Warbird Information Exchange

First that I have heard about this plane.

From NBC Los Angeles

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Military forensics experts in Hawaii are examining human remains found in a World War II bomber discovered in the Mojave Desert.

The Kern County Sheriff's Department says the B-24-D bomber was found in the desert earlier this week. It had crashed during a training mission in 1944.

Several dog tags were also recovered from the plane but authorities have not released the names of the airmen who were on board.

and....

MOJAVE -
An aviation archaeologist discovered the lost wreckage of a World War II bomber in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

A military recovery mission is underway with the discovery of decades-old bones.

“It's very, very...it's an emotional experience,” said U.S. Marines Captain George Murphy. “Even though we didn't know these men personally, we share a common experience.”

On April 09, 1944, a B-24D Bomber went down during a training mission just southwest of the then Mojave Marine Corps Air Station.

The coroner issued death certificates to the families of all ten men on board. And, the cause of the crash was listed as pilot error.

Now, 60 years later, the site has been cleaned up and all but forgotten.

Until, amateur wreck chaser Don Jordan set out to find the site five years ago, and stumbled on it last summer.

“He did finally find it and posted it on his Website,” said Kelly Cowan Kern County Deputy Coroner.

“And, then the niece of the radio operator of this particular plane read that and asked Mr. Jordan to retrieve some sand and some sort of artifact for her,” said Cowan.

Jordan honored her request.

He also called in members of the POW and MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) out of Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii, after finding several bone fragments.

The command setup shop over a month ago and has carefully unearthed personal artifacts like zippers, and dog tags and even more skeletal remains.

Back then, witnesses said the plane hit nose first in the location where recovery teams are now digging.


Whatever the team finds will be taken back to the base in Hawaii for identification, including DNA analysis of the bone fragments.

The team's archaeologist said its part of their pledge.

“It may take 60 years, but we will return home every fallen service member, back,” said Dr. William Belcher Forensic Archeologist.

After I posted this, I did a google search and found more. Then I realized she had already been found long time ago. I would have thought that the Air Corps picked up all the personal stuff ...

Because we all know the AAF would be so very careful in thier search for remains during a time of war?

Sorry, I couldn't help but be a bit sarcastic.

I know that in the case of the B-24 that impacted Camels Hump in Vermont the AAF recovered the remains of the crew (There was one survivor), divided up the pieces and sent them to all the family members. As winter passed into spring, a couple of the locals decided to hike up to the crash site. (Get a sense that the other shoe is about to drop?) Once they got up there they found the intact body of one of the crew. As I recall it he was missing a finger, but was otherwise whole. The AAF had sent a mixed bag of the remains of other crew members to his family for burial. The AAF was contacted and someone was sent to collect the body. The mans family was told that "additional remains" had been found and interred at Fort Devens Massachusetts. The family was not informed of the true story until, as I recall, the late 80's.

So perhaps you can see why I snorted a little hard at your statement bluethunder. As it was the body of the poor man was transported south in the trunk of a staff car.