Posted on 11/11/2006 3:36:12 PM PST by ButThreeLeftsDo
MIA Hunters heading to jungle in search of 10 WWII planes.
He was 11 years old when his house in Southampton, England, was bombed a week before Christmas during World War II. He and thousands of other British children fled their homes on trains to find safety in rural England.
At his country home, he would ride his bicycle to a U.S. bomber base where he watched planes fly. An unimaginable surprise happened one day when an American soldier offered him ice cream — a luxury most couldn't afford during wartime.
Bryan Moon, 78, is still trying to repay the gesture.
Moon, who now lives in Randolph, Minn., has devoted the past 15 years to finding the bodies of airmen still missing from the war. His group, MIA Hunters, have followed leads into the dangerous jungles of Papua New Guinea, the streets of Sicily and the muddy waters off the shore of China.
A trip next year will take him and a group back to Papua New Guinea, where he hopes to find 10 aircraft with the bodies of as many as 100 crewmembers. Moon estimates it could be the largest discovery since the war ended.
"We've never had anything like it," Moon said.
(Excerpt) Read more at twincities.com ...
My grandfather Dean Hiatt fought out of PNG.. i'm sure he would lOVE to see some of his fellow friends come home.. as would every American
What an impressive guy!
Those interested in searching for American MIAs from WWII can contact MIA Hunters by calling Bryan Moon at 507-263-7050 or visiting www.miahunters.com. There will be an informational meeting for five trips in May and June to Papua New Guinea. The meeting will be Nov. 18 in Red Wing, Minn.
I met Bryan Moon several times when I was in the Civil Air Patrol. He's quite the adventurer.
Ping
Wow.
God Bless him and his companions and keep them safe.
Wow, great story, thanks for posting. Bless that man.
Great example of a small kindness having a huge impact. Bless this man and his compatriots. Thanks for the poignant Veteran's Day story.
It my pleasure to post this.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.