HICKAM AFB, HAWAII ? An investigative team from JPAC left for Papua New Guinea July 4 for a 30-day mission to search for American military missing from World War II.
During the deployment, the 10-person investigation team will interview witnesses, search for aircraft crash sites, photograph discovered site locations, gather material evidence, and correlate crash sites to missing aircraft incident reports.
JPAC team members are investigating three aircraft crash sites involving a total of 14 missing people.
One missing flight crew disappeared after a crash in the winter of 1944. The aircraft was reportedly hit by phosphorus bombs, leaving two service members unaccounted-for.
Another pilot was heading up a strike operation when he disappeared. The pilot was reported missing in action Feb. 11, 1944 and presumed dead Jan. 17, 1946.
The third case involves the loss of a bomber crew in the winter of 1943 during a mission southeast of Vunakanau.
Information gathered during the investigation will be used to plan future excavations.
Does anyone have any details of the cases being investigated?
Last edited by Daniel Leahy on Fri Jan 26, 2007 1:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
Our cousin was with the 405th Bomber Squadron, 38th Bomber Group, Medium that was lost December 21, 1943. His name was First Lieutenant Gerald Greenberg. How does one find out the results of the investigative team that is over in New Guinea looking at crash sites?
Am not sure whether this is one of the sites currently being investigated, but here are the details I have:
B-25C 41-30771, 405 BS 38 BG, 21-Dec-1943
Hit by anti-aircraft fire south of Madang and crashed into water. No survivors were seen, though apparently the aircraft re-surfaced after striking the water.
1/Lt Charles E Besley, 0-792204 (Pilot)
2/Lt Frank O Burgeson, 0-805750 (Co-Pilot)
1/Lt Gerald Greenberg, 0-666656 (Navigator)
T/Sgt Elden W Protivinsky, 18054138 (Radio Operator)
T/Sgt John A Jenna, 19017267 (Gunner)
Again, I have to wonder whether this is one of the two bombers reportedly being investigated. Does JPAC's "Winter" refer to winter in the US or in PNG?
HICKAM AFB, HAWAII ?An investigative team from JPAC returned to Hawaii from Papua New Guinea August 7 after a 30-day mission to search for American military missing from World War II.
During the deployment, the 10-person investigation team interviewed witnesses and gathered material evidence to correlate crash sites to missing aircraft incident reports.
Information gathered during the investigations will be used to plan future excavations.
Unfortunately it doesn't give any clues as to exactly which sites the team visited or whether any remains were found/recovered.
