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BentProp Supporters Update #16 Sunday, March 23, 2008

Field Report P-MAN X-16

March 23rd

Hello Everyone!

The rest of my time in Narita Airport was spent eating, checking seat availablility and being amazed at how easy it is to connect to the Internet.

Got onboard the Northwest (The only airline you should fly. You do remember that don’t you?) 747 and promptly went to sleep. I was awoken by the flight attendant for dinner. Then I got to read a bit, watch a movie, fall asleep in the middle of said movie and read some more. [He sleepreads? — Blogmaster]

Got to Detroit in record time, got through immigration and customs in record time and Rebecca was waiting for me curbside.

We had a bite to eat and then I sat on the couch. [Danger, Will Robinson, danger! — Blogmaster]

This is me two minutes after sitting down on the couch ...

... and this is me two minutes after that.

I tried staying up as long as I could and actually succeeded in getting a great night’s sleep. Did not wake up until normal people time. That happened for two nights in a row. Then I went to work and this morning I was up at 0400.

For those in the betting pool on my weight loss program, I gained one whole pound while over there. Considerably down from previous years but certainly not my goal. But at least I’m moving in the correct direction.

The report from the field is that although some parts to a known airplane were found by Reid and Matt (helicopter pilot), nothing major transpired after Grover and I left. Please see Reid’s updates for the blow by blow of the 19th through the 23rd.

P-MAN X has come to a close. All that is left is for Pat to write the final report which should go up on the website sometime this Summer or Fall. Now it’s time to start planning and working for next year’s mission: PMAN XI.

Here are a couple of last photos for your viewing pleasure.

This year’s team photo.	Laura finally breaks down and gets hatted.
Almost made the cut as the team photo.

Again, I hope you’ve enjoyed my ramblings as we worked to bring some warriors home from a battlefield far, far away. Although we did not find “the holy grail” this year, we expanded our knowledge in ways we do not totally understand yet. A lot of analysis will go into all we have accumulated and that will make next year’s P-MAN mission that much better.

So, until the mood strikes me again, take care and have a great 2008.

Blue SKies, Flip


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BentProp Supporters Update #15 Sunday, March 16, 2008

Field Report P-MAN X-15

Hello Everyone!

Okay, it’s time for more lessons learned.

1. Traveling out from Palau still causes havoc on the body.
2. Two pounds is a deal breaker at the Postal Service.
3. When someone says they do not know where anything is, take them out on a boat to jog their memories.
4. Telling stories is a way of life in Palau.
5. The Internet works fine for me everywhere other than in my hotel room.
6. A wooden Junk might be a pleasure palace.
7. Never take the time to accomplish admin tasks until the last minute.
8. Macs are kinda nice.
9. Know the battery life of your borrowed equipment.

Jose on the day we really went out with him.

On the 16th we finally caught up with Jose. We interviewed him at the dock and then he took us out to check out some spots. Jose was a salvager after the war, looking for copper. Since he was metal specific he focused on ships, not airplanes. But he said he saw airplanes while scrapping the ships. He took us to a very close in area and said there was an airplane there. Then he took us to a place that was in the flight path line (generally) for the Avenger pieces we found earlier.

Then out to the outer harbor areas for 3 more locations. We did not dive on any of these spots, just got GPS points. Even though Jose said the Japanese lied when they reported the Red Circles, some of the places he took us to were near some Red Circles.

Then Emikosan and Kuratasan had us over for lunch. They have helped us tremendously over the years. He is a former Japanese soldier who fought on Anguar. After the war he became a micro-biologist, one of the first SCUBA instructors in Japan and a crocodile expert. Emiko is also a croc expert. They showed us a picture of a 16-foot croc they caught that had half of a man in it. She made a wonderful Japanese meal, including crocodile (No, it doesn’t taste like chicken, it tastes like alligator.) and we asked Kuratasan many questions. He answered many questions. It was a grand time. We each have homework to do to further our work here in Palau.

Yogi and Emiko with us.

Grover bonding via proper attire.

