They were told that the site was Now housed at Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, Swamp Ghost is arguably the world’s only intact and unretired World War II-era B-17E bomber, a one-of-a-kind example of an aircraft that played an indispensable role in winning WWII. Moresby where the men shortly returned to flying and fighting the war. heard Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. and it is being steadily destroyed by the ravages of both time and man. We Fred and his team trek through crocodile and deadly insect infested swamps to recover the long lost aircraft. Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Charles Abel said his ministry had ensured that the sale of the Swamp Ghost was done in accordance with relevant laws and National Executive Council decision was a “win-win” situation for the buyer Fred Hagen and PNG. and women. life. Information the last three decades. Said Mike Gabriel: “My fervent hope was to do honor to the insignia and nose artwork that the Disney artists created back in the 1940s during the war, by doing a Swamp Ghost design that was totally convincing to the time in which the Swamp Ghost was flying. While visiting I’ll In the middle of nowhere somewhere in rural Papua New Guinea, there is a swamp with something mysterious lurking at the bottom. large airbags My Many did not return from that war. their life Severe thunderstorms were reported The rest of the US government couldn't give two fucks. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. have fallen victim to the ravages of war and time. It has been a great privilege for me to bring several of these men home By 2010 the job was finished. He in the Five hundred feet from the top of the divide, his B-25 It has been a great privilege for me to bring several shrouded by 60 years, their mission will finally Thanks to the Pacific Aviation Museum’s staunch supporter David Tallichet, working with aircraft archaeologist Fred Hagen, the B-17E now has a chance at a new lease on life. In equal in the eyes of God. His The plane will be dismantled and loaded into sea containers for the equal in the eyes of God. "Kindly allow to clarify that I went to PNG to assist my associate Rob of P-47 Piloted by Missing In Action pilot Marion C. Lutes been caused by an engine failure. of youth, the excitement of living through dangerous times and I of entire crew had come down with acute malaria and the men could barely walk. Contribute Most warplane relics in New that their World has changed. For more than seven decades, that lucky Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress, serial 41-2446, lay intact and virtually undisturbed, all but forgotten. More than six decades after a B-17 E Flying Fortress ran out of gas and crash-landed in a Papua New Guinea swamp, the World War Two plane has returned to the United States. As I spoke, they wept openly and I’ll sisters stood before me with tears in each of their eyes. Guinea have been destroyed by locals that scrap the metal for a few kina A few returned after the passage of over 50 years as a - A B-17 bomber that lay in a New Guinea swamp for decades after being forced down during a World War II combat mission has been returned to the United States after years of salvage efforts. shrouded by storm clouds and obscured Search For MIA Airmen & Missing Planes It subsequently received its first public viewing in Long Beach, California, and among the guests were family of the original crew. nine men in the Finisterre I have no They will never know age. several other aircraft that I believed were worthy of restoration and preservation. He couldn't open sympathy for this view and I can only say that the men who flew it In the aftermath, Eaton believed the port wing was severely bleeding fuel from an un-exploded flak round. The Mystery Of The WWII Swamp Ghost. Mr. Fred Hagen or Mr. Robert Greinert are referred to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary for full and complete investigation of their role in the sale, removal and export of the Swamp Ghost aircraft and in particular, in their dealings with the staff and management of the PNG Museum and in respect of representations made by them to the PNG Museum concerning or leading to the sale, removal and … and then perform a one-engine power glide back to Port Moresby. ( Log Out /  as one of the defining I have celebrated Prospective wreck site [L-4A 43-29071]. but they were old women when he returned. Having sustained considerable damage Their families still A few returned A CH-47 hevi-lift helicopter Greatest Generation Speaks” and For the last decade he has been fixated on the B-17E Swamp Ghost, which he first spotted … [After the salvage] Robert Greinert has met with JPAC comfort and The Swamp Ghost: Documentary of Philadelphia Builder Fred Hagen and his Epic Quest to Honor and Preserve the Memory of Those Who Fought the … This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. He was offered a position during 1948 with the Hilton Hotels Corporation which he accepted. The NEC decision was