Frontier India Strategic and Defence - News, Analysis, Opinion

Written on November 10, 2008 – 9:00 am | by Frontier India Strategic and Defence |

Clayton Kuhles of www.MIArecoveries.org just returned home from a 7-week MIA search expedition In NE India. Clayton say’s “This was probably the most successful and productive search expedition I’ve ever done. I reached 7 additional US aircraft wrecks during this expedition which began in mid-September. Among the MIA wrecks which were finally located was the very elusive B-24J #42-100184 (”Zoot Chute”) with the remains of 10 US personnel aboard. This aircraft was located at over 11,000 ft. elevation on a rugged mountain north of Damroh, crashed on 25 May 1944. The B-24J #42-73308 a.k.a. “Hot as Hell” was lost on 25 January 1944. I found “Hot as Hell” slightly to the SE on 07 December 2006.

All aircraft reached during this just-completed expedition will be researched and identified within the next couple months. Once the aircraft ID’s have been established, Clayton will locate and notify the surviving family members. Full site reports with documenting photographs should be posted on www.MIArecoveries.org by year’s end.

This expedition like his previous expeditions, was self-funded and supplemented with a few cash donations from family members of the MIA airmen. No funding or other support was received from JPAC.