Monday, February 21, 2005
Update #4 — It's Sure Hot Out Here
.
P-MAN VII Update #4
21 February
The BentProp Project
Hello Everyone!
We’ve had a couple of enjoyable search days with a nice find on the FM2. We’ve also eliminated some of our leads as possible areas of interest. But first: DOB, two day notice for you young man.
And now, lessons learned.
Don’t create one of these lessons learned list when you’re too tired or else you tend to leave out the lesson learned.
From the first lessons learned list I did not explain the light gear bag, cell phone usage or ‘breaking the code’ of communications.
When I unpacked my gear bag I found I was missing 2 pairs of athletic shorts and 2 t-shirts. Not bad for packing out in two different stages.
Cell phone worked great in Guam. I think I did not even get charged for roaming! However, the phone doesn’t even see a cell tower in Palau. Thank goodness Joe always has his and there’s always a convenient cell tower on all these little uninhabited islands.
Breaking the code refers to my inability to get my email on line from SBC. Back at home, it’s easy. Here, not so easy. When I finally broke the code, the entire population of Palau was trying to get their email. You could watch every single byte march slowly through the wires. I think they use concrete block for connector links.
Two dozen eggs don’t last as long if they keep dropping to the floor.
Security is so important at an inoperative power plant.
The sun is hot in the tropics. Did you know that and why didn’t you tell me?
You never know who you’re going to meet in Palau.
There’s always a second way to a site.
Where there’s one bomb crater, there’s always another.
19 February
Today was our first land trip. Not jungle, but working a site out in the open. It’s the Wildcat that we found last year. We still do not have the specific aircraft number identified so we thought we would go back to it and poke around some more. We approached from a different side and had a much shorter walk. We had to take that route as our rental van probably would not have made the trip successfully down the rutted road from last year. By the way, did you know we are not allowed to take our rented van out of Koror? We didn’t either.
We parked at a shutdown, never used power plant. The story is that the plant was built to run on diesel fuel. Building costs were in the millions. Diesel fuel shipped in turned out to be prohibitively expensive. So the plant is not used. And I’m not even sure they ever fired it up.
There is a fence around it, with a locked gate and a live-in security guard. Of course when we started our approach, he started shouting at us. We were about to crawl through the very large holes in the fence, when he shouted a few more times and I thought we were in trouble. No, he recognized us from last year and wanted to be friendly and let us use the front gate, as god had intended it. He unlocked the gate with the large hole in the chicken wire. We walked to the back of the power plant where the fence was missing altogether and hiked down the hill to the Wildcat. On the way out, he was gone, the gate was locked. So some of us used the hole, and a couple of us used the area just to the left that was missing the fence altogether.
We poked around a bit. The intent was to find the engine data plate so that we might be able to identify which particular aircraft this is. Some of us were working the front side of the engine to accomplish that. Some were combing the debris field one more time for anything new, and a couple of us were working the backside of the engine. We did not work the back side last year.
We did find some more parts but nothing that would lead to an identification. However, we did find a parachute pack closing cone. It’s a small metal piece that is used to keep the parachute container closed. That would indicate that the pilot may have gone in with the airplane. All reports from this mission say he did.
Photo by Flip
When we discovered the cone, we stopped work, closed up the hole and headed back to base. We’re going to document this and turn the piece over to Rita at the Historical Preservation Office. Maybe JPAC will one day be able to put this on their list of sites to excavate. Their plate is full forever, so it will just depend on whether or not more evidence can be discerned.
But, since we were convinced someone died here, we held a brief flag ceremony for the fallen hero. I’ll hold onto the flags until the pilot can be identified and then we’ll deliver the flags to the surviving family members.
Photo by Chip Lambert, but it is my camera!
It was Pam and Chip’s last night in Palau before heading home. The flight leaves at 0035 on the 20th so a dinner celebration was in order. And they had a surprise for us. The two hosts of Under Sea Detectives on The History Channel, John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, were going to meet up with us. They were down on Peleliu trying to film a show about diving on the U.S.S. Perry. It’s in deep water at about 250 feet. The weather did not cooperate so they did not get their project accomplished. However, they are coming back in the spring to try again. But we did get to hoist a few. They seem like nice guys. They are the protagonists of a book that is currently out there called Shadowdivers. It’s a good read. I just finished it a week or two before I left for this trip. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Did I tell you it was hot out in the field today? Temperature was 97 degrees and it sapped us all of energy. After dinner and socializing, we all got a great night’s rest. I did not wake until 0606. I’m sleeping in later and later. Yippee! I’ve put the circadian rhythm clock back in synch.
