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B-25 Wreckage
Japanese Caves
Engine with Tree
Debris Pile - .50 Cal Shell

PBJ-1 Wreckage
The story of this bomber is a sad legacy of a loss on May 5, 1944, and the violent death of its crew that went MIA. In 1999, the wreckage was discovered with the human remains undisturbed. CILHI the US Army's Identification Laboratory was contacted, and the site was investigated only months earlier. With the help of a local guide, we located the site after a long walk into a balsa wood forest and jungle.

Fragments of Wreckage
The aircraft was hit by a lucky flak burst in one engine causing catastrophic damage. It impacted at high speed, and the fuselage and tail broke off and bounced over a nearby ridge where they came to rest out of sight from the initial impact. There were scattered bits of wreckage where the plane first impacted.

Japanese Encampment
The bomber crashed in the center of a Japanese encampment, and killed or wounded an unknown number of Japanese. Foxholes and caves from the encampment are still visible.

Wright Cyclone Engine with Tree
This is one of the engines and is stuck deep in the ground. A tree has grown directly through the center. Rubber piping and components are in good shape despise the passage of time and trees.

Debris Pile
A large pile of debris was grizzly evidence to the violence of the crash, even 60 years later. Among the twisted bits were buckles from harnesses, canvas bits, gears and gyros, and .50 cal shell casings and exploded rounds that had cooked off during the crash.

Tail and Fuselage Impact Area

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