The U.S Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) recently repatriated recovered potential osseous material from a crash site of a United States Army Air Force aircraft lost over Wewak, Papua New Guinea, 78 years ago during World War Two.
DPAA, which led the excavation mission in partnership with the National Museum and Art Gallery of Papua New Guinea, hopes that the recovered material and miscellaneous aircraft wreckage will lead to the positive identification of the missing Service Members, and provide answers to their families after so many years. The recovered material will be transported back to the DPAA Laboratory in Honolulu, Hawaii for further analysis.
Speaking at the repatriation ceremony on Friday 14th October, the Chargé d’Affaires Mr. Joseph Zadrozny said the local villagers found the wreckage of an American attack aircraft that crashed into the swamp almost 80 years ago.
“Today we honour the memories of those who died and were injured—both during the war itself, and in the years afterward – and we demonstrate our commitment to enduring friendship with the people of Papua New Guinea,” he said.
“The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, with the support of the people of Papua New Guinea, are honouring the past as well as forging a stronger relationship between our two countries.”
The repatriation ceremony conducted at Jackson International Airport in Port Moresby on Friday 14th October, symbolized the research and investigation into the circumstances of the lost aircraft and whereabouts of the pilot and the crew members. If a positive identification is made based on the material collected, the family of the Service Members will be notified, and they will be given the opportunity to hold a funeral with full military honours.
“I want to express my sincere thanks to the Papua New Guinea National Museum and Art Gallery for its commitment to this humanitarian effort, successfully recovering material that will be sent back to the DPAA laboratory in Hawaii for further testing and identification.”
“To my colleagues on the U.S. Team, your service and commitment in returning our unaccounted-for service members to their loved ones is inspiring. You have much to be proud of, and we are proud of you,” he said.
DPAA routinely conducts investigations and recovery efforts across Oceania, Asia, and Europe, supporting efforts to account for more than 82,000 US Service Members who are still missing from conflicts dating back to World War Two.
There are over 3,200 missing American Service Members in Papua New Guinea still today. Successful missions such as this would not be possible with the assistance and help of the local people.