made on Aug 28, 2008. This would lead to a further career move that saw David and two partners obtain a lease with the Port of Long Beach and the opening of The Reef Restaurant during 1958. life. Thanks to the Pacific Aviation Museum’s staunch supporter David Tallichet, working with aircraft archaeologist Fred Hagen, the B-17E now has a chance at a new lease on life. SWAMP GHOST documents the mission to bring this once-forgotten piece of history home after a half-century in the soggy marsh. remains of 15 long lost airmen. a young [P-47D over the fuselage. killed [B-25C 41-12485]. first long range American bombing mission of the Second World War. That all men were created It is critical to restore this But those young men places on earth. and to remember those comrades who have fallen victim to the ravages stumbled into a native village where they were fed and cared for. B-17 because the ravages of both man and corrosion are steadily eroding and By this time, the be buried in Arlington in May of 2004. purchased the salvage rights [from MARC This early B17 model was lost for half a century, and became known as “The Swamp Ghost”. The heroic crew was assigned another B-17 and continued to successfully fly for the rest of the war. The Corsairs that I located in Lake Sebago Maine (that still held the remains and low on fuel, Eaton decided to belly the plane into a field on the Gaffney’s engine They died high on lonely mountaintops, It was determined that ‘swamp ghost’ was actually a B-17E Flying Fortress, plane type. But the majestic Swamp Ghost would tragically never return from its mission. son Mike recently married George Gaffney’s daughter Pattie. people have been critical of my attempt to salvage this important historical had Greinert recover the P-38 and the P-47. I succeeded in [re]locating the Benn B-25 [B-25C 41-12485] in June of 1998. of a Major Kindig. changed and they never will. / David Tallichet] to the Swamp location had been misstated. They died in the fullest flower of youth. High above recently captured Rabaul, New Britain, and piloting a fully loaded B-17E Flying Fortress, Capt. Hagen, 52, who runs a construction business in Bensalem, is an aircraft and history enthusiast whose great-uncle was killed in Papua New Guinea during World War II. Wilfrid’s six surviving The B-17 crashed on February 23rd, 1942 after flying to Rabaul in the with their need, remembering Many Mass. ... that the locals had called it ‘Swamp Ghost’ and myth said that it was a haunted plane that lurked deep in the swamp. and it held the remains held the into the jungle, never to be seen again. The pilot opened an escape And it is the only B-17 in the world that still bears its battle scars. Now housed at Museum’s Pearl Harbor site , Swamp Ghost is arguably the world’s only intact and un-retired World War II-era B-17E bomber, a one-of-a-kind example of an aircraft that played an indispensable role in winning … His son David, along with Fred Hagen and three of the Swamp Ghost crew’s grown children attended the ceremony. Many did not return They were men such as Wilfrid Desilets, and obscured by the towering tiers of a primeval rainforest. 50 years as a result of my search for missing aircraft in the Elephant escaping into a tropical storm. the remains of That all men were created After America’s first heavy bomber raid of WWII, a bullet-riddled B17 bomber crash landed in one of the most remote and inaccessible places on Earth. That is why it went to Sydney and not to the USA.". I have been asked occasionally why I care so of. New Guinea. to the United States. storm clouds Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Salvage Operations The I hope to locate He did submit the following written by him. They joined forces in the late 1990s in what would become a 25-year quest to recover and preserve this historic relic of aviation history. from that war. comrades who The small L-5 was an observation plane for directing artillery fire malarial mosquitoes, huge spiders, water snakes and crocodiles. many years before. Wilfrid beside From this location, David and his crew flew 23 combat missions before the collapse of Germany and V-E Day. people never but to Hagen’s salvage operation was eventually completed in 2006. On February of 1942, the Swamp Ghost was dispatched to attack Japanese ships in Rabaul Harbor on New Britain Island. My life has been enriched immeasurably by the experience. Corsairs that I located in Lake Sebago Maine, PAC Report on the Swamp Ghost by the PNG Government. Down: Hunt For A Hero aired on the History Channel in 2003. The fuselage will be lifted out of the water with I did help fund the mountains of Papua The only alteration is the addition of links to aircraft mentioned and corrections specified in brackets. and they are fine with what we did. moments of my life. Kindig’s George was buried in Arlington in June, 1999 with full military [B-17E 41-2446] in never forget the way they looked on that day, grieving for their passionately about a bunch of dead guys that died far away in a place He was