Suspected military plane wreck, bones found on Alaska glacier

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/15/12233518-suspected-military-plane-wreck-bones-found-on-alaska-glacier ^ | 6/16/ 2012 | Chris Klint

[Eye of Unk]

Suspected military plane wreck, bones found on Alaska glacier By Chris Klint, Channel 2/KTUU.com and msnbc.com news services ANCHORAGE, Alaska

[Eye of Unk]

I have my flight sectional (map) out in my storage trailer, the Knik Glacier area is indeed somewhat NE of Anchorage, some deviation because of true north to magnetic north, about 17 degrees I think.

[mass55th]

Did a quick search and found that the Army had airfields at Anchorage and Fairbanks during WWII.

Here's the link to the Alaska Historical Society on the subject:

Alaska in WWII

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***I have heard stories about a WW 2 crash where the plane was reportedly carrying either gold bullion or a large military payroll that has never been found.***

One of those is supposed to be in the Lava beds in New Mexico.

[pointsal]

Did Amelia E. have enough fuel to go that far???

[Eye of Unk]

Allow me to describe a bit about the Chugach Mnts, first off I am not an expert of that part of Alaska, its totally remote from me, but the northern part I think does come up near the eastern side of Anchorage, many times I have flown over them on departures and approached to Anchorage, very bumpy at times.

One time in 2004 returning from Orlando we hit some turbulance that would have thrown everyone up against the ceiling, and just last year after takeoff and making the climb over them the aircraft had a turbine failure of something that controls cabin pressurization, had to abort, returned to Anchorage and had to board another flight.

[TalBlack]

“At the time, this was the biggest search in the history of the country, involving 40 military and 20 civilian aircraft. Everything from Coast Guard helicopters and cutters, to Air Force spy aircraft, as well as numerous private aircraft. After thirty-nine days the air search was abandoned.”

I believe the SR-71 Blackbird was called into that search as well.

[WKUHilltopper]

“They found a WWII plane with mummified bodies on a glacier a few years ago in my neck of the woods.”

Wow! That’s fascinating! With bodies, it was a bomber, cargo plane?

[WKUHilltopper]

“Did Amelia E. have enough fuel to go that far???”

Well, no wonder they haven’t found her. She was way off course!

[Eye of Unk]

Actually my interest was the then very young William Clinton and his involvement. Just imaging a conspiracy theory of Begich and Clinton makes me dizzy.

[WKUHilltopper]

“Here is another notorious Alaska missing aircraft, that to date has not been found. Nor any of the 44 persons on board.”

That’s incredible...I had no idea. Thanks.

[Inyo-Mono]

Happened a few years ago now, don’t remember the details, but it was an Army Air Corp plane that crashed on Mendenhall Glacier in the High Sierra above Big Pine, California circa 1943. Found by climbers around 2007. Two mummified bodies were recovered.

[Eye of Unk]

He wrote:: "I found some wreckage from a C-46 or C-47 in Merrill Pass, Alaska. Tail number is 348069, see the photo. No info found on it. I even contacted Joseph Baugher. http://www.akphotograph.com/Alaska%20Photos/index.html I have several photos of the wreckage, radios, landing gear, engines and an entire wing. Any information would be appreciated." This website identifies it as a Douglas C-47, 43-48069. The crashdate was 21Apr52 but except'Alaska' that website offers no further details. The website www.aerotransport.org has more details: 43-48069 is a C-47A-DK with msn/ manufacturer's serial number (aka construction number or c/n) 25330. It has a remark; 'ultimate fate obscured', well now we know.. Another Wasilla resident while hiking near Merril Pass found this fuselage number from a military type aircraft. A C47D. Here is a link for that page. http://www.ruudleeuw.com/search116.htm

[Brilliant]

“Some of the other interesting points surrounding the disappearance include; Boggs was taken to the airport for the first leg of the trip by a young democrat named Bill Clinton who later, as President, appointed Congressman Boggs’ wife, Lindy, to the position of US Ambassador to the Vatican after she served eighteen years in the Congress after her husband’s disappearance.”

