60 Minutes 04-09-2016, Wither wrecks or restored

[Warhawk]

Hi There,

Did everyone see the 60 minute Program per Pacific Wrecks , specifically about Bob Greinhart retrieval of 30 plus wrecks and restorations and donations?

Personally though wrecks should be investigated per MIA and KIA remains and retrieved, I believe a balance should be struck regarding leaving some insitu and those retrieved and restored.

Historically, PNG and surrounds are one of the last remaining places where you can trek and see the location and remains of a battlefield wreck. But, over time, it maybe that they will be eventually swallowed up by nature and returned to the earth.

These should be treated as archaeology sites, following the MIA Research and internment done by the contracted USA or RAAF or Japanese Government.

Wrecks left behind post war, as in the airfield wrecks are different, in my eyes, to those interned war dead, where they fell.

Perhaps a discussion by all to flatten out the argument?

Best
Gordy

[Brenden S]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUKfT7pOKHE

[aeromend]

Just watched that story on the internet.
I agree that they are war graves and should not be touched
Ian C
AeroMend

[Warhawk]

Well I ask this question,

If the site is deemed as a war grave, why hasn't the remains been identified and per the USA Defence Policy, returned to the nearest internment per family/descendants requests. Stating that they are, or not is the first point I guess. Recently a wreck discovered, had a RAAF member in the US AAF Crew,..and he is interned in Arlington War Cemetery ,..rare finish.

If they're just wrecks,....but are they catalogued per which are done or which are not/new? If the later, then "don't dare touch. Others robbed of parts and trophy parts over the years, need to be checked as well.

If Greinhart is in trouble, is Charles Darby & Co also who assisted several Americans back in the 70's to get airframes out including his well known P-40N restoration( though most of these were salvaged airframes ex Maintenance Units.

Mostly these are just used as templates. Per on the list of 60 Minutes from Justin,....showed Kittyhawk A29-43,..which is being restored by Greinhart Restorers from the ID Plates for a Norwegian Airline Pilot in P-40N US Markings Reg as LN-WNC , which did have known death, and to my knowledge, the pilot remains was still insitu and never officially recovered. P/O Oswald John Channon of 75Sqn RAAF. So that I felt was a no no, whereas the RAAF/British Common wealth War Graves should have been called in.

So, this is even before the question of ownership even arises. Under Lend Lease, any Aircraft delivered as such, destroyed/lost on user name, was paid for, and those not, destroyed per agreement under LL at the end of the war, remaining always the property of the US Government. Individual airframes may be gifted,..but that's as far as I know. Hence why there were no USAAF held by the AWM after the war,..except British,...delivered to Australia, at no cost to Australia.

So if a known location, get the remains out I say,...per practice of User,..Commonwealth, nearest Grave site,....per US nearest US Site etc etc.

I did chuckle when the locals stated they fought on our side,.....but I do recall the Japanese using them as well as porters,..just like ANGAU controlled groups. So that's both sides. Just a point of correct history.

Talking to surviving Pilots and Ground Crews over the past decade where I could, they say its nice seeing them up in the air working then wasting away in the jungle unknown,..so they can lift their heads up , perhaps with a tear, to say proudly, that they flew or worked on those in WW2

So its a mixed bag of feelings,.....but reinterments or at least IDing the remains are first priority. Japanese IDing,..now that would be hard even more!!

I 'll end my comments there

I guess people have to make up their minds on various levels of the issue first, before we even get to the profiteers of the end sellers. PNG isn't noted for its Probity either, from Local Chief up to PM,..so factor that in as well

Best
Gordy

[Brenden S]

Shep I take it you are talking about Truscott?

[Warhawk]

Interesting about the Truscott Dinah,..there's a pic showing it being barged there.

Also no mention of the C-53? 62TG55 41-20066 that had been found some 10 miles to the south west of the strip a couple of years later in 1944, per 1942 forced landing


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[Warhawk]

No problem Shep,..I think this site is 100K size.......even I get overexcited and have problems....reduce, but ensure its saved as different to master pic,..many a time lost a good pic in meg land!!
See if I upload a 246K one

Seemed to work,..yours aren't tif are they,..have to convert a copy to jpg,..rather then jpeg


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[Warhawk]

Ah,..found a pre crash shot,..not even delivered, but on the sea on the SS Polk,..and in colour!!

At 228K

Anyway, why this aircraft in this discussion? Well it was "parts" salvaged in 40/50/60's for parts by a Western Australian Airline!!! No one was killed in it,..just got lost looking for Broome ex Java(I think)

A pre-scavenger of crashed airframes. Most of these wrecks were also used as targets by operational Sqns in NT/WA during 1943-44. So what value were they held then? Not much officially,..but ,..then,...when

Gordy

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[Warhawk]

Success Shep!!

Nice


Gordy