20 February
Our egg supply is running short earlier than expected. Mostly due to me knocking eggs out of the ‘fridge and onto the floor. Generally with the whole shelf coming out at the same time. Not once. Not twice, but three times so far. This trip is getting costly, egg wise.
This day would be a water/jungle day. We took the boat to an island because Bena said he saw wreckage there. Bena was one of the heads of the Palauan Conservation Society. He has retired from that. But last year he wanted to take us out to show us what he knew from all his years in the islands. We just could not make it happen. Now we would. However, he could not show as someone died and he HAD to go up to Babelthuap. As you may remember, we have much better luck finding stuff if the person who sends us actually goes with us.
But Bena has a great reputation so we went anyway. John Chatterton came along with us. He was interested in what we do and how we do it. He does the deep stuff so I guess he wanted to see how the ‘topsiders’ live.
We cruised the entire island without seeing anything manmade. It was too rough to put someone in the water to snorkel or troll. We decided to return WITH Bena at a later time.
Then to a spot someone said there was wreckage. As it turns out, it’s by one of the Survivor Challenge sites. Want me to tell you who wins?
But alas, we knew this wreckage already. A Japanese airplane.
On to ‘The Smoke On The Hill’ site. We found a photo at the National Archives (NARA) that showed numerous smoke plumes in and around one particular island. It’s well documented that a number of American airplanes went down in this area. One photo clearly shows smoke on the top of the island. So we decided to go check it out.
We donned our jungle gear and off we went. The initial climb to the ridge is quite steep. Then it’s almost like rolling hills, only these hills are all coral/limestone that is sharp, crumbly and covered in slick jungle leaves and vines. I love this stuff. The Palauan jungle is quite tourist friendly. No swarming bugs, poisonous snakes or very many diseases that can ruin your day. About the only things that can get you are some fairly large spiders and coconut crabs.
We just needed to get to the highest point and turn around. So we did. And we saw nothing. But we did get to sweat a lot. The Pat Scannon Health and Wellness Program is still alive and in full swing.
Meanwhile, back on the boat, we left Jennifer. Mark’s wife. While we were gone, a couple of women from a nearby sailboat came over to ask for directions to a good snorkeling area. Joe filled them in, they all chatted and then they went off in search of the site. By the time we got down from our stroll, the sailboat was out of sight.
When we got back on the boat, it was decided we needed to cool off. We cruised a short distance to a known Avenger crash site. This is the site we came to a few years ago and at first Pat did not recognize it. We thought it was a new find. The site is partially in the water, and partially on the side of one of these coral islands. Pat had never seen the island parts and that was what he first looked at on that trip. Then when he went in the water, he knew immediately that this was not a new site.
But today, it was just the ol’ swimming hole. We snorkeled a bit, had lunch and shared stories. A good time had by all.
We dropped Mark, Jennifer and John at the PPR and we headed back to town.
We ran some errands, restocked our grocery shelves and headed out for some Indian food.
Back at the homefront, crashed early and slept a long time. Tomorrow is going to be a mixed day of interviews and minor jungle work. Can’t wait.
21 February
Today Mike Olds joins us. We can’t forget to pick him up at the airport.
We headed out a little late today as we made some phone calls to set up some appointments. We normally pack a lunch in the ice chest but decided to go to the best burger place in Palau: Bem Ermii which means Come and Taste. But first, a few interviews.
We met up with Jonathon Emul. We talked to him a few years ago and time has taken its toll on him. He is an older Palauan who has aged dramatically. He was an errand boy for the Japanese during the war. He talked about the American POWs that he saw, but he added nothing new to his tale.
We met up with Steve Salii who is an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (E.O.D.) expert with the Public Works Department. We were told he was the man to talk to about aircraft wreckage. We’re told that since the road has gone in on Babelthuap, new wreckage has been found. We need to go see all these sites and Steve may know where they are. He said he’d get back to us with a list.
Went to Bem Ermii and met the owner. He is a Palauan who went to the U.S. for 22 years for college and to work. He lived in Hawaii for a time where he learned the restaurant business. In 1997 he opened his own place in Koror. We’re told he’s going to open another place soon.
He talked about aircraft wreckage he knew about, but it seems Pat knew about it too. But it’s always good have someone tell us what they know. And it’s always good to have the best burger on the island. And a great mocha shake too.
Went to a site that Pat calls twice blown up. By the way, did you know we are not allowed to take our rented van out of Koror? We didn’t either. I think the airplane was shot down, and then the SeaBees blew it up one year not knowing what it was. Last year, Pat found some wreckage here and could not tell what it was. Reid was convinced it was a float plane of some sort. Mark really wanted to look the parts over so we went to humor him. Thank goodness we did. We don’t know exactly what it is yet but we all agree that it is a float from a floatplane and Mark found English writing on a parts label with a manufacturers ident. And the part surely looks like a float from a OS2 Kingfisher. The Kingfisher was used for rescue, observation and gunfire support. Three were known to go down in Palau with some MIAs. There’s not much chance of finding anything more than we did. So nothing more will come of this but at least we know what kind of plane it is.
Across the street from the twice blown up aircraft is an elementary school. We had a report that 500 meters towards the airport from the school lies an airplane. Okay, we’ll go look. We walked down the road and realized there’s a lot of brush, jungle and woods between us and the airport. Well, let’s walk one line out, and another back. What could be simpler.
The brush started by being boot high. Then thigh high. Then I fell into a bomb crater and the brush was well over my head. I thought to myself, self, there’s always more bomb craters. So when I climbed out of the one I was in, I promptly fell into another. The brush was well over my head again, but when I attained level ground, it was still over my head. I pushed ahead and came out of the tall stuff to just waist deep jungle and then once again, boot high brush.
This little jaunt reaffirmed our opinion to work smarter, not harder. We need more intel. We’re not opposed to working hard in the brush. But it has to make sense. We could have easily walked by a B29 and not have seen it since the brush is so thick. Maybe our source will lead us there.
We came out of the hills and went to the rental car agency. By the way, did you know we are not allowed to take our rented van out of Koror? We didn’t either. The van we have is so weak in terms of power, that if we encounter any size hill, we have to get out so the car can climb it. This definitely is not going to work for us. Especially since we want to go to Babelthuap with it and we’re not supposed to. So we wanted to switch cars. Not with our agency. They have no other vans available. They called around and found one at King’s. We’ve rented there before. So off we went to get it.
We dropped off Pat to deal with that while I took Joe and Reid to the hotel. Then I took Mark to the PPR. Then I returned and found Pat. Seems that we aren’t getting a different van. When he got to King’s, they told him in no uncertain terms that the van was not to go to Babelthuap. Seems someone took a van up there a few years ago and tore up the underside. (Please see P-MAN IV updates for all the factual details. I thought it was just the oil cooler we broke from its brackets.) Took a lot of money to repair it. And they now have a spy/watcher at the Shell station that sits on the road you cross to get to Babelthuap.
So we’ve kept our gutless wonder and are now looking for a powerful set of wheels for the few days we need to go to the big island.
Raced to an interview with some notable Palauans. A woman who works in the President’s office attended Pat’s presentation the other night. She told her Mom and her Mom wanted to talk with us. She was a child during the war, but was also the High Chief’s daughter and learned a lot about what happened during that time frame. Her older sister came too and we were treated to a wonderful night of memories from long ago. We did not get any leads of particular sites to look at, but some great stories and we were told to contact some other folks. The best story was about the Japanese spy who saved many Palauans from being executed by the Imperial Japanese Army: I.J.A. The story is that he was Japanese/Hawaiian and was landed on the big island by a submarine. He helped hide the Palauans and told the Americans where they were hidden. When the I.J.A. wanted to execute the Palauans, he convinced them to let them farm instead. At the end of the war, he was captured with a number of Japanese, was taken by submarine to Peleliu and disappeared. When he was found living in Japan many years later, he denied he was a spy. Of course he did. Wouldn’t you?
Out to dinner at Carp and then Pat left early to get Mike. See, we did not forget him.
Now I’m writing to you.
We’ve had a problem with email. Broadband isn’t so broad here. Tough to get pictures out in large file sizes. Tonight I’ll try smaller. I hope this works for you!
That’s all for this missive. We’re having a ball. We’ve accomplished some items on our check off list and have many more to go. Hopefully, the next update will include something special.
Until next time. By the way, did you know we are not allowed to take our rented van to Babelthuap? We didn’t either.
Blue Skies, Flip
P.S. We have someone to lead us to some wreckage on Eil Mak island. Is this the last B-24 to be found? There’s only one more not accounted for.
