US WWII bombers, missing for 76 years, discovered in Pacific lagoon

[rangerrebew]

US WWII bombers, missing for 76 years, discovered in Pacific lagoon
By James Rogers | Fox News


Three U.S. World War II aircraft have been discovered in a lagoon in Micronesia 76 years after they went missing. The planes, which were part of Operation Hailstone in February 1944, are associated with 7 U.S. servicemen listed as missing in action.

Project Recover, which harnesses technology in an attempt to find and repatriate Americans missing in action (MIA) during World War II, discovered the aircraft in Truk Lagoon, now known as Chuuk Lagoon, part of the Federated States of Micronesia.

The two SBD-5 Dauntless dive bombers and the TBM/F-1 Avenger torpedo bomber took part in Operation Hailstone against Japanese forces in the lagoon on Feb. 17 and Feb. 18, 1944.

https://www.foxnews.com/science/us-wwii-bombers-missing-for-76-years-discovered-in-pacific-lagoon

[sneakypete]

These aircraft and crew members were never really missing. The US Navy knew where they were,and even back then they had the technology to recover the aircraft and the bodies. They didn't because there was a war going on and they had more important things to do.

When the war ended,everybody was too excited about the war ending and going back to their families to worry about the remains of the already dead already being "buried at sea". So they just remained there until now. They no doubt have empty caskets buried under tombstones in their hometowns,and everybody that knew them personally has now also died.

I see nothing to be gained from bringing them up to rebury their bones in the ground. It's certainly not going to make a difference to them,and everybody that knew them is also dead,so they won't be excited about it,either.

[PeteS in CA]

Operation Hailstone, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Hailstone , pretty much ended the use of Truk as a base for operations. While most major IJN units had already been withdrawn, a couple of light cruisers and several destroyers were still there and sunk. Also sunk were many IJN auxilliaries, which significantly impacted the IJNs logistics capabilities, and a large number of IJN and IJA aircraft were shot down or destroyed on the ground. The operation was carried out by Task Force 58, 5 carriers and 4 light carriers, under Admiral Spruance.

One of the sad realities of that part of the world is that sunken ships that should be left alone as war graves are being stripped to bare sand/rock/coral by illegal salvers. Bringing home these aviators' remains would likely save them from that.