We then started chasing down leads for interviews. A man who may have seen a few POWs has vanished. We can’t seem to put our hands on him. Then we drove hither and yon and found Mark. Mark is the brother of the Peleliu man who said a plane went down just behind their home, in the water, on the other side of a small rock island. Mark said that although he used to free dive down to 100 feet he never saw what his brother was talking about, “But, it might be there.”

Mark.

Yes, I do some work sometimes.

Then he said go talk to the old man who lived behind him. So we walked there and he wasn’t home. But the family next door said to us, “Hey, we’ve got old guys here. Come talk to us.” So we did. And here was where we found the holy grail. Almost... The elder said his uncle told him about the executions up in Ngatpang. His uncle was a translator for the Japanese. He would talk with the American prisoners and whoever else spoke English.

The nephew.

He described the area of the executions to his nephew right after the war. “Did he take you to the area?” we asked. “No.” “Do you know where the area was?” “No.” We were so close. Close enough that each of us asked if he knew where the place was. Same answer every time. Out with Bert and Denny for dinner and we got filled in on the comings and goings of Palau. From Bert’s point of view. The most important thing Bert told me was not to buy a steel Chinese fishing boat but to buy a wooden Junk made in Hong Kong. Same lines I’m looking for but for a lot less money. May have to go to Hong Kong to check this out. Some day.

I swear the fish was this big!

A modern Junk in Hong Kong. What do you think?

The office was closed by the time I got there so I went to bed. The next day was our day off, so I had to get rested up. We’re going diving!

March 17th

We went diving today!! It was the last day Grover and I could scuba because we’re leaving the night of the 18th. So the Boss said go play. He had to do some real-world work today and Reid was a bit under the weather, so it was just the three kids; me, Grover and Laura.

Selena took us out and the boat was quite roomy with such a small group. Travis was our boat captain.

We headed to German Channel but the conditions were not good so we kept heading south to New Drop Off. We let in and the current was strong right from the start. We zoomed across the dive site in record time and before we went out into open ocean the boat picked us up. Rather than waste the air in the tank we let in at Big Drop Off and finished that tank of air. This dive also included Turtle Wall. We saw lots of turtles, sharks, fish life and much, much more. I had an underwater camera and ran the battery out before I ran out of storage area. So, I missed a photo op of a manta ray in German Channel and of everything during our side trip to Jellyfish Lake.

Grover and Selina.	Grover and turtle.
Laura in the deep blue.	A wall.
Fish.	More fish.
Lionfish. Deadly little critter.	Turtle chillin’.

Lunch topside and then we let in to German Channel. This is an area that is known as a cleaning station. Sharks and Mantas come in to have the cleaner fish do their thing. We didn’t see any this time but there were other fish life to look at.

We had our ration of vitamin O, Oreo cookies, and went to Jellyfish Lake. This is a marine lake in the interior of a rock island. When the coral upheaval occurred the lake was formed and these jellies evolved independently of the rest of the world. The jellyfish migrate around the lake every day, chasing the sunlight. We let in at the dock and swam to where they were. It was amazing to be surrounded by millions and millions of jellyfish. Although they have stingers, you really don’t feel them. The lake has many layers of water and as you go down into the lake, the environment turns sulfurous and not quite conducive to human beings. So humans don’t go down too deep but it is a hoot to be touched by many, many jellyfish.

The kids at Jellyfish Lake.

Back to the dock and Selena finished our Nitrox certifications. Well for those of us who actually went to the dive shop and had studied. So I am leaving Palau with a Nitrox cert, a social security number, a driver’s license and a pilot’s license. Not bad for being here to find stuff.

Dinner at The Taj and now I’m at the office. I seem to be able to send e-mail tonight so I sent Update 14. I’ll add pictures tomorrow and get this out to you before I leave tomorrow night. (By now you already know that didn’t work.)

Tomorrow will be errands to include paying bills around town, shipping my gear home, shipping DOB’s suitcase home and whatever else needs to be done for the team.

So until I write again. Take care and thanks for reading.


March 18th

Didn’t set the alarm today and still got up pretty early. I think I’m acclimated to the Palau time zone. Made my last team breakfast, drank some good strong coffee and then we had a meeting. Pat wanted to go over all we had done so far this year so that he can figure out what to do for the rest of the mission and to start thinking about the mission in 2009. I like to call this review our mission scrub.