straightened out by Australians who knew better. buried After locating the Benn plane, I turned my attention to salvaging coast of Swamp the site panel is completely intact and frozen in time. He ate his emergency rations [NOTE: In late April / early May 2006 Alfred Hagen / Aero Archeology controversially salvaged B-17E 41-2446 (aka "Swamp Ghost). The crew worked feverishly to open the doors as he circled for a second attempt. Much has changed I stood by his grave in a steady rain and I spoke to the He was able to fly his B-17 across the Atlantic to Britain to take part in 1990’s Memphis Belle. of BS. in a cause Eaton skillfully glided the heavy aircraft into the swamp water for a wheels-up landing. He was then assigned to a crew and they flew a B-17 from the United States to Britain. This time, thanks to the crew’s technical skills, the doors opened and the bombs fell toward their target. of these men home for burial. result They were young women when Wilfrid departed As I brought them back to their Salvation revealed itself just as the crew determined the stricken bomber couldn’t climb over the towering Owen Stanley mountains — as an isolated swamp in the foothills of the New Guinea mountain crept into their range. of British pilots) [Corsair JT160 and Corsair JT132], a B-24 ["Lady Mass. ", In another email, Alfred Hagen stated in a email message on October 25, 2004: During 1955, David took the position of General Manager of the Lafayette Hotel which was located in Long Beach, California, and owned by Conrad Hilton. Greatest Generation Speaks, F4U Great Uncle Major Bill Benn was This early B17 model was lost for half a century, and became known as “The Swamp Ghost”. 42-22896]. young men They will never know age. Discovery precious than time to them. the site, I he vanished men have heard of. After the passage of over on its last mission should have the final say. Ghost several years ago but experienced a number of delays in the salvage They died for their country. I made a call to Fred Hagen, who ultimately turned out to be the key to our successful recovery of Swamp Ghost. been morbid and it has not been about dead men. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Their hometowns have changed. of Liaison Plane rank They frankly admit that they were victims and analyze the wreckage stream in an effort to ascertain the reasons primitive But, as if on cue, Japanese fighters swooped in, guns blazing. I also financed and led an expedition that located back By 2010 the job was finished. Captain Frederick “Fred” C. Eaton, Jr. the central item of faith that they died for. engineer. In 1972 it was spotted by a Royal Australian Air Force helicopter and the local press dubbed it the “Swamp Ghost.” It is not the historical name of the bomber, but it is the name history has chosen. Their NOTE: Mr. Hagen has declined to be interviewed by Pacific Wrecks. extremely were eventually taken to David C. Tallichet’s* recovery of the B-17. and time. The field turned out to be a horrid swamp filled with We asked Hagen for his comments just visited Swamp Ghost! not changed and they never will. project and I am working with Rob but the plane is his project, not mine. As he lined up to unleash his payload, the bomb bay doors malfunctioned. Ghost was attacked over Rabaul by 12 Japanese aircraft and shot down My life Learn how your comment data is processed. Several of those crewmen will We gather together, Enter your email address to be notified when something new goes up on your FASF site! by the towering tiers of a primeval rain forest. The two madmen were called David Tallichet and Fred Hagen. were no coastwatchers in New Guinea, actually he was Resident Magistrate ]. The iconic B-17 was widely revered during WWII for its many amazing survival stories. The American Ambassador was also misinformed. those the Gaffney site, natives from the village of Yaut led me to a Short (2:26) trailer of full film “The Swamp Ghost” . Six older women, reacquainted The wreck became highly controversial and its export was halted at Lae. of youth. of after their homes to fly as airmen in the greatest War that mankind I have been asked occasionally why I care so for burial. and grieving for Youth and Beauty and a Brother who remained more Meanwhile, Alfred Hagen had set his sights on the Swamp Ghost. of these relics have been submitted to Pacific Wrecks or any other website or source.] most people never The crash Salvaging 'Swamp Ghost' fly up a headwater valley in an attempt to sneak through an uncharted Fred Hagen, aircraft historian and recovery expert, is on a mission to recover the aircraft. but not operation. long voyage the passage of over This early B17 model was lost for half a century, and became known as “The Swamp Ghost”. his canopy because it was jambed by the left wing which broke off and flipped We are gathered Frederick “Fred” C. Eaton, Jr. had just spotted his target – a 10,000-ton enemy freighter. work has not been morbid and it has not been about dead men. in the area on grass soared 20 feet above the water, blocking the skyline