John Douglas   June 2005 Wreck Diary

I've been working  on a job at Lae. Over the river from the old Nadzab Complex is a large lake about 400-500 acres in size. i got up to the lake and scouted around. I got reports of several wrecks in the area. There are several wrecks in the lake apparently .There are also Saltwater crocodiles as well, and the experts at the local Croc farm told me that a canoe was attacked two years ago and a passenger killed! Not a good start. Non the less we got out into the lake [carefully] and tried to bouy some of the wrecks, probing with a long pole. No luck. The rumoured spots were to deep for our pole. Now for plan B [whatever that might be]. We did get photos of two wrecks on the side of the lake. One was a smashed P-40, and the other a twin engined wreck that I have not yet IDed. The records speak of a collision between a P-40 and a P47 over the lake, so I guess we found the P-40. Both pilots bailed out and survived. Their is also a story of a B-25 in the lake as well. I was currently helping Larry Hickey with some of his travels around PNG Larry is a WWI Aviation historian  with an interest in some of the US bomber groups. This entailed a trip to Wewak, where we visited the old Japanese strips aof Boram, Wewak, Dagua and But. We visited AA sites as well as a Diana and two fairly intact Helens. I left five disposable cameras behind for my wreck tecs to chase up on new tales of wrecks. Em Tasol John Douglas [ Photo by Justin Taylan, 2004 ] Seeking Support John Douglas writes WWII wreck related new briefs for Pacific Wreck Database from his home in Port Moresby. Learn how to help Douglas' efforts and Wreck 'Tec network, donate your old 35mm camera, video equipment or financial help - support this effort! Return to John Douglas Main Page

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