P-MAN IX Update #01 Hello Everyone!
Its that time of the year again. Bags are being packed and shipped. Airline tickets that were purchased months ago are being searched for. Plans are being made so we have something to deviate from, again! Yes, were heading back to The Republic of Palau for The BentProp Projects annual search for MIAs from World War II.
But first, lessons learned.
Let's introduce the members of this years expedition. All photos by Flip Colmer unless otherwise noted.
Pat has been
leading teams to Palau for over 12 years. Some years the team count was one, but
an expedition nonetheless. He takes the team wherever there is a chance for success
in finding the lost heroes of World War II. To read up on the entire history of
The BentProp Project and the history of this part of the world, check out reports
here on the BentProp Web site from earlier expeditions.
DOB got Flip addicted to this part of the world. Thank you, DOB. He switches hats from year to year. Sometimes hes a filmmaker and sometimes hes a trekker. This year, hes a grunt trekker, except if he sees something he wants to film. He and Jennifer Powers-Krazny are partners in The BentStar Project which has made a film about searching for the missing in action and their families. Check out their Web site at www.bentstarproject.org. They will be hosting Flip's blog this year at www.bentstarproject.org/flip. And this is hot off the presses. Their film, "Last Flight Home: Searching For And Finding MIAs", has been accepted into the Memphis International Film Festival. It will be in Memphis, TN on March 22-25. Make your plans and go.
Bob Holler: CMSgt (Bob, forgive this Navy man. Air Force ranks confuse the hell out of me.) USAF-RET, Skydiver Extraordinaire, Land Safety Officer2, Land Navigator (I think).
This will be Bobs first mission with The BentProp Project. He was recommended from a variety of sources and passed the excruciatingly long interview process. He retired from the Air Force having spent his entire time as a PJ (para rescue). Folks in general talk about steely eyed men in the military. Bob is one. He served us well all over the world. Today he enjoys the well earned rewards of retirement. Bob is our connection this year to the U.S. Army Air Forces that plied the unfriendly skies 60+ years ago.
Derek Abbey ("Cosmo"): Captain USMC, F/A-18 WSO. Well find some title for him out in the field.
I have not met Derek yet, but he impressed Pat so much that an invite was proffered. He is still flying F/A-18s (sigh) with The United States Marine Corps and is enroute from Iraq to CONUS and on to Palau with us. He is the connection this year for us with the Marines who fought on these islands so long ago.
Last but not least, Flip Colmer: Airline pilot, Former Naval Aviator, former SCUBA instructor, team Water Safety Officer, Land Photographer.
Some of the usual suspects are not going to Palau this year. Reid Joyce, the webmaster and mapping master is taking care of family this year and is unable to attend. He's staying home to post these updates on the Web site and to keep me honest. Or at least to make me appear honest. To some extent.
Mike Olds is deep in his studies to be a lawyer. Well, at least thats what hes telling us. You know the story, you buy them books and pencils and all they do is
Bill Belcher is unable to join us due to the needs of the service. Bill is a forensic anthropologist with JPAC (Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command) and he does this stuff for a living. When we get some intel of where to look, hes the guy we send it to.
Reid, Mike and Bill, you will all be missed.
Weve been to The National Archives a bunch of times. Each time we go, we think that weve seen all there is to see. By the end of the following week, we know we have to go back. Katie Rasdorf and Mark Swank, both extremely skillful volunteer researchers in the Washington, D.C. area, have been putting in many hours at NARA's research center in College Park, Maryland. Thank you for all your efforts.
The first order of business is to interview Dr. Don Shuster who is a professor at The University of Guam. Hes been researching the execution of missionaries in Palau during the war, but he's also spent some time slogging around in the jungle with the BentProp team. Were going to brainstorm a bit and see if we can think outside of the box with him.
Then we'll meet up with Pat and we'll all arrive in Palau on the night of the 14th. Chat with you later.
Blue Skies, Flip |