Brisk trade in salvaged WWII 'warbirds' thwarts US efforts to recover remains of fliers - The Boston Globe Remains are lost in race for relics This article is too long to copy and paste but it is worth a read. What do you think?
This is something I was in two minds about for a long time. When I was into the 'recovery and restoration' scene, I used to shake my head at the desire to leave the aircraft to rot or for the locals to scrap. Given the rarity and history these machines have, I figured it was sacrilege. I still lament not removing aircraft that I hear have been scrapped or removed illegally but, like the rest of you I imagine, nothing should be touched if it is suspected there are remains on board or nearby. Some wrecks pretty obviously look abandoned and their disposition is well known. Many of the wrecks in the jungles or underwater are quite well known (a lot of wreck hunters keep things secret ... unfortunately this is not always done to protect the wreck before it's surveyed for remains) but new finds are occasionally revealed. Sometimes news doesn't get out until the thing is on a ship. It's fair to say there are some wreck hunters out there who will do the right thing but the general consensus is that large amounts of money bypass everything. I've seen the debates on forums such as Pacific Ghosts and they really do get heated. I've worked with people who have recovered aircraft from the islands etc but their aircraft were recovered from dumps, not crash sites. To a man, these people were dedicated to preserving the memory of those who served. There is no way in this world I agree with removing wrecks that either contain remains or are suspected of doing so. I'm not sure whether any of the recovered aircraft in the article had remains in them. I know one of the Thunderbolts Rob Greinert has in Sydney was found in remarkable condition but was then severely damaged by a landslide several years later - not sure if this is the aircraft discussed. Charles Darby is the godfather of wreck hunting and his Pacific Wrecks book from the 70s is sensational - a lot of the subjects have been recovered and restored. It would appear he is probably aware of a number of wrecks that contain remains. Nothing is said about whether he has told the American authorities though. The unfortunate thing is money will get you everywhere in PNG. Let's just hope there's a bit of common sense shown towards those who made the sacrifice. It's great to remember them but it's honourable to finally put them to rest if it can be done.
...and it can't be argued the families aren't still waiting for news. From an article posted in the Huertgen Forest MIA thread:
