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CILHI TEAM LEAVES FOR PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO RECOVER WWII SERVICE MEMBERS

HICKAM AFB, Hawaii - A search and recovery team from the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii will deploy to Papua New Guinea early next week to excavate a crash site of a World War II B-24D aircraft that went down in 1943 with nine service members. This is the same site a previous CILHI team attempted to excavate in May when operations were suspended after the helicopter contracted by CILHI crashed.

The 11-member CILHI recovery team conducting the excavation of the wreck of B-24 42-40972, in the mountains near Yalumet Village in the Morobe Province during an investigation in April 2002.

The B-24 bomber and its crew are believed to have belonged to the 43rd Bomb Group, 63rd Bomb Squadron. The aircraft left Dobodura, New Guinea on a armed reconnaissance mission flying over Kavieng, New Ireland and was returning to Dobodura when it disappeared. A pilot, co-pilot, navigator, bombardier, and five gunners were aboard when the aircraft crashed.

The 35-day deployment will be challenging as the team base camps near the site that is located at an elevation of approximately 10,800 feet. Upon completion, the remains and personal affects found will be returned to the Central Identification Laboratory.

For more information please contact the CILHI Public Affairs Office at (808) 448-8903 ext. 109, ext. 112 or ext. 506. Or visit: www.cilhi.army.mil

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