More Clues to Downed USAF Aircraft Found in Karbi Anglong Hills
Times of India | Apr 06, 2015 | by Jayanta Gupta
KOLKATA -- Authorities in Assam have chanced upon more evidence of the crash of an United States Air Force (USAF) aircraft in Karbi Anglong during World War II.
Parts of the wreckage of this aircraft were found a few years ago by a team from the Department of Environment and Forests, Assam. The portions of the aircraft found a couple of days ago are likely to help in identifying it and trace the remains of two US airmen who have been recorded as Missing in Action (MIA) even after 70 years of the end of the war.
"In 2011-12, I was in the team that found evidence of an USAF aircraft that crashed in the hills of Karbi Anglong. What we found were pieces of the undercarriage of an aircraft. This wasn't sufficient to identify it correctly. After a lot of research, I came to know that an USAF C-46A Curtiss Commando had crashed in the vicinity on July 15, 1945. Unfortunately, I couldn't continue with the search as I was abducted by militants in 2012. Now, nearly three years later, Bolin Deuri, additional SP, Karbi Anglong, has sent me some photographs of two engines. From these photographs, it looks possible that it is the same aircraft," Dr Abhijit Rabha, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Karbi Anglong, told TOI.
The Indian Forest Service officer also got in touch with some Indian Air Force enthusiasts who are keen to trace WWII aircraft wreckages. Many of these are strewn across India's North Eastern states as the aircraft operated from bases around Kolkata during the fight against the Japanese in Burma (now Myanmar) and Malaysia. Rabha also got in touch with Gary Zaetz, founder and chairman of America's Arunachal MIAs. Zaetz has recently released a list of 84 US airmen who he claims are still missing from the skies above India's North East.
Unfortunately, Zaetz isn't too happy with the fact that the Government of India isn't providing necessary support to the US to trace these airmen and return their mortal remains, wherever possible, to families.
"The place where the crash occurred is known as Khonbamon. Local inhabitants of Lailur knew of the crash for long. Once I get to see the aluminium plate in the cockpit of the wreckage, I will know whether it was the same aircraft. The serial number of the aircraft was 42-107331. It was recorded that the aircraft crashed near Manipur Roads (Dimapur). Nothing is known of where it took off from or where its destination was. The two airmen missing have been recorded as First Lieutenant William M Duffey and Sergeant Thomas J French. It seems that the aircraft lost control and crashed into a hill. Another very interesting thing is that a Garrand .30 inch semi-automatic rifle that was supposedly stolen or ferreted away from the crash site was also located in Manipur recently," Rabha added.
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/04/06/more-clues-to-downed-usaf-aircraft-found-in-karbi-anglong-hills.html?comp=1199436026997&rank=3
