US defence team visits Arunachal to find WW-II wreckage

ITANAGAR, JUNE 27 (PTI)
A five-member US Defence Department team has arrived here to coordinate a joint Indo-US search operation to find the wreckage of US fighter planes and remains of hundreds of pilots missing in action during World War II in Arunachal Pradesh.
Official sources told PTI today that a team from the US Joint Prisoners of War/Missing In Action Accounting Command (JPAC) arrived on June 24 on a coordination mission for the search on humanitarian grounds.
The team comprised Lt Col Peter Huddle, Lt Col Bruce E Cox, Maj Craig Tippins, Maj William J Taylor and Capt Joshua K Marcus.
Earlier in March, US Consul General Henry V Jardine had visited the state following reports of discovery of wreckage of US fighter planes in several parts of the state including the state capital.
At least eight wreckages were found by a private US investigator Clayton Kuhles and local tour operator Oken Tayeng.
The joint Indian and US military teams will look for the remains of the lost men and the flying machines in thick jungles of the hilly border state, close to China-Burma-India theatre of WW-II.
The fighter planes were engaged in maintaining supply lines to the Allied Forces fighting against Japan six decades ago.
In an apparent bid to cross the Himalayas at least 430 planes along with their crew went missing in the inaccessible dense forest of the then North Eastern Frontier Agency (NEFA). Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu has assured help to the US Defence Department team. outlookindia.com | wired

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For the first time I have seen "History" at close quarters,and I know that its actual process is very different from what is presented to Posterity. - WWI General Max Hoffman.

I'm the "Confederate with a pipe"!! LOL

Thanks, JC. I hope there will be closure for some families.

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Regards, Michelle

Oliver Goldsmith, "I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines."