P-MAN IV - p. 18              

ATTACHMENT 10: Initiating a link with the Palauan Historical Preservation Office and beginning discussions about formally documenting and possibly protecting all WWII aircraft crash sites within Palau, 24 April 02

As the expedition came to a close, I made a call on Palau's Historical Preservation Office (HPO). Palau has a rich history reaching back far before WWII�s impact on its people and culture. Much of the HPO's efforts has been, and continues to be, the cataloging of Palau's ancient history. More recently, possibly as Palau's WWII survivors age, the impact of WWII on Palauan history is being increasingly recognized as another important part of their history.

I introduced myself to Vicki Kanai, Director, and Rita Olsudong, National Archeologist, and presented a packet of information to them, which contained a summary of BentProp's findings to date, with maps, GPS coordinates and photos. We agreed to coordinate efforts regarding finding and identifying WWII-related sites. As Palau has laws, which generally prohibit salvage and plunder of war sites within Palau, they were very interested in learning more of these crash site locations. They also expressed the possibility that with these precise coordinates, they may be able to increase their efforts at protection of these historical, and now, archeological (greater than 50 years old), sites.

ATTACHMENT 11: Opening several leads of new aircraft crash sites for future PMAN expeditions

Summing up, the BentProp™ Project is currently investigating at least 14 leads that relate to specific crash sites (with varying levels of credibility) and 7 general leads, which might yield information concerning discovery of future crash sites. We have a number of elders who are now willing to share their experiences of the war with us. These will form a substantive basis for future P-MAN expeditions.

We deeply appreciate the time that Senator Surangel Whipps took to help us better understand the lasting impact that this war had on the Palauan people.

This is my favorite photograph standing with Bill Cantrell, LTC (Ret), USMC on Peleliu's coral runway looking north toward Bloody Nose Ridge. During our time together on this expedition, Bill shared many stories with us of his times flying with VMF-114 over Palau (and what a grand story teller he is), cooked chili with his wife for us, faithfully attended our daily briefing and debriefing sessions, helped us in identification of aircraft debris and followed us where ever we would let him, and then some. Not bad for an 81+ year old youngster.

On the day we took our boat trip to Peleliu, Bill got progressively quieter as we approached his former airfield. Bill immediately recognized this runway and wanted to stand on it once again. Under the hot and blazing sun, we felt privileged to share his return to Peleliu. The last time Bill took off on a combat mission from this runway, he returned and landed his F4U-1D Corsair successfully - with a bullet in his chest. If Bill had wanted to stand and reminisce all day on that runway, we would have stood right there with him. (But I would have gotten him a hat.)

Following P-MAN IV, Bill wrote some thoughts, recollections, and impressions, both from his participation in P-MAN IV and from his earlier encounters in Palau. Here is Bill's contribution to the P-MAN IV report.

And finally, here's the guy who is never in the pictures because he is the one taking them - our PostStar Productions cameraman and videographer - Clem Major. He has the strength, dexterity and experience to hang on to these cameras while, more often than not, also hanging on for dear life. He may only have one arm available for exploring (personally, I need both of mine), but he is always there to get the shots. Clem is a true artist. Thanks, Clem!