From 9–12 we went over everything we had done. We even created a team lessons learned list. We have some assignments to do before next year comes along. I’m sure I’ll get to it on Thursday after I get home. [Sure bet... — Blogmaster]

Then I started to pack, not only my bag but DOB’s as well. Sent back almost everything that he wanted back in his suitcase. Seems he was a few pounds overweight for shipping when I got to the post office. No problem, I’ll take out a couple of pounds from his bag and put it in mine. Now I’m overweight. So out came the power supply for the radio recharger system. That’s going back with Pat.

The team is still using Dan’s GPS since mine is still in the jungle. Somewhere. Pat will be bringing that back as well. Reid will be bringing back my network router so I can get it replaced. Next year the network is going to be uncrashable. Yeah, right. [Only if Grover doesn’t show up. — Blogmaster]

After our bags were mailed, I went around to the various businesses we used this year and paid the bills. As team accountant, that duty fell to me. Then I made a lap around town to get some things for Rebecca and I got a haircut. I want to look spiffy for her when I step off the airplane. The haircut place also said they do Thai foot massage and I made an appointment for 1930. What a great way to end my stay. When Laura heard about this she wanted in on it. I’m sure the massage ladies can squeeze in another client.

Went to Bandidos to have some dinner, get a team photo taken, say goodbye to Margie and Dave and of course to check e-mail. For me anyway.

Then I had the strangest foot massage. I know I said “foot massage” and I know they said “yes.” However, I got a regular massage and only scant attention was paid to the feet and they needed attention. Oh well. A small mystery to solve. Maybe next time.

As usual got to the Koror airport way too early, got a seat assignment right away and we departed about 30 minutes early. Grover was on this flight as well but he is heading to Honolulu instead of Japan. Hung around Guam for a couple of hours and now I’m at altitude enroute to Tokyo. Sat next to a Palauan who says he knows of four airplanes near the airport. [Now he tells us. — Blogmaster] He works in the Foreign Ministry and is part of the Palauan diplomatic mission in Tokyo and he knew of us. He likes it that we come back to Palau often.

I only have 7 hours to sit at the Narita airport prior to my flight to Detroit. I may get to check out the sleeping rooms as well as the shower facility on this trip. I’ll certainly add photos and try to get this out.

This brings you up to speed for this year’s P-MAN mission for me. Laura, Reid and Pat will be there until the morning of the 23rd. If they discover great things, I’ll let you know.

Thanks for reading my musings. Next year we’ll be shifting tactics a bit for my field reports. They’ll be blog only reports, but you’ll get a notice when the website has been updated. [What! Noooooo... — Blogmaster] Pat, my Blogmeister, wants to get me into the 21st Century when it comes to this technology stuff. So we’re all going to do this, kicking, screaming and scratching!

That’s it. Get back to your morning coffee.

Blue SKies, Flip


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BentProp Supporters Update #14 Thursday, March 13, 2008

Field Report P-MAN X-14

March 13th

Hello Everyone!

The day started off great!! Chorizo and scrambled eggs. Yum yum.

We were going to go with Simeon today to check out his crash site. “Were” is the operative word. He’s been unable to locate it but he says he’s working on it. His brother wants to show us what we were looking for the other day on a close in rock island; Ngarcheol. He’s not available today. Our Peleliu contact has been out of contact. However, Zach, from the big island, is available for an all-day hike into the interior of the island. That’s what we’re going to do.

We want to return to a Marine Corsair that JPAC has already done a recovery on. Unfortunately, they did not find the pilot. Zach says he knows where some wreckage is up the hill that no one has visited yet. Could the pilot be there? Only one way to find out.

Zach.

This hike is probably the longest one we do and the deepest into the jungle. It’s almost a three hour hike-in through slippery, slick jungle. Many vines to trip you up. Rivers to cross. Embankments to climb. Wild pigs to avoid. Poison trees everywhere. We loaded up the van, picked up Joe and then Zach. He was loaded for bear. He had his camo vest and his air rifle. Guns are outlawed in Palau (except for the police) but hunters can still use air rifles. They normally hunt black pigeon and fruit bats. Zach was going to bring home a dinner delicacy.

