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 John Loughman 1969  Bruce Hoy June 15, 1970 |
Location Waigani Swamp is a large freshwater swamp inland from the south coast of New Guinea. Known as "Gavagabada" in the Motu language meaning "big swamp". To the north was 17 Mile Drome (Durand), to the west is Gerehu and south is Port Moresby. Prewar and during the Pacific War part of the Territory of Papua. Today located in the National Capital District (NCD) of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Wartime History Waigani Swamp was located near several military airfields including 17 Mile Drome (Durand), 14 Mile Drome (Schwimmer) and 12 Mile Drome (Berry). Pilots feared crash landing into the swamp because the location was remote and the area inhabited by crocodiles. During the Pacific War, several American planes crashed in and around the swamp. P-47D "Carter's Li'l Pill" Serial Number 42-8066 Pilot Harding force landed October 1, 1943 salvaged 1967 F-5A Lightning Serial Number 42-13084 Pilot Leonhardt force landed 1943 salvaged 1979 to PNG Museum L-5 Sentinel Serial Number ? Pilot Mueller with observer Leonhardt crashed December 17, 1943 References Lightning Force Lands in Waigani Swamp by Alex Miller-Randle, RAAF "Just south and southwest of Schwimmer and Durand strips was a very large swamp called Waigani Swamp, with tall swamp grass bushes and lots of water, mosquitoes and all the other nasties that New Guinea swamps contained." The Eight Ballers Eyes of the Fifth Air Force: The 8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron in World War II (1999) pages 97-98 "17 December 1943 - Friday...Lt. Klages took off for Madang and Saidor area loaded with color film, but the wrong filter. Lucky enough for Camera Repair that the weather was bad, and the film wasn't wasted because of the filter. On the way back, Klages flew low over the wrecked P-47 [42-8066] he and others had spent two days and nights getting to. A few hundred yards from the P-47, he noticed the tail of a L-5 sticking up out of the swamp [L-5 piloted by Mueller]." Contribute
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 Map 1970 |
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