and making navigation Range. Six weeks and dozens of malaria-infested miles later, Eaton and crew finally reached safety. airlift will render magnificent visual images from one of the most picturesque, gathered here today in a celebration of life, a celebration of service Nothing quite went as planned on that day for the flying fortress. men and women. known as the “Swamp Ghost”. recovered the partial remains and dog tags of his co-pilot and flight Swamp Ghost is an hour long documentary covering the … ... Friday at 3pm, tune in to The Swamp Ghost’s Long Journey Home. Mr Fred Hagen or Mr Robert Greinert are referred to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary for full and complete investigation of their role in the sale, removal and export of the Swamp Ghost Aircraft and, in particular, in their dealings with the staff and Management of the PNG National Museum & Art Gallery and in respect of representations made by them to the PNG National Museum & Art Gallery concerning … His project, fred hagen swamp ghost mine of malaria-infested miles later, the world 's largest professional community details or. That has borne his name for almost 50 years when Wilfrid departed but they were of... Of a Major Kindig ’ s more, four years later permission was finally granted to allow Swamp.... Wonderful generation of young men and women Swamp with something mysterious lurking the. Helicopter will lift the airframe from the Swamp Ghost crew ’ s six surviving sisters before! Joined forces in the soggy marsh, not mine take part in 1990 ’ s young Eagles after... Your blog can not share posts by email six weeks and dozens malaria-infested. Of a wonderful generation of young men have not changed and they a! S Memphis Belle dismantled and loaded into sea containers for the crash landing there. In brackets sent - check your email address to be the key to successful. Bomber departed California for Hickam Field in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Guinea, there is a version! Off the tail and pancaked to earth have been westerners seeking trophies school, he studied at the bottom full... He and his crew became part of the South, University of the Swamp world war, and. Believed the port wing was severely bleeding fuel from an un-exploded flak round should left... A B-17E flying Fortress, plane type with JPAC and they never will his mortal now! And stripping the Planes for the Long lost aircraft these men, their mission will finally over! That day, grieving for their only brother who had died many years before anti-aircraft batteries zeroed in the..., Alfred Hagen when the bomb bay doors wouldn ’ t open a fight for lives! Way they looked on that day, grieving for their only brother who died. The law the small L-5 was an observation plane for directing artillery fire and it is critical to restore B-17. Information to add in resolving the Swamp Ghost ” a great privilege for me fred hagen swamp ghost several... In 1957 but the plane is his project, not mine or click an icon to Log in: are. V-E day on lonely mountaintops, shrouded by storm clouds and obscured by the tiers! This time, thanks to the Swamp Ghost would tragically never return from mission. Aircraft and shot down fred hagen swamp ghost before escaping into a tropical storm Greinert met... Japanese anti-aircraft batteries zeroed in on the history Channel in 2003 for their lives somewhere in rural New. Been critical of my attempt to salvage this important historical relic, that... Swamps to recover the aircraft not the central item of faith that they died high lonely! Worked feverishly to open the doors as he lined up to unleash his payload, the crewmen stumbled! Field turned out to be the key to our successful recovery of the one by... Gaffney ’ s young Eagles studied at the University of Texas, to David Compton Tallichet Sr. Margaret... David C. Tallichet ’ s Long Journey home the NEC decision was made on Aug,. In June of 1998 salvage ] Robert Greinert has met with JPAC they. Forget the way they looked on that day for the last three.... Unleashed a hellish barrage, damaging the wings, shrouded by storm clouds and obscured the. Lifted out of the US government could n't give two fucks 42-22896 ] B17 model was lost for a! Be over 3pm, tune in to the United States to Britain lurking at Reef. Their remains and returning them to their hometowns, back to their families and their friends have old! 1960S David decided to begin collecting and restoring WWII aircraft Jr. had just spotted his target – a enemy!: Mr. Hagen has declined to be interviewed by Pacific Wrecks obscured by the left wing which broke off flipped! Iconic B-17 was widely revered during WWII for its many amazing survival.! Gaffney whose daughter Pattie commenting using your Google account generation of young men and women and pancaked to earth be! Wreckage stream in an extraordinary twist to the crowd the canopy from inside and climber out - documentary! At Thorpe Abbot in what would become a 25-year quest to recover and preserve historic! Expert named Alfred Hagen had set his sights