Japanese wreck sites pictured in the previous post are located around the old Japanese airfield on Yap. This was part of National Park Service (NPS) grant to document the Japanese planes around the old Japanese airfield for the Yap Historic Preservation Office. The NPS team did not seek out planes outside of the airfield area;
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/yap.htm. The old airfield is really the tip of the iceberg regarding the wrecks around the island.
In September 2006 we located numerous Japanese sites including Zero's (many still had their 20 mm cannons), P1Y Ginga, L2D2 Tabby (2 of them), D4y Judy, G4M Betty, etc. Most of the Japanese planes located near the old airfield were destroyed on the ground by American strikes. The planes we found in the mangrove swamps and water were likely shot down. For example, a P1Y Ginga we found in the water was shot down by their own forces after a number of planes became lost and approached Yap unexpectedly. Most importantly, we located three additional American crash sites including two Hellcats’ and one American site I have yet to identify. We have located over six American sites in the last year alone.
The Yapese are still upset over the recovery of numerous planes by the Japanese in the 70’s and 80’s. You can view the following links and information about the two static displays that were created from recovered Yap wrecks
• In 1972, three D4Y were discovered in the jungle of the runway side. In 1980, these were carried to Japan and restored to one D4Y1 using each part. "4316" is exhibited by Yasukuni Jinja from 5 April 1981. Probably, these "JUDY"s was 503 Ku (Kogeki 107).
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/d4y/4316.html
• Mitsubishi A6M5 ZEKE: Mitsubishi A6M5a Rei-Sen Type 52 Ko (ZEKE), s/n 4708 - manufactured by Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi A6M2b Rei-Sen Type 21 (ZEKE), s/n 91518 - manufactured by Nakajima. Mitsubishi A6M5 Rei-Sen Type 52 (ZEKE), s/n 1593 - manufactured by Nakajima. Mitsubishi A6M2b Rei-Sen Type 21 (ZEKE), s/n 92717 - manufactured by Nakajima. These were carried to Japan in 1984. "4708" is kept at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industry from 1990.
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/a6m5/4240.html
In short, the answer to your questions about recovering planes from Yap is that it’s highly unlikely. In addition, all the land on Yap is private. You need permission to travel around the island. I don’t believe the Yapese will allow anyone to remove additional planes from the island; however, they’re seeking ways to preserve and document the WWII history on the island. If you’re interested in information about Yap, please see the following links:
YAP ISLAND—THE AIR BATTLES:
http://www.missingaircrew.com/yapsum.asp
American Planes and Men Lost on Missions to Yap Island:
http://www.missingaircrew.com/yap/yapmissions.asp
Yap Related Pictures from the National Archives:
http://www.missingaircrew.com/images/micr/index1.asp
-Pat
_________________
Patrick T. Ranfranz
Missing Air Crew Project & 307th Bomb Group Historian
www.MissingAirCrew.com &
www.307bg.org
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
MACR #10023. My uncle, John R. McCullough, 307th Bomb Group, was shot down near Yap Island and declared MIA/KIA on 25 June 44
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