So how did Clinton benefit? He got the girl?

[Eye of Unk]

http://www.ruudleeuw.com/search116.htm

Great pics of aircraft lost in Alaska.

[PLMerite]

"flight 19?"

I thought they found it at the beginning of that movie:

[Larry381]

That was the area where a Japanese 747 saw a HUGE ufo about 25 years ago-I read an article about that sighting and still find it one of the most compelling stories I ever read.

[Eye of Unk]

Unknown Location AK, Flying Boxcar Crashes, Nov 1952
Posted January 21st, 2008 by Stu Beitler

SECOND FLYING BOXCAR IS MISSING IN ALASKA.

BIG AIRPLANE FEARED DOWN WITH 20 MEN.

Anchorage, Alaska (AP) — Another big C-119 Flying Boxcar, with 20 men aboard, has disappeared in Alaska and is feared to have crashed, the Air Force announced Sunday.
The twin-engined, double-tailed transport is the third of its type lost in eight days. They carried 83 men.
Nineteen airmen and soldiers went down with a C-119 when it hit an Alaskan peak Nov. 7. A week later, 44 died in a Korea mountain crash.
The latest C-119 to meet disaster vanished Saturday on a flight from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Anchorage, to Kodiak, 250 miles to the southwest.
Aboard were five crewmen, one Air Force enlisted medic and 14 Army men stationed regularly in Alaska. Identification were withheld.
Search Curtailed.
Bad weather Saturday curtailed search operations, but clouds cleared Sunday and nine Air Force planes shuttled between here and Kodiak seeking some clue to the transport’s fate.
Dozens of other planes and paramedic crews stood by ready to take off at a moment’s notice if needed.
The missing transport was on a routine flight as part of “Exercise Warmwind,” current Alaska training maneuvers. Its sister ship that struck Mt. Silverthrone, 135 miles north of here, on Nov. 7 also was taking part in the exercise. Bodies of the 19 victims have not been recovered.
From Florida Base.
Both C-119s were from the 435th Troop Carrier Wing, Miami, Fla., and were among more than a score flown north for the maneuvers.
The Air Force said the missing plane last was heard from at 12:06 p.m. Saturday (5:06 p.m. EST) 25 minutes after takeoff. The flight to Kodiak should have taken only an hour and 25 minutes. The plane was posted as overdue after its fuel was known to have been exhausted at 9:40 p.m. (2:40 a.m. Sunday, EST).
The route to Kodiak Island, in the Gulf of Alaska, is over both land and water.
The Alaskan Air Command said the C-119 should have been over the rugged, mountain studded Kenai Peninsila[sic] when it made its last report.

Walla Walla Union-Bulletin Washington 1952-11-17

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: No trace of the aircraft or its occupants has ever been located.
Partial Listing of Missing Passengers and Crew.
Capt. RUSSELL G. PECK, JR., instructor-pilot, Hialeah, Fla.
Capt. EDWIN S. BOYD, pilot, Hialeah, Fla.
AIrman 2C JOHN T. LANDIS, radio operator, Miami.
Airman 1C JIMMIE ROBERTSON, flight engineer, son of J. S. Robinson, Perry, Fla.

http://www3.gendisasters.com/alaska/4622/unknown-location-ak%2C-flying-boxcar-crashes%2C-nov-1952

[Eye of Unk]

Military moves cautiously in identifying plane wreckage

With a dozen planes gone missing, investigators can’t say right off which this is.

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2012/06/16/2507734/investigators-move-cautiously.html#storylink=cpy

[Eye of Unk]

[Eye of Unk]

Ignore that “Location of Detail” its in the wrong place.

This area of interest is SW of Wasilla up on the Knik Glacier, very heavily rugged mountains here up to 10,000 feet.