New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Information relating to Pacific Wrecks website

Moderator: Moderator

Timerover51
Sergeant
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:26 pm

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by Timerover51 »

My name is Dale Ridder, and I was part of the 2002 National Geographic expedition that located Pres. John F. Kennedy's PT-109. I was the individual responsible for identifying the wreck, among other duties. If you check out the National Geographic video, The Search for PT-109, or the book, Collision with History, the Search for PT-109, you will get more information on me.

I am a military historian, and also a part-time teacher, using board games such as Axis and Allies, to teach junior high and high school students history. I served in the US Army, and was retired in 1978 for medical disability as a First Lieutenant, with service with the 172nd Infantry Brigade in Alaska as a supply officer and then battalion adjutant. I have taught World Geography for a local college, and continue to work with National Louis University in Skokie, Illinois, with the historical board games. I have turned myself into an expert on explosives, explosions, weapons, and weapons effects such that I have worked as a consultant for the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the US Marine Corps during the 1991 Gulf War.

I am in the process of putting together an expedition to return to the Solomons to locate more wrecks, in particular the USS Strong, a destroyer sunk off of the northwest coast of New Georgia, the USS Grampus, a submarine that vanished in the area in March of 1943, and also the IJN Murasame, the Japanese destroyer that I think sank the Grampus.

Hopefully, I can be an asset to the site.

richmichken
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 8:47 pm

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by richmichken »

Hi, I'm Richard from Canberra, Australia.

I was born in the early years of the war but as a former archivist at the National Archives of Australia, I developed an interest in WW2 history.

Talent
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2010 7:52 pm

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by Talent »

Hi, I spent 3 years in Papua New Guinea, 1985 to 1988, working for Department of Civil Aviation in the offices at Konedobu, Port Moresby. I was the Airways Engineering Mechanical Inspector. Inspecting airways navigation equipment, power generation and equipment cooling, workshops and vehicles. I was also a constable in the PNG Reserve Police Force.
My background is coalmining, then 22 years Royal Navy, 17 years in submarines diesel and nuclear. Also worked in Saudi Arabia for Presidency of Civil Aviation. 5 Years in Singapore. Much travelled and now retired. House is for sale and then move permanently to Spain, inshallah.

ashbash
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Apr 12, 2010 2:57 am

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by ashbash »

Hi I'm new ,
I Live In Tasmania ,Austrailsa
My grandfather passed away 11Feb2010, I was researching his Navigators/observers log and discovered NZ 4522 PV1 Ventura on the Pacific Wrecks websight.
He spent over 111 Hours in this plane on 48 seperate sorties with No 9 BR SQN Bougainville His Name Was Herbert John Robertson Affectionatly Known as Jack Robertson He served in No 3 BR SQN Guadal canal as well as No 4BR SQN FIJI .I Would love to hear from anybody relating to these Sqns

carlos h
Private
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2010 7:15 am

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by carlos h »

Hello,
I am a former Marine who retired in 2005. I live in Northern Virginia and look forward to reading the information on this site.

Semper Fi

Carlos Hathcock

maskrider
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2010 9:48 am
Location: Alpine, CA, USA- 35 miles east of San Diego
Contact:

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by maskrider »

Hi Folks,

Thought I would join up. I have been visiting Pacific Wrecks for years- hunting up information on obscure Pacific Theater airfields. Pacifcic Wrecks has provided a wealth of information which I have tried to put to good use in my hobby of making add on airfields for Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator2- WWII Pacific Theater.

Glad to be here!

Chris Westervelt
Alpine, CA, USA

wkiefer
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2010 10:00 pm

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by wkiefer »

My father, a WWII carrier pilot passed away in 2008. I had always enjoyed hearing stories of things that happened during his training and time at sea. i attended a few of his squadron reunions with him and met men with whom he flew. learning more from sites such as this helps me to keep their memories alive for me.

marconoahu
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 3:45 am

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by marconoahu »

Greetings everyone, I'm a former Army Helicopter pilot now living in the Philippines. I have always been interested in military history and exploring old battlefields. Hopefully, while I'm here, I will have a chance to obtain some interesting photos and contribute positively to the forum.

mark

bjmandy1
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2010 8:39 am

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by bjmandy1 »

Hi !