P-MAN VII Update #4
21 February
The BentProp Project
Hello Everyone!
We’ve had a couple of enjoyable search days with a nice find on the FM2. We’ve also eliminated some of our leads as possible areas of interest. But first: DOB, two day notice for you young man.
And now, lessons learned.
Don’t create one of these lessons learned list when you’re too tired or else you tend to leave out the lesson learned.
From the first lessons learned list I did not explain the light gear bag, cell phone usage or ‘breaking the code’ of communications.
When I unpacked my gear bag I found I was missing 2 pairs of athletic shorts and 2 t-shirts. Not bad for packing out in two different stages.
Cell phone worked great in Guam. I think I did not even get charged for roaming! However, the phone doesn’t even see a cell tower in Palau. Thank goodness Joe always has his and there’s always a convenient cell tower on all these little uninhabited islands.
Breaking the code refers to my inability to get my email on line from SBC. Back at home, it’s easy. Here, not so easy. When I finally broke the code, the entire population of Palau was trying to get their email. You could watch every single byte march slowly through the wires. I think they use concrete block for connector links.
Two dozen eggs don’t last as long if they keep dropping to the floor.
Security is so important at an inoperative power plant.
The sun is hot in the tropics. Did you know that and why didn’t you tell me?
You never know who you’re going to meet in Palau.
There’s always a second way to a site.
Where there’s one bomb crater, there’s always another.
19 February
Today was our first land trip. Not jungle, but working a site out in the open. It’s the Wildcat that we found last year. We still do not have the specific aircraft number identified so we thought we would go back to it and poke around some more. We approached from a different side and had a much shorter walk. We had to take that route as our rental van probably would not have made the trip successfully down the rutted road from last year. By the way, did you know we are not allowed to take our rented van out of Koror? We didn’t either.
We parked at a shutdown, never used power plant. The story is that the plant was built to run on diesel fuel. Building costs were in the millions. Diesel fuel shipped in turned out to be prohibitively expensive. So the plant is not used. And I’m not even sure they ever fired it up.
There is a fence around it, with a locked gate and a live-in security guard. Of course when we started our approach, he started shouting at us. We were about to crawl through the very large holes in the fence, when he shouted a few more times and I thought we were in trouble. No, he recognized us from last year and wanted to be friendly and let us use the front gate, as god had intended it. He unlocked the gate with the large hole in the chicken wire. We walked to the back of the power plant where the fence was missing altogether and hiked down the hill to the Wildcat. On the way out, he was gone, the gate was locked. So some of us used the hole, and a couple of us used the area just to the left that was missing the fence altogether.
We poked around a bit. The intent was to find the engine data plate so that we might be able to identify which particular aircraft this is. Some of us were working the front side of the engine to accomplish that. Some were combing the debris field one more time for anything new, and a couple of us were working the backside of the engine. We did not work the back side last year.
We did find some more parts but nothing that would lead to an identification. However, we did find a parachute pack closing cone. It’s a small metal piece that is used to keep the parachute container closed. That would indicate that the pilot may have gone in with the airplane. All reports from this mission say he did.
Photo by Flip
When we discovered the cone, we stopped work, closed up the hole and headed back to base. We’re going to document this and turn the piece over to Rita at the Historical Preservation Office. Maybe JPAC will one day be able to put this on their list of sites to excavate. Their plate is full forever, so it will just depend on whether or not more evidence can be discerned.
But, since we were convinced someone died here, we held a brief flag ceremony for the fallen hero. I’ll hold onto the flags until the pilot can be identified and then we’ll deliver the flags to the surviving family members.
Photo by Chip Lambert, but it is my camera!
It was Pam and Chip’s last night in Palau before heading home. The flight leaves at 0035 on the 20th so a dinner celebration was in order. And they had a surprise for us. The two hosts of Under Sea Detectives on The History Channel, John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, were going to meet up with us. They were down on Peleliu trying to film a show about diving on the U.S.S. Perry. It’s in deep water at about 250 feet. The weather did not cooperate so they did not get their project accomplished. However, they are coming back in the spring to try again. But we did get to hoist a few. They seem like nice guys. They are the protagonists of a book that is currently out there called Shadowdivers. It’s a good read. I just finished it a week or two before I left for this trip. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Did I tell you it was hot out in the field today? Temperature was 97 degrees and it sapped us all of energy. After dinner and socializing, we all got a great night’s rest. I did not wake until 0606. I’m sleeping in later and later. Yippee! I’ve put the circadian rhythm clock back in synch.
20 February
Our egg supply is running short earlier than expected. Mostly due to me knocking eggs out of the ‘fridge and onto the floor. Generally with the whole shelf coming out at the same time. Not once. Not twice, but three times so far. This trip is getting costly, egg wise.
This day would be a water/jungle day. We took the boat to an island because Bena said he saw wreckage there. Bena was one of the heads of the Palauan Conservation Society. He has retired from that. But last year he wanted to take us out to show us what he knew from all his years in the islands. We just could not make it happen. Now we would. However, he could not show as someone died and he HAD to go up to Babelthuap. As you may remember, we have much better luck finding stuff if the person who sends us actually goes with us.
But Bena has a great reputation so we went anyway. John Chatterton came along with us. He was interested in what we do and how we do it. He does the deep stuff so I guess he wanted to see how the ‘topsiders’ live.
We cruised the entire island without seeing anything manmade. It was too rough to put someone in the water to snorkel or troll. We decided to return WITH Bena at a later time.
Then to a spot someone said there was wreckage. As it turns out, it’s by one of the Survivor Challenge sites. Want me to tell you who wins?
But alas, we knew this wreckage already. A Japanese airplane.
On to ‘The Smoke On The Hill’ site. We found a photo at the National Archives (NARA) that showed numerous smoke plumes in and around one particular island. It’s well documented that a number of American airplanes went down in this area. One photo clearly shows smoke on the top of the island. So we decided to go check it out.
We donned our jungle gear and off we went. The initial climb to the ridge is quite steep. Then it’s almost like rolling hills, only these hills are all coral/limestone that is sharp, crumbly and covered in slick jungle leaves and vines. I love this stuff. The Palauan jungle is quite tourist friendly. No swarming bugs, poisonous snakes or very many diseases that can ruin your day. About the only things that can get you are some fairly large spiders and coconut crabs.
We just needed to get to the highest point and turn around. So we did. And we saw nothing. But we did get to sweat a lot. The Pat Scannon Health and Wellness Program is still alive and in full swing.
Meanwhile, back on the boat, we left Jennifer. Mark’s wife. While we were gone, a couple of women from a nearby sailboat came over to ask for directions to a good snorkeling area. Joe filled them in, they all chatted and then they went off in search of the site. By the time we got down from our stroll, the sailboat was out of sight.
When we got back on the boat, it was decided we needed to cool off. We cruised a short distance to a known Avenger crash site. This is the site we came to a few years ago and at first Pat did not recognize it. We thought it was a new find. The site is partially in the water, and partially on the side of one of these coral islands. Pat had never seen the island parts and that was what he first looked at on that trip. Then when he went in the water, he knew immediately that this was not a new site.
But today, it was just the ol’ swimming hole. We snorkeled a bit, had lunch and shared stories. A good time had by all.
We dropped Mark, Jennifer and John at the PPR and we headed back to town.
We ran some errands, restocked our grocery shelves and headed out for some Indian food.
Back at the homefront, crashed early and slept a long time. Tomorrow is going to be a mixed day of interviews and minor jungle work. Can’t wait.
21 February
Today Mike Olds joins us. We can’t forget to pick him up at the airport.
We headed out a little late today as we made some phone calls to set up some appointments. We normally pack a lunch in the ice chest but decided to go to the best burger place in Palau: Bem Ermii which means Come and Taste. But first, a few interviews.
We met up with Jonathon Emul. We talked to him a few years ago and time has taken its toll on him. He is an older Palauan who has aged dramatically. He was an errand boy for the Japanese during the war. He talked about the American POWs that he saw, but he added nothing new to his tale.
We met up with Steve Salii who is an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (E.O.D.) expert with the Public Works Department. We were told he was the man to talk to about aircraft wreckage. We’re told that since the road has gone in on Babelthuap, new wreckage has been found. We need to go see all these sites and Steve may know where they are. He said he’d get back to us with a list.
Went to Bem Ermii and met the owner. He is a Palauan who went to the U.S. for 22 years for college and to work. He lived in Hawaii for a time where he learned the restaurant business. In 1997 he opened his own place in Koror. We’re told he’s going to open another place soon.
He talked about aircraft wreckage he knew about, but it seems Pat knew about it too. But it’s always good have someone tell us what they know. And it’s always good to have the best burger on the island. And a great mocha shake too.
Went to a site that Pat calls twice blown up. By the way, did you know we are not allowed to take our rented van out of Koror? We didn’t either. I think the airplane was shot down, and then the SeaBees blew it up one year not knowing what it was. Last year, Pat found some wreckage here and could not tell what it was. Reid was convinced it was a float plane of some sort. Mark really wanted to look the parts over so we went to humor him. Thank goodness we did. We don’t know exactly what it is yet but we all agree that it is a float from a floatplane and Mark found English writing on a parts label with a manufacturers ident. And the part surely looks like a float from a OS2 Kingfisher. The Kingfisher was used for rescue, observation and gunfire support. Three were known to go down in Palau with some MIAs. There’s not much chance of finding anything more than we did. So nothing more will come of this but at least we know what kind of plane it is.
Across the street from the twice blown up aircraft is an elementary school. We had a report that 500 meters towards the airport from the school lies an airplane. Okay, we’ll go look. We walked down the road and realized there’s a lot of brush, jungle and woods between us and the airport. Well, let’s walk one line out, and another back. What could be simpler.
The brush started by being boot high. Then thigh high. Then I fell into a bomb crater and the brush was well over my head. I thought to myself, self, there’s always more bomb craters. So when I climbed out of the one I was in, I promptly fell into another. The brush was well over my head again, but when I attained level ground, it was still over my head. I pushed ahead and came out of the tall stuff to just waist deep jungle and then once again, boot high brush.
This little jaunt reaffirmed our opinion to work smarter, not harder. We need more intel. We’re not opposed to working hard in the brush. But it has to make sense. We could have easily walked by a B29 and not have seen it since the brush is so thick. Maybe our source will lead us there.
We came out of the hills and went to the rental car agency. By the way, did you know we are not allowed to take our rented van out of Koror? We didn’t either. The van we have is so weak in terms of power, that if we encounter any size hill, we have to get out so the car can climb it. This definitely is not going to work for us. Especially since we want to go to Babelthuap with it and we’re not supposed to. So we wanted to switch cars. Not with our agency. They have no other vans available. They called around and found one at King’s. We’ve rented there before. So off we went to get it.
We dropped off Pat to deal with that while I took Joe and Reid to the hotel. Then I took Mark to the PPR. Then I returned and found Pat. Seems that we aren’t getting a different van. When he got to King’s, they told him in no uncertain terms that the van was not to go to Babelthuap. Seems someone took a van up there a few years ago and tore up the underside. (Please see P-MAN IV updates for all the factual details. I thought it was just the oil cooler we broke from its brackets.) Took a lot of money to repair it. And they now have a spy/watcher at the Shell station that sits on the road you cross to get to Babelthuap.
So we’ve kept our gutless wonder and are now looking for a powerful set of wheels for the few days we need to go to the big island.
Raced to an interview with some notable Palauans. A woman who works in the President’s office attended Pat’s presentation the other night. She told her Mom and her Mom wanted to talk with us. She was a child during the war, but was also the High Chief’s daughter and learned a lot about what happened during that time frame. Her older sister came too and we were treated to a wonderful night of memories from long ago. We did not get any leads of particular sites to look at, but some great stories and we were told to contact some other folks. The best story was about the Japanese spy who saved many Palauans from being executed by the Imperial Japanese Army: I.J.A. The story is that he was Japanese/Hawaiian and was landed on the big island by a submarine. He helped hide the Palauans and told the Americans where they were hidden. When the I.J.A. wanted to execute the Palauans, he convinced them to let them farm instead. At the end of the war, he was captured with a number of Japanese, was taken by submarine to Peleliu and disappeared. When he was found living in Japan many years later, he denied he was a spy. Of course he did. Wouldn’t you?
Out to dinner at Carp and then Pat left early to get Mike. See, we did not forget him.
Now I’m writing to you.
We’ve had a problem with email. Broadband isn’t so broad here. Tough to get pictures out in large file sizes. Tonight I’ll try smaller. I hope this works for you!
That’s all for this missive. We’re having a ball. We’ve accomplished some items on our check off list and have many more to go. Hopefully, the next update will include something special.
Until next time. By the way, did you know we are not allowed to take our rented van to Babelthuap? We didn’t either.
Blue Skies, Flip
P.S. We have someone to lead us to some wreckage on Eil Mak island. Is this the last B-24 to be found? There’s only one more not accounted for.
