P-MAN IV Update Series, #8
22 April 2002

Hello All You Happy Campers!

The P-MAN IV trip is winding up. I had my last dive day today and yesterday may have been my last coral scampering day. But first, lessons learned.

1. Don't have lunch on someone's personal sailboat when they tend to capsize the one they use for teaching and touring.
2. If you can't make the first step climbing a mountain, don't climb the mountain.
3. If someone says "I know the shortcut. It's easy.", run away. Run fast. Run far.
4. You can't carry enough water for yourself, let alone anyone else on a coral island. So don't be begging from me. I'm warning you right now.
5. Cold water tastes really cold and much better when part of your team is still in the jungle sweating.

Yesterday, we hiked up and down another coral island. Actually, a couple of them. One team went around a small one while the other team started on the big one. Then the teams were working the same island at the same time. This is the most likely island for Q.B. Nelson. We have covered 80% of the island and I think we're going to finish it tomorrow. Not quite sure as we decided not to plan anything for tomorrow until we have breakfast. After all, if you don't have a plan, there is nothing to deviate from!

Anyway, I have never been so drenched in sweat. No breeze except at the top of the island. Of course my assignment started a bit down from the top. But I did manage to change that so I could really feel how humid I personally had become. We did this 'last island' until 1600. Went back to the boat dock to meet Washington: another local hunter who had a lead. He showed, told us of a "new" wreck and would lead us to it. As I said before, we have more luck when someone who says they know where it is, will actually take us there. He was willing and he did. After a short boat ride to another coral island (I can tell you, if I see one more of these damned beautiful coral islands I'm going to scream.), he hopped out on a limb, and lead a small party up the hill. The tide was out and the first step was above my head, holding onto a tree limb and doing a climbing maneuver that I once could do, but apparently cannot do anymore. So, stiff upper lip, better part of valor, and all that other stuff, I stayed in the boat, drifted in the lagoon, drank really cold water, and swam a little.

Not being prepared for water work that day, no one brought a mask. So, from the surface, we could see aircraft parts on the bottom. I thought maybe I saw an engine cowling. The team on land found cockpit remnants, wing pieces and window wholes. This is exciting. We decided to come back the next day and dive the site.

On a little sand beach just around the corner of this "new" site, we held another ceremony. This one was of a different tenor. The Commandant of the Marine Corps wrote a letter of appreciation to Pat Scannon for all his years working on this project. Here it is:

17 April 2002

A MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS

I want to express my sincere gratitude to the BentProp Project for your altruistic quest to locate the servicemen who fought in World War II and have been declared missing in action in the jungles and waters surrounding the Republic of Palau.

When our country was plunged into the Pacific Campaign some sixty years ago, millions of our citizens heeded the call to duty and joined the armed forces. Many were selected for the Marine Corps, and far too many Marines made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their nation.

For more than half a century, the fates of hundreds of these men have remained concealed beneath sand and silt, encrusted in coral, or shrouded by leaves and vines while loved ones have lived with the pain of not knowing. Through your tireless efforts, the families and friends of many of these brave airmen have finally achieved closure. You have helped to show that no Marine is ever forgotten. No matter what battlefield they may fall upon, nor in which era they may serve, they are all remembered and honored.

Your recognition of the importance of finding these oft forgotten heroes and filling in the gaps that complete their stories is commendable. It is important that our country always remember the sacrifices made by others so that we may enjoy freedom.

Thank you for inspiring us and reminding us to seek to live our own lives selflessly and honorably and to never forget those who served and gave so dearly. Marines everywhere join me in saluting you for your service, and may health and happiness follow you in all that you do.

J.L. Jones
General, United States Marine Corps

We did this at sunset and it was beautiful. Pat was speechless as he really is not concerned for public recognition of his work. We went back to town. Changed fast and went to an Indian restaurant for dinner.

Today was a water day. No new leads came in, so we went to our "new" wreck site. Have you noticed the quotation marks? Pat, Bill and Clem went up the hill. Dan, Val and I blew bubbles and Robert stayed on the surface. Val found the wing and fuselage of an Avenger. Dan found the motor in a coral head and I found pieces parts. All of this matched what was seen on the hill. Were we excited or what?!

Pat came off the hill, suited up, came to the underwater site and low and behold, he had been here before. A small bit of intel had not gotten to us until after we did the work. This site was reported in 1987 and has been visited many times. It was a great dive. Just not the discovery that we wanted. It is reported that two of the crewmen may still be in the wreck. If you look in, you can see a hand? Or it may be just looking at cloud shapes. In any case, it is a little eerie sticking you head in there.
Pat had not been on the island before. So the wreckage up there was new to him. But, seeing the underwater stuff brought it all back.

We had a great lunch on the boat, motored back to a coral head we did not explore fully last week, but came across a sailboat making like a raft.

We tied up to them and started towing them to land. A small skiff came out with the man's daughter aboard, we untied, they righted the boat and with water still coming in over the stern, started sailing for home. Being the concerned folks that we are, we turned and went to our coral head.

Searched that one with tanks. No luck. Went to another one and trolled with snorkelers on ropes on the surface. No luck. Went back in to the marina to look for beer. Great success there. The film crew was losing the light, so they dashed to a hotel to film an interview with Jim Nelson and Pat. The rest of us quickly got cleaned up and went shopping. Rebecca, I got some great stuff for you.

Then off to the interview site for dinner. Farewell to the Cantrells and Neslons. They're on the 0145 flight out of Koror to Guam. 0145!!!!????? What kind of time is that to go flying? And I have to do that tomorrow. If all goes as planned, I'll have 8 hours in Guam to kill, then up to Tokyo and over to Detroit. If it doesn't go as planned, I'll spend the night in Narita and then get home on the 24th.

Although I'm leaving tomorrow, the mission really ends on the 25th. Pat and whoever is left are going into a mangrove swamp with Lazarus on Tuesday. And he's been 100% with Pat over the years. So, I'll probably miss finding the real deal. But, I have a trip on the 26th and a pilot's got to do what a pilot's got to do.

So, if we don't have anything exciting to report from tomorrow's festivities, this will probably be the last report until I get back. Thank you all for reading this and for your help and support throughout. I've had a ball out here and can't wait to come back. So stay tuned for the further adventures of the P-MAN group.

Blue SKies, Flip