I am Lynn, and have a great interest in WWII , especially Pearl Harbor. I happened upon this website, and thought it would be very interesting. I live in Florida, and my father was in the army in europe, while my father in law was in the navy in the pacific. Now that I am nearing retirement age, I am looing forward to visiting some of these sites

billaubrey
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2010 1:26 pm

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by billaubrey »

Hi from Lacey, Washington,

I just discovered this site today. I served as an airborne infantry officer from 1970-1975. I am a history buff and was thrilled to find this site. My Dad was a grunt and an MP in World War II.

Bill Aubrey

Bev
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2010 5:31 am

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by Bev »

Hi, I'm Bev from Australia and I',m interested in Pilot 2nd Lt John Clay Smith who was shot down in the Pacific Sep 2 1943, my father in law was one of the 2 wireless operators who radioed for help, we are interested in finding his relatives in America

diveking
Private
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:02 am

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by diveking »

Hello everybody,My name is Marcel Hagendijk, and I run a dive center in Ambon, in the Malukus, East Indonesia.

The bay in Ambon is a natural harbor, and I have recently identified a shipwreck that is here

my suspicion is that there are a lot of wrecks in this bay, dating from the VOC,during the spice trade up to recent. but I am looking for any information regarding ship wrecks in this area.

I have some vague coordinates, but very few names or dates from any ships

apperantly, according to some of the older Ambonese, the japanese lost a lot of ships here, before they thried to attack Australia

any information would be welcome.

Thanks a lot

Marcel

richard rudd
1st Lieutenant
Posts: 49
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2003 2:08 am

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by richard rudd »

Sounds like a fascinating area for WW2 history. See Wikipedia re Battle for Ambon. The massacre at Laha was in retaliation to the Japanese loss of life when a mine sank a Jap ship in Bay of Ambon. Position of that ship should be known by some older Ambonese.
Post again whatever you find,... any aircraft as well, on land and in the sea.
regards

vta_bill
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 8:20 pm
Location: Ventura, CA, USA

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by vta_bill »

Greetings to all. My name is Bill Lee and I happened upon this website as I was searching for information about the Pacific island, Pulau Numfoor, where my eldest brother, Theodore E. Lee (copilot B-24, 2nd Lt, USAAF) was killed in a take-off crash in December, 1944. Through Google Earth and Wikimedia.org I was able to not only learn about the US capture of Numfoor Island but the eventual use of the three Japanese air bases located there, and also the reference to Pacific Wrecks Forum.

Although my military experience is limited to a two-year US Army draft at the end of the Korean War, both of my older brothers were in the USAAF during WWII and I will be probing for details of the crash on Numfoor Island that I have been told was one of four take-off crashes on the very same day for which I am searching for an explanation.

Thank you

Haynes
Private
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Dec 26, 2010 10:13 pm

Re: New Forum Policy - New Members Must Post Welcome Message

Post by Haynes »

My name is John Haynes. My Grandfather was David E. Latane. He flew the P-40E with the 33rd Pursuit Squadron (Feb 3rd - April 15th 1942 Australia) and then the P-39/400 with the 41st Fighter Squadron (April 15th - July 24th 1942 Australia and July 25th 1942 - April 23rd 1943 New Guinea). Although my grandfather survived the war and has since passed away, our family is looking for more information about him during this time. We know that he was assigned P-400 in New Guinea, number 94, bailed out on Feb 9th 1943, and was lost for 6 days. We don't know for sure that he bailed out of number 94 that day, and there is an unconfirmed report that he had also bailed out on another occasion as well. Justin has provided some very helpful information so far (See links below), but we would be delighted to learn of any additional information or photos of him during this time. I am also interested in determining the serial number of his number 94 P-400 in hopes that it may be one of the many wrecks that have been discovered.
Cheers - John
http://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/p-400/latane.html
http://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/p-400/nose94.html
http://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/p-400/latane/

Post Reply