Kokoda trekker finds possilbe remains of airman in forest canopy

Antipodean Andy · Aug 27, 2008

Truly amazing.

Kokoda tourist 'finds WWII pilot's body' | NEWS.com.au

A VICTORIAN police officer taking photographs of exotic plants on Papua New Guinea's Kokoda Track has discovered what is thought to be the remains of a World War II pilot.

The officer captured the moss-covered skeleton of what could prove to be an airman lost during heavy fighting nearly 70 years ago, hanging from metal cabling on a tree.

Guide David Collins from Melbourne's No-Roads trekking company has informed Australian, US and Japanese authorities in PNG's capital Port Moresby who are now investigating the remains.

The three countries are now checking records to see if any pilots were reported missing in that area.

Mr Collins said the skeleton was discovered hanging from the jungle canopy at the top of the Owen Stanley Range, halfway along the historic 96km path, where 600 Australian troops died fighting Japanese forces.

"We had a few police officers on the 19-man trek," he said.

"One was taking and photos with a large lens of the trees and flowers," he said.

"He then discovered what looks like the remains of a body.

"It wasn't until the wind blew that you could really see it is in a harness, there are goggles and it appears to be caught up in cables, so presumably it is an airman," he said.
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Antipodean Andy · Aug 27, 2008

Sorry, title for thread should read "...finds remains of possible airman..." not the "possible remains".

Antipodean Andy · Aug 27, 2008

Supposed WWII skeleton found dangling above Kokoda Track - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) - photo at this link.

Australian, US and Japanese authorities are investigating the discovery of what is thought to be the skeleton of a World War II pilot along the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.

Hikers say they discovered the skeleton hanging from the jungle canopy halfway along the 96-kilometre historic World War II path.

Guide David Collins from Melbourne's No-Roads trekking company was there.

"It's swinging like somebody caught in a tree and that's when you can really see the cabling and it's the exact shape of a body, same size, everything, but it's just covered in moss," he said.

"It's exactly what it looks like, just somebody caught in a harness, in a seat harness."

Australian, US and Japanese authorities will check records to see if any pilots were reported missing in that area.

'Lost in the fog'

Mr Collins said a lot of planes went missing during the war in the general area where the skeleton was found.

"All of them were generally lost in the fog and bang they go in," he said.

Among those that flew in the area at the time were the Royal Australian Air Force's 75 and 76 Squadrons, which flew P-40 Kitthawk fighters.

American B-25 Mitchell bombers were also in the area at the time along with P-39 Airacobra fighters.

"There were a lot of aircraft lost up there during the war and a lot of Japanese aircraft as well," Mr Collins said.

Mr Collins described the location of the skeleton as being on the right side of the track heading north from Myola, about four days walk in from the Port Moresby end of the track.

He said the the tree with the skeleton had been marked with plastic to help furture investigators find it again.

The remoteness of the site and the difficulties involving in locating and working with anything in the thick jungle canopy mean that it could be months before any identification of the skeleton is made.
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liverpool annie · Aug 28, 2008

Antipodean Andy said: ↑

Supposed WWII skeleton found dangling above Kokoda Track - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) - photo at this link.
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The village of Kokoda is fairly small but it was there, 60 years ago during World War 2, that a bunch of 18 year-old Aussie soldiers stopped a Japanese invasion by digging in and fighting

I wonder why the villagers didn't find the pilot first .... if it was well known there was fighting in that area ?? plus supply planes were flying over at that time also ...

1942 — Pte Bruce Kingsbury, 2/14 Bn, awarded the VC posthumously for his actions at Isurava, New Guinea

Kingsbury VC. A hero of the Kokoda Trail

Bruce Kingsbury VC - Kokoda Historical- Kokoda Track/Trail Tours

I thought this site was interesting especially the History section ! but this is about finding the heel of a boot !

Battle Remnants - Boots - Kokoda Historical- Kokoda Track/Trail Tours

Antipodean Andy · Aug 28, 2008

It is quite mysterious, Annie, especially if the part of the track on which the find was made is part of the original track where fighting took place as opposed to a slight realignment over time - which was part of the argument for the (embarrassingly) Australian mining company that wanted to mine in the area i.e. it wouldn't be digging up the original track. However, do you reckon a bulldozer or logger would notice a tree-hanging, moss-covered skeleton while clearing land for the mine site? My wife and I work in mining and such a project could mean more work for us but we're both against it for obvious reasons! However, some sanity prevailed in the end.

http://ww2chat.com/forums/news-articles/1712-trekkers-not-welcome-kokoda-track-trail.html

Antipodean Andy · Aug 28, 2008

Bit of a repeat but ADF on to ti as the best placed experts to investigate.

ADF to inspect Kokoda remains | NEWS.com.au

THE Australian Defence Force is making plans to visit the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea to confirm what are believed to be the remains of a World War II airman was found hanging from trees.

The find last week - by a Victorian police officer who was photographing flowers - has sparked hope of closure for a family somewhere in Australia, Japan or the United States.

An Australian Defence Force spokeswoman said the remains were still hanging from jungle canopy close to sites used by allied aircraft during WW II.

But at this stage it is still too early to say who the the airman was fighting for, she said.

"A number of Allied aircraft had been reported as missing in the area, in particular B25 Mitchells and a number of Kittyhawk aircraft," she said.

"The ADF is gathering information and making plans to visit the site to confirm the reports," she said.

Trekkers were warned not to stray off the Kokoda Track as unexploded ordinance from the war still lies in the area, she said.

During the war all three countries had planes flying near the site of the discovery on the track, where 600 Australian soldiers died fighting the Japanese.

Japanese officials in Port Moresby have viewed a videotape of the find but because the body is covered heavily in moss they said, at this stage, it is impossible to identify any nationality.

Guide David Collins, from the Australian company No Roads Expeditions, was leading a trek when the moss covered remains were discovered.

"We had a few police officers on the 19 man trek. One was taking photos with a large lens of the trees and flowers," he said.

"He then discovered what looks like the remains of a body.

"I couldn't make it out at first. It wasn't until the wind blew that you could really see it is in a harness. There are goggles and it appears to be caught up in cables, so presumably it is an airman."

Mr Collins said the remains were found in the jungle canopy at the top of the Owen Stanley Range, almost halfway along the 96km track.
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liverpool annie · Aug 28, 2008

Antipodean Andy said: ↑

Bit of a repeat but ADF on to ti as the best placed experts to investigate.

ADF to inspect Kokoda remains | NEWS.com.au
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I still find it hard to understand how come the ‘fuzzy wuzzy angels’ who seemed to know everything that was going on ... failed to check after the war to see what if they could find anything ! at that time the skeleton wouldn't have been covered in moss .... I hope they find out soon ...
whoever it is ..... is a loved one of somebody !

The Battle for Australia - The Kokoda Track

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