In the spring of 1944a American bomber In combat mission he suffered a tragic accident on waters near Papua New Guinea. This event would mark the fate of an entire crew, whose remains remained missing for more than eight decades.
The case of Herbert G. Tennysonone of the members, is a testimony of so many years of uncertainty that many families of soldiers fallen in the Second World War.
March 11, 1944, Herbert G. Tennysona first 24 -year -old lieutenant of the army of The United Statesflew in a bomber B-24d known as “Heaven can wait” During the mission the bay of Hansain Papua New Guinea, A series of tragedies unleashed. When the plane was approaching Awar Pointhis bomb warehouse exploded in flames, a disaster that caused a fire that quickly extended to the airplane tail section.
According to the War Prison Accounting Agency and Disappeared Defense (DPAA)several crew members tried to jump from the plane in an attempt to save their lives. One of them was launched without parachute, while two others jumped with parachutes that apparently did not deploy. The ship, already seriously damaged, began to bow to the left and crashed into the water in front of Awar Pointending everyone’s life on board.
Initial rescue attempts, which included a survival by nearby airplanesthey were not successful in the location of survivors or remains of the bomber. Finally, the authorities died to the eleven crew members, among which he was Tennyson.
He United States Tomb Service (SRT) initially took care of the search for the remains of the crew, returning to the area of the Hansa Bay After the end of the Second World War. However, despite attempts, they failed to find any significant clue over the whereabouts of the bomber or the crew members. These efforts left families with a feeling of vacuum and hopelessnessa feeling that persisted for decades. Finally, in 1948the service suspended the search operation.
In 2013the descendants of the crew members of the B-24d They began to take the initiative in the search. The relatives of Thomas V. Kelly Jr.a key crew member, decided to contact Project recovera non -profit organization dedicated to finding, recovering and repatriating the remains of American military disappeared in combat. Family research changed the search courseleading to the organization to prioritize the area of the Hansa Baywhere the bomber “Heaven can wait“I had fallen.
From that intervention, Project recover A new effort began in that same year. The volunteers, with the support of advanced technology, such as submarine robots and scanners of sounding, spent almost two weeks tracking the seabed in the area. His work began to pay fruits in 2018when they located the submerged remains of the bomber at 213 feet deep, near Awar Point.
The location of the bombardment “Heaven can wait” At the end of 2018 it was only the first step in a long recovery process. In 2019, a specialized team of the DPAA It was sent to the site to inspect the remains of the plane. The unleashed ammunition, a critical operation to guarantee the safety of those involved.
Subsequently, in 2022, experts from the DPAA They excavated the place to recover objects, such as life support equipment, identification labels and personal artifacts. The human remains, together with the objects found, were sent to the laboratories of the DPAA For analysis. Through mitochondrial and dental DNA tests, scientists managed to identify Herbert G. Tennyson, allowing its inclusion in the official records of the agency.
Herbert’s recognition and burial marked a closing moment for his familywho had waited more than 80 years to know the fate of his loved one. After the identification of their remains, Tennyson will be buried in Wichita, Kansasin an act that will pay tribute to its sacrifice during the Second World War.
In addition, a ROSETA In his name in the Disappeared walls of the Manila American cemetery and memoriala symbol that there has finally been aware of its whereabouts and uncertainty has been ended.
The search for other crew members continues to be a crucial effort. Although the DPAA has identified several, among them Eugene J. Darrigan, Donald W. Sheppipick and Thomas V. Kelly Jr.the location and recovery of the remains of others remains a challenge.
Despite the technological advances and the effort of families, many of the soldiers who were aboard the B-24d “Heaven can wait” are still missing. The agency keeps the investigation open, hoping that, as efforts are continued in the area, more remains can be recovered and, eventually, identified.
