I recalled dealing with a local tribe for permission to be in their area and taking a “guest” seat on the raised platform made of poles in the tribal longhouse with open sides and a thatched roof. It made me feel like I was in a page from “National Geographic”. (It also causes me to smile when I recall my nickname tag given me by my late fighter pilot friend …who tagged me as “Bu wana”) Adding to the mystical feeling was the short drum rhythm pounded out by one of the young tribesmen on the old native drums that were carved with images on the sides. The facial tattoos of tribesmen off set the stereotype of a bone in the nose. He only sounded a few beats— apparently to sound “assembly” of the village males – but only after the tribal chief gave him the nod. These memories were from my prior search, and eventual find, of the crashed P38 fighter in the remote jungles of Papua New Guinea, search memories that were in stark contrast to the most recent aspect of the current MIA search environment.

In case you think the entire world is a civilized place now – remote parts of Papua New Guinea are still places of tribal wars with bows and arrows and tribes can go to war over the death of a pig. Tall white guys from the outside world don’t exactly carry a lot of clout. Differing tribal languages are still a major problem.

More recently I was sitting in an air conditioned library of the U.S. Air Force Archives after showing my retired military ID card several times and completing the usual number of forms – starting at the gate to the post …ahhh that would be “base” for the Air Force and including “purpose of my need for access” at the library’s main desk. I couldn’t help but wonder how many others had noted my ID said “U.S. Army” not Air Force as one of the young airman on the gate had promptly – and astutely- noted. It made me proud to know these young men and women were performing their duties, including the positive identification of this “visitor” retired soldier, with a business-like efficiency that reflected both their training and their security awareness. Snappy salutes and traditional military courtesies were evident.

The library experience was a differing type of “thrill” than sitting in the tribal longhouse. But this was also a unique search effort memory. One of the librarians opened the file storage box holding original unit records after pulling the actual ORIGINAL W.W.II unit files. I was able to review the yellowed aircraft mission sheets, names of crew members of each aircraft, hand written names, tail numbers, dates, and mission numbers. The files also had the original teletype roll paper of the mission directives from higher headquarters, target approach headings, and other operational details. The “SECRET” markings remained at the top and bottom of each page… but were now declassified by a single file cover sheet citing the authority for declassification. Much of the information, some on microfiche, had already been learned by our search team lead and relative of the mission pilot.

I was still fascinated to know that what I was viewing had been written over 61 years ago, by the same brave airmen who routinely flew those WWII missions. I spent the next two full days, reading, learning, cross checking related units for information and potential clues – that could lead us to information that might gain more exact search point for potential grave sites and looking especially for information that could lead to a dig by the DoD. I focused on every word of the written statements of pilots who had overflown the site of the “near perfect” crash landing and later supply drops to the “apparently uninjured” crew.

The collective review – previously known information and “new” information point to some new search avenues…New questions that might lead to better, more complete, information on exactly where to search for the potential of crew remains.

Some UPDATE summary points follow:

Where is the original small size, field processed, black and white, aerial photo of the bomber crash landed in the reeds/lowlands? A copy of it is in the file so I now have a digital copy. Was the photo taken by a bomb damage assessment fighter? Is it from a reel of movie footage and field developed from a single frame? Perhaps a P38 with a camera configuration? Would the archives hold complete movie footage of the bomber AND the crew? Is it filed with the unit who flew fighter support or later reconnaissance? Would it show a crew defensive position after they moved away from the aircraft?

What were the classified instructions that were dropped to the crew? Surely the instructions included a map to move to the “rally” point. (Understandably, pilots who were to continue to fly missions over Japanese held areas were not party to the instructions for security reasons in the event they were later captured.) This would have reduced the risk of compromise of the escape routes established by Coast Watcher spy network and “friendly” natives within the Japanese held area.

Where were the pidgin language notes to natives appealing for crew assistance and offering rewards dropped? What allied / language unit composed the notes?

Clearly we have some new leads, and some added questions to ask of veteran witnesses already known and identified… before they too – fade into history.

If you want to join the search – please contact me.

If you have ideas on what records to check, including in Australia or Japan – Please send them.