B-24J China Recovery
After taking off from an airfield in Liuchow, China, August 31, 1944 to bomb enemy ships in Takao Harbor, Formosa (Taiwan). On its return flight, it was diverted to an alternate field because Liuchow was under air attack. On its way to the alternate strip, it crashed into a 6,000 foot mountain and tumbled into a deep ravine.

No evidence of the aircraft was discovered October 2, 1996 when two Chinese farmers discovered the crash site 62 miles south of Gualin, Guangxi Province. In November 1996, People's Republic of China President Jiang Zemin turned over photographs of the dog tags, as well as a videotape of the crash site. The names on the military dog tags included crew members Buckley, Kelley, Netherwood, Tomenendale and Ward. After the CILHI recovery, all ten crew members have since been identified and returned to their families.

Audio Interview

CILHI Overview & B-24 Recovery Interview with Major Irwin, CILHI (Duration 4:22 Size 401) Requires Free Quicktime Player, Recorded at the 2000 AWON Conference

Recovery Photos

B-24J MIA August 31, 1944 8,000' peak where wreckage was discovered in 1996 Recovery work at the B-24 crash site Memorial Plaque placed at the mountain

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