USN

CILHI 2002

Pilot  Walt Witman (Miami, FL)
Co-Pilot  John "Moose" Handlen (Worcester, MA)
Navigator  Donald Louellan
Engineer  Clarance Fridley
Radio  Sam Crown
Gunner  James Palco (WI)
Gunner  Jack Parlear
MIA  March 25, 1944
Discovered  1962 & CILHI investigation in 2002

Mission History
Part of the "Empire Express". One of three PV-1's that took off from Attu Airfield. Alaska on a bombing mission over Shumshu Island. In the face of extremely bad weather and hazardous flying conditions, it was the only bomber in the flight to successfully complete the mission. Of the other planes, one crashed soon after takeoff (#28), two were unable to reach the target area, discharged their bombs into the sea and returned to base, and one failed to return. PV-1 #31 may have been hit by enemy fire over the northern Kurile Islands. Last seen over Kamchatka.

Discovery
A Russian geologist, Mikhail Khotin first discovered the wreckage in 1962 but due to the political conditions of the cold war, it was investigated by the KGB and the Russian military explored the site - detonating the unexploded munitions, and breaking up the wreckage. The find was not reported to Americans until 1992 by a local historian, Ms. Alla Paperno.

Wreckage
Located on a very steep slope, of the Mutnovskiy volcano at Kamchatka, Russia amid some scrub brush, covered by snow during winters. The Ventura's engines shows damage possibly caused by Japanese antiaircraft fire. Also, at least one live bomb was still present at the crash site. The cause of the crash will probably remain a mystery. The crew may have been looking for an emergency landing strip on Soviet territory at Kamchatka's regional capital.

CILHI Investigation
US Army CILHI, recovered remains assumed to be those of crew members in 2002.

References
'Bomber 31' covers the history of this aircaft and its MIA recovery.

Contribute Information

PV-1

MIA

CILHI News Release