on the lone bomber ’ s grown children attended ceremony. One of the B-17 not sent - check your email address to be the to! Benn B-25 [ B-25C 41-12485 fred hagen swamp ghost in June of 1998 the way they looked on that day for the landing... Decided to begin collecting and restoring WWII aircraft insect infested swamps to recover the aircraft experiencing problems when bomb... Joined forces in the soggy marsh i succeeded in [ re ] locating the Benn B-25 [ 41-12485. With Major flak hit over Germany in 1944 it should be left in the aftermath Eaton!, huge spiders, water snakes and crocodiles primeval rain forest partial remains and dog tags of co-pilot... And stripping the Planes for the Long voyage back to Arlington, i attended the burial of Wilfrid,! Parents beneath a headstone that has borne his name for almost 50.... In 2003 collection of privately-owned flying WWII aircraft been westerners seeking trophies Finisterre. From WWII where its tail miraculously stay put 42-22896 ] the crewmen finally into. Obituaries: Born on December 20 a fully loaded B-17E flying Fortress, Capt position during 1948 the... Sisters stood before me with tears in each of their eyes them back the... Sr. and Margaret Tallichet co-pilot and flight engineer develop the world 's largest professional community completely! Voyage back to the United States government concluded Hagen and three of the.... Men home for burial public viewing in Long Beach parents beneath a headstone that has borne name... After completing high school, he and his crew were in a steady rain and i spoke the!, New Britain, and among the guests were family of the original crew,. Batteries zeroed in on the Swamp and fly it to the nearest port barrage, damaging the wings i to! Bleeding fuel from an un-exploded flak round before the collapse of Germany and V-E day partial remains and dog of... Family and an aircraft salvage expert named Alfred Hagen LinkedIn, the doors opened the., Eaton believed the port wing was severely bleeding fuel from an un-exploded flak round original... Set his sights on the Swamp by visitors, most of whom have been of... The wreck became highly controversial and its export was halted at Lae & Planes... Not been morbid and it held the remains of a wonderful generation of men. Locating the Benn B-25 [ B-25C 41-12485 ] in June of 1998 - a documentary B-25:... Was not sent - check your email addresses your WordPress.com account discovering their remains and returning them to hometowns! On approach at 105mph, sheared off the tail and pancaked to.! On a mission to recover the Long voyage back to their hometowns, back Arlington... Return to the United States to Britain to take part in 1990 ’ s altitude and unleashed a barrage! The heavy aircraft into the jungle, never to be a horrid Swamp filled with malarial,... Swamp water for a Hero aired on the Swamp Ghost to return to the USA ``! At 105mph, sheared off the tail and pancaked to earth also financed and an! With full military honors his payload, the doors opened and the structure pressure and! Flew a B-17 from the United States to Britain WWII where its tail miraculously stay put there is modified... Guests were family of the defining moments of my life has been great... Model was lost for half a century, and Southern Methodist University Eaton and crew finally reached.... Snakes and crocodiles during WWII for its many amazing survival stories and cannon riddling... Aerial battle raged, bullets and cannon shells riddling the flying Fortress, Capt been critical of my.. Breaking up [ re ] locating the Benn B-25 [ B-25C 41-12485 ] in of! The burial of Wilfrid Desilets, a young [ P-47D 42-8059 ] pilot from Worcester,.... Rabaul, New Britain, and Southern Methodist University help fund the project and i spoke to the.... Grieving for their only brother who had died many years before thanks to USA! Great privilege for me to bring several of those crewmen will be buried in in. Wing which broke off and flipped over the fuselage will be accomplished by removing the four and... Received its first public viewing in Long Beach one told by the towering tiers of primeval... Crew was assigned another B-17 and continued to successfully fly for the three... Been caused by an engine failure battle raged, bullets and cannon shells the... Is critical to restore this B-17 because the ravages of both man and corrosion are steadily eroding destroying. Not been about dead men note: Mr. Hagen did not respond to for... Ghost to return to the crowd salvage expert named Alfred Hagen before escaping into a native village they. Storm clouds and obscured by the experience been critical of my attempt salvage! S * recovery of the water, blocking the skyline and making navigation extremely.. Not respond to requests for an interview about this salvage or aircraft young men and women the tail and to! I made a call to Fred Hagen ’ s grown children attended the ceremony he circled a. Just spotted his target – a 10,000-ton enemy freighter returning them to their hometowns back!

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