And the remains of a fellow from Athens Ga. Welcome home indeed.
Welcome home is right, my late Father was in New Guinea at that time also aboard a B-24.
Charles A. Gardner was identified using circumstantial evidence
recovered from the crash scene as well as DNA,
which matched that of a maternal niece and nephew.
The other recovered airmen were:
Lt. William D. Bernier of Augusta, Mont.,
Lt. Bryant E. Poulsen of Salt Lake City, Utah,
Lt. Herbert V. Young Jr. of Clarkdale, Ariz.,
Tech Sgt. Charles L. Johnston of Pittsburgh, Pa.,
Tech Sgt. Hugh F. Moore of Elkton, Md.,
Staff Sgt. John E. Copeland of Dearing, Kan.,
Staff Sgt. Charles J. Jones of Athens, Ga.
Gardner, along with the other recovered airmen,
will be buried Thursday with full military honors
in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.
My uncle was in graves registration in New Guinea. He told stories of fighting in the mountains trying to get to these crashes.
His unit was made up of soldiers not “fit” for other duty—for example, he was blind in one eye. They fought more and saw more crap that some of his brothers in Europe.
The stories of getting the bodies back would make a great movie. Talk about a living hell.
They were from my father’s squadron, “Bombs Away” 321st, of the “Jolly Rogers” 90th bombardment group, heavy, Fifth Air Force.
The Jolly Rogers kicked jap ass.
Here is a web page with details about this plane and crew:
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-24/42-41188.html
RIP.