We drove from the east side of Babelthuap to the west side. Over a very rough rocky road. We used this road last year to hike into the Japanese military HQ so Jolie Liston could show us ancient Palauan structures.

Laura, about to fall in.

About 20 minutes up the west Compact Road we pulled over, geared up and started hiking east. Most of the trail follows the old Japanese roads. However, these roads have been recovered by the jungle so it’s not a straight forward hike. Had to cross a couple of streams on makeshift bridges or find roots and rocks in order to keep dry. Our first casualty was Laura who got to take one step on the balance beam of a bridge and went into the river. No damage except wet everything. Being swift of mind, I then said that since she was already wet and not likely to go deeper, would she carry my camera across and get a photo of me on the bridge. [So–ahem–where’s the aforementioned picture? — Blogmaster] I think we all finally succumbed somehow to nature whether it was a leg sinking into the mud, missing a root and falling in or sliding down an embankment.

It was pretty warm today and we were all sweating a bunch. We all brought lots of water and we were sucking it down. I drained my Camelback plus another bottle of water throughout the day.

Going in the trail was a little slick and the mud a little slippery. It was not to remain that way.

This was a heavier trafficked Japanese area. We found old trucks, steamrollers, tractors and even a command car. Lots of fighting positions and slit trenches. The Japanese were expecting us to invade the big island, which was the one they were on, not Peleliu.

Japanese truck.

Anti-aircraft gun mounts.

In any case, with the sun making the jungle hot, we took two rest stops and the inbound leg took almost three hours. Got to the site and saw how the jungle had reclaimed what JPAC had cleared away. This was Grover’s recovery mission when he worked for JPAC. He said that when he closed the site and left it, it was sterile dirt everywhere. We saw lots of already known pieces parts, found some new ones and tried to locate what Zach said was up here. He thinks it might be a piece of a wing.

Corsair engine and prop.

Good sticker.

Sometime early in our stay here it started raining. Lightly at first, but then it became a downpour. I initially put my camera under my hat and that kept it nice and dry. Then I pulled out my bright yellow raincoat, wrapped the camera in it and put it back in my pack. Everything else I had was soaked but the camera was as it should be: dry. We arrived on-station at about 2pm and decided to leave around 3pm. As it closed in on 3, we were wetter and wetter. Zach had created a shelter with two large palm fronds and was walking around with it as an umbrella. That is until we decided to leave. Then he dumped his shelter and started to lead us back. It was no longer slippery and slick. It was really slippery and slick. The rain made the mud muddier and the leaves slicker. It was tough footing but mostly downhill. We made it out in two hours. The rivers were much easier to cross since we did not care about staying dry.

Someone’s command car?

Joe.

Had a snack at the van, dropped Zach off and before we left his house, watched Joe climb a tree for betel nut. Then watched Grover try the same skill set. [Put your money on Joe, folks. — Blogmaster] Back home we cleaned up and went out to dinner. Another fine Thai dinner. Went to the office to write this and send it out. However, I was whipped from the day’s hike and Margie and Dave, the owners of Bandidos kicked me out and told me to go to bed. So here I am, tomorrow, writing to you about today’s events. Make sense? No? Tune in shortly and get caught up.

Grover.

March 14th

It’s 2130 and we’re at Bandidos sipping margarita’s and Bob’s Hollers. We had a bit of a journey to get here but I thought I’d start at the end of the day, rather than at the beginning. Some friends of ours left us a geocache to go and find. The lat/long was given and so were some clues. When we got to the geographic point, the clues made really good sense but we could not find the cache. And there was a good reason for that. The real stash of the cache was 10 miles away. We’ve added something to the cache and now it is here for you to find. I just hope the lat/long has been updated to reflect where it really is.

Dave and Margie.

Pat and Tangie.

We went down to Peleliu today. We had a contact, Kent, who said he knew of some wreckage that we should see. This was reported to us by Tangie. You remember Tangie? He is the GoTo guy on Peleliu for war wreckage, the museum, his Auntie’s hotel and restaurant and now his cousin’s new hotel: Dolphin Bay. The new find is an old find. We were told that there was some wreckage in the channel at 80 feet. Well, the odds of that are small. The channel is small, well known and dredged. Last night, we were all wondering what it could be; a Daihatsu, a fishing boat, a rock. As it turned out, there was nothing in the channel at all. It was wreckage we had found years ago. A Betty bomber and two Francis fighter/bombers that were downed near Snake Island.

