P A C I F I C W R E C K D A T A B A S E
Comprehensive guide to WWII Pacific Wrecks http://www.pacificwrecks.com
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_________________________________________________________________________February 28, 2000 Wreck News & Information
1. New URL: http://www.pacificwrecks.com
2. News Flash! Aerothentic announces full support of Pacific Wreck DatabaseGuadalcanal Revisited Get an unprecedented view of the island today
3. The REAL Thin Red Line Peter Flahavin photos and observations
4. Tainan-Ku Michael Claringbould's document about Japan's first mission to Guadalcanal
5. Book Review Guadalcanal: Decision At Sea by Eric Hammel
MIA Investigation Underway
6. L-4 Wreck Site Investigation: Report from Papua New Guinea!
Michael Osborn, son of WWII MIA tells about the recovery of his father's L-4 aircraft currently underway, and seeks men of his father's unit, Wisconsin National Guard's 32nd Infantry Division to contact him.7. Restoration Interview with Gene Strine
Story of the Mid Atlantic Air Museum's recovery and restoration of a P-618. Link of the Week locating the wreck of O 16
Interesting page from Goh Keng Loon
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1. New URL: http://www.pacificwrecks.com
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Update your bookmarks!
The website has moved to a new server space to accommodate its growing database of information. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the site, and helped to get the site to this important step. The new URL is the easy to remember address: http://www.pacificwrecks.com The old site has redirection file that will automatically bring you to the new site, in case you have bookmarks or links that point that address.I am proud to present exciting new content related to Guadalcanal. New pictures and accounts reveal the secrets of this important island, including the "gallon of sweat" expended to take each shot. This month, I have been working on several exciting content areas related to Guadalcanal with collaborators from Australia, including Peter Flahavin and Michael Claringbould, and with book reviews from historian Eric Hammel.
- Justin
justin@wanpela.com
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2. News Flash! Aerothentic announces full support of Pacific Wreck Database
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http://www.pacificwrecks.com/photos/claringbould/Aerothentic Publications has just announced full support of Pacific Wreck Database and Updates on MIA issues! In conjunction with Michael Claringbould and John Douglas of Papua New Guinea, now offer their full support of this site. Accordingly they have agreed to reveal a major portion of their wreck survey work in the Pacific. The attached list of US, New Zealand, Australian and Japanese aircraft wrecks identified to date in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Australia, and parts of Indonesia is extensive. However, it does NOT include aircraft not yet identified by Aerothentic which is equally as substantial.
In celebration of this new collaboration, Aerothentic has been kind enough to present current photos of some of the most unique WWII aircraft in the world, and brief histories about each for the Pacific Wreck Database community, including a recently discovered Ki-45 Nick, B-26 Marauder, P-47, B-24 wrecks and much much more.
History is Alive! For anyone who believes otherwise, visit this link. The war lives on in the remains of these unique warbirds, and the stories each holds. Through understanding and respect of these relics, the past will live on indefinitely into the 21st century...
Also if you missed it, see last month's interview with Michael
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/people/collaborators/claringbould/
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3. Guadalcanal Revisited: New Guadalcanal Content, book review and photographs
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The REAL Thin Red Line - Peter Flahavin visits Guadalcanal
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/people/visitors/flahavin/
Australian Peter Flahavin has been corresponding with me about his annual visits to Guadalcanal. Together, we have been working on an incredible photographic archive of his many visits to the island during the 1990's. He has contributed a wealth of present day photographs to the site, along with wartime photos, this section provides the most comprehensive look at Guadalcanal today anywhere on the internet. Wartime photographs are used to show the same location in 1942, when available.Peter's photos include many rare pictures of relics that have since been removed or stolen. He describes Japanese buying up property on the island, and WWII battlefields that are now being developed, the first time they have been touched since the war.
Of particular interest are his photographs of the Thin Red Line: Exton and Sim Ridges. The battle that took place at this location was the subject of the 1999 Hollywood movie, "The Thin Red Line". See for yourself what the REAL battlefield look liked, and read where Hollywood went wrong in their representation.
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4. History: Tainan Ku - First Japanese Mission to Guadalcanal
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http://www.pacificwrecks.com/history/tainan-ku/index.htmlMichael Claringbould has contributed this incredible document detailing the first Japanese mission to Guadalcanal, flown by Zero fighters, Bettey Bombers and Val Dive bombers.
This is the mission where Saburo Sakai shot down Pug Southerland, and was wounded. It also contains an incredible world exclusive account of Pug Southerland's escape from Japanese occupied area of Guadalcanal with the help of symathetic Solomon Islanders who risked their own lives to help him.
As is the case with his published book, this document is well researched, and utterly fascinating. Especially because it deals primarily with events that happened with the Japanese Naval Air units at Rabaul that day, a side of the history largely unknown to the world.
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5. Book Review
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http://www.pacificwrecks.com/reviewsGuadalcanal: Decision At Sea
The second book in author Eric Hammel's Guadalcanal book series. Read the review of this excellent book that describes the deceive November Navy engagement when Japanese and US Navy battleships clashed off Guadalcanal. Full of personal accounts and facts that only the veterans who served there would recall, the book is excellent reading for those familiar with the action, or first time readers.Guadalcanal: Decision At Sea
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/reviews/pacifica/guadalcanal/sea.htmlAlso, check out Hammels other book on Guadalcanl, that details the campaign on the island from the evacuation of the British, the Japanese invasion, and the US Marines recapture, and fight to hold this island.
Guadalcanal: Starvation Island
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/reviews/pacifica/guadalcanal/land.html
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6. MIA Investigation Underway Report from Papua New Guinea
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http://www.pacificwrecks.com/people/mia/MIA Kindig / Piotrowski
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/people/MIA/discoveries/kindig-piotrowski.htmlMr. Osborn has asked me to post a query, searching for men who served with my father in the Wisconsin National Guard's 32nd Infantry Division during World War II? Also, newsworthy elements from the CIL investigation have been added to the above link, with Mr. Osborn's permission.
MIA Archive - New Profiles
In addition, several new MIA profiles have been added to the website. If you have any information regarding these men, their planes or units, feel free to contact me or the related family member via the contact information on the profile.Hugh Craw Wison - MIA July 24, 1945
Jack Volz - MIA sometime 1944 or 1945
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7. Restoration Interview with Gene Strine
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http://www.pacificwrecks.com/restore/maam/Story of the Mid Atlantic Air Museum's recovery and restoration of a P-61. This plane was recovered by this WWII veteran and aircraft mechanic from a mountain in Irian Jaya. Read his story, and get updated on the restoration of one of the worlds last Black Widow Night Fighters, that will hopefully one day fly again.
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8. Link of the Week: Locating the wreck of O 16
Interesting page discovered by Goh Keng Loon.
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http://users.bart.nl/~bramotto/specials/special_locating_o16.htm--------------------------------------------------------
9. Stories of Fortitude Publisher seeking Submissions from WWII veterans
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Are you a WWII veteran, or relative of one? Do you have a story you would like to tell, and have it appear in print?For additional information, contact justin@wanpela.com and I will forward you any additional details. For anyone who decides to submit something, I would love to also add it to the veteran's speak section of the Pacific Wrecks Site.
The preferred length of submissions are 2,000 words or less
The deadline is March 31
A honorarium of $30 minimum will be sent to the author(s, you will get a free copy of the book
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10. Pacific Trip Travel to the South Pacific
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http://www.pacificwrecks.com/travelThis trip is in the planning stage for either this summer or the summer of 2001.
# # # End of Wreck News V2.#8 March 14, 2000 # # #
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