So, what do you do when you have scuba gear aboard your boat but can’t use it? Do interviews!!

Yard art.	Relics.
Our first Peleliu interview.	The weekly barge.
Avenger prop.	In Tangie’s museum.

Number two ...

We spoke with five Peleliu elders and their stories were fairly consistent. They did not see anything (one exception), when the war came they were evacuated north towards Bablethuap and then they came back sometime between 1945 and 1947. The one exception is from our first interview. He said he saw an airplane crash in the water just past a small island off the coast of Peleliu. The Japanese went out after the American crew but they were strafed by other American airplanes and the Japanese retreated. This is new for us. Maybe another target. It could be inside the barrier reef, or it could be outside. We might get lucky with this one. Hopefully, the wreck is not too shallow and not too deep.

... and three at the same time.

Our lead on this one said his brother Mark in Koror really knows about it. He lives near Joe. Joe is going to talk with him and see if it is worth our time to investigate. In our interviews, we heard that in the 1960’s, a Japanese national tried to salvage aluminum from the battle fields of Peleliu. The metal was brought in from the field and then piled up near the airfield. However, he was denied permission to export the scrap. Does that mean there are remains where we didn’t believe there were? We’ll have to investigate a bit more.

To give Grover credit, it was warm and we were hungry.

Number four.

Number five.

A good boat ride back and now I’m here at Bandidos. I think I need to add some photos and go to bed.

Didn’t get to the photos either tonight, or tomorrow night. You are going to get this a bit tardy.


March 15th

Well, last night was special. The Boss lost a challenge coin challenge and I had to do my part and have a second margarita. Hence no picture work last night. And tonight was the annual Palauan dinner at Joe and Esther’s house. We finished very late and my office was closed. I’m still Internet challenged at the hotel, so, once again, you’ll have to wait a bit longer.

Jose was supposed to take us out into Malakal Harbor and show us a wreck no one knows about. He forgot and was still up at Ngatpang. But Joe said he promised to come down Sunday morning to take us out. “T”, Simeon’s brother, did show up and took us back to Ngarcheol where we were looking the other day (the really steep coral island). He couldn’t stay long but long enough to show us another piece of an Avenger. Joe took “T” back to the dock while we scampered around the island.

Jose.

Avenger Horizontal Stabilizer and Grover.

Could this be the top of the rudder or the end cap of the elevator?

A few years ago we were told by Dennis of debris in a little cove. We identified the wreckage as an Avenger but we did not have very many pieces. A wing, a flap, maybe a few other identifiable items but certainly nothing that would identify a particular aircraft. “T” showed us a horizontal stabilizer. The right one to be exact. We took lots of photos and searched a bit more of the island. Pat and Grover were the major searchers. When Joe got back from taking “T” back to the dock Pat asked Joe to meet them at the top of the island. When Joe got to the top he found Pat standing about. Joe immediately asked Pat about the new piece. Pat said “What new piece?” “The one right next to your foot.” Pat was standing by a piece that could be the top cap of the rudder or the end cap of the elevator. Again, pictures have been taken.

We got back to the boat and had a swim call. Snorkeled around a bit to see if any more pieces could be found. Then across the harbor for lunch tied up to another rock island. We found something to play with, so of course we did. Then to Red Circle 18. It seems that if you line up what we found today, with what we found a few years back, it points towards Red Circle 18. Unfortunately, this point is in about 100 feet of water, bottom visibility is poor, and our charting system may have a bias built into it of 200-1000 meters to the northwest. We elected not to dive here.

Joe after a hard hike.

We still had tanks on board so we went back to the Nelson Corsair. Major Quintus B. Nelson was the Commanding Officer of a Marine Fighter Squadron. He was shot down in April, 1945. In 2002, his son Jim came with us to help look for his Dad’s plane. We found it in 2003. In 2005 JPAC conducted a recovery operation but did not find any remains or personal identification. Pat had spotted some wreckage outside of the JPAC zone so we bur