View Full Version : Remains of Japanese found in sealed cave on Peleliu
http://www.foxnews.com/science/2015/04/03/remains-wwii-soldiers-found-in-sealed-cave/
"The Devil's Anvil". I'll bet they're all over the South Pacific area.
My grandfather was in the 1st MarDiv on Guadalcanal, Munda, and Bougainville (the Solomon Islands). Someday when I retire I'd like to go to those areas, maybe some others. I LOVE military history and the tooth-and-nail fight against the Japanese on those forlorn Pacific islands has always fascinated me even more so than the European Theater.
Pretty cool. I went to Peleliu when I was in the Coast Guard back in 2003. We went into some of the caves that were accessible. It's not easy to get to, but it was on of the most memorable trips I made along with Saipan, Rota and Tinian.
Back in my younger days when I was still diving, I was lucky enough to have dived the Solomon Islands, Palau, Truk and Papua NG.
We were still finding bones in the wrecks on the bottom of The Slot (New Georgia Sound, SI) and one near perfect Zero in the hold of a sunken transport ship on the bottom of Truk Lagoon.
When we dived around Peleliu in Palau, we took our lunch breaks on the island walking around the rusted war wreckage, both Japanese and US, which was everywhere - airplanes, tanks, MG emplacements, etc. Much of it was partly or totally hidden by new vegetation. You had to be really careful where you stepped so as to not cut yourself on rusty metal.
It was both amazing and terrifying.
I have been to Palau as well, but I don't recall much on the island. Peleliu however is a gold mine. What was interested is that shortly before we went to Saipan they were expanding the airport they found some ammo bunkers and stuff hidden in the vegetation.
Back in my younger days when I was still diving, I was lucky enough to have dived the Solomon Islands, Palau, Truk and Papua NG.
We were still finding bones in the wrecks on the bottom of The Slot (New Georgia Sound, SI) and one near perfect Zero in the hold of a sunken transport ship on the bottom of Truk Lagoon.
When we dived around Peleliu in Palau, we took our lunch breaks on the island walking around the rusted war wreckage, both Japanese and US, which was everywhere - airplanes, tanks, MG emplacements, etc. Much of it was partly or totally hidden by new vegetation. You had to be really careful where you stepped so as to not cut yourself on rusty metal.
It was both amazing and terrifying.
Back in my younger days when I was still diving, I was lucky enough to have dived the Solomon Islands, Palau, Truk and Papua NG.
We were still finding bones in the wrecks on the bottom of The Slot (New Georgia Sound, SI) and one near perfect Zero in the hold of a sunken transport ship on the bottom of Truk Lagoon.
When we dived around Peleliu in Palau, we took our lunch breaks on the island walking around the rusted war wreckage, both Japanese and US, which was everywhere - airplanes, tanks, MG emplacements, etc. Much of it was partly or totally hidden by new vegetation. You had to be really careful where you stepped so as to not cut yourself on rusty metal.
It was both amazing and terrifying.
Ironbottom Sound? Lots of ships rusting away there, hence the name.
My current boss was in the Air Force on Guam way back and while there he took up diving. Got the chance to do Truk and said it was amazing but you weren't allowed to touch anything or remove souvenirs.
Ironbottom Sound?
LOL, it's all water to me, and it was a long time ago. The New Georgia Sound merges with the Savo (Iron Bottom) Sound at the southern end of The Slot off Gaudalcanal. I can't recall if that particular wreck was off the NW shore of Guadalcanal or farther NW off the New Georgia group.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Georgia_Sound#/media/File:New_georgia_pol89.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ironbottom_Sound#/media/File:Wrecks_in_the_Ironbottom_Sound.jpg
LOL, it's all water to me, and it was a long time ago. The New Georgia Sound merges with the Savo (Iron Bottom) Sound at the southern end of The Slot off Gaudalcanal. I can't recall if that particular wreck was off the NW shore of Guadalcanal or farther NW off the New Georgia group.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ironbottom_Sound#/media/File:Wrecks_in_the_Ironbottom_Sound.jpg
That Ironbottom Sound link is awesome! I've never seen one that had a map of where all the ships lay.
like this skull :)
Chuuk or Truk as it was called :)
the little icon is a plane off Eten island
had a insane rare opportunity to dive and take photos on the USS Arizona for sure highlight of my underwater career
captain had a complete skeleton :) I am sure it went back some time later
I was down there over 20 years ago though so sure some things have changed
did some pretty good penetration diving in some of the Chuuk wrecks that were over 130 foot mark got to see some cool stuff
had one we got into but had to have our tanks off and guide them through got into some pretty cool parts and into some cabins that were almost untouched one still had a record on a phonograph with about 15 records along side of it (must have been officers quarters for sure) bed was still made and cloths still hung in the small locker
medical room maybe 2.5 feet by 10 foot area about 6 inches deep of ampules of morphine still intact !
saw some amazing stuff for sure :)
https://www.m4carbine.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=32539&d=1428171306
32538
Back in my younger days when I was still diving, I was lucky enough to have dived the Solomon Islands, Palau, Truk and Papua NG.
We were still finding bones in the wrecks on the bottom of The Slot (New Georgia Sound, SI) and one near perfect Zero in the hold of a sunken transport ship on the bottom of Truk Lagoon.
When we dived around Peleliu in Palau, we took our lunch breaks on the island walking around the rusted war wreckage, both Japanese and US, which was everywhere - airplanes, tanks, MG emplacements, etc. Much of it was partly or totally hidden by new vegetation. You had to be really careful where you stepped so as to not cut yourself on rusty metal.
It was both amazing and terrifying.
I taught diving so when I was there I was working :) so kinda had diff rules apply to me in a way but yes they are very strict and nothing can be taken up and you check the tourists pockets etc... ! when I was there we allowed people to touch plates and some other things like bullets in one huge hold and the compass and other instruments that were on a betty bomber and the one Zero fighter plane that was in a hold but that was about it (sure it was the same one AustinN4 mentioned)
the icon pic of that bomber you could see the bullet holes where it was shot through the cockpit area and through the seats of the pilots ! pretty cool to see stuff like that in real life :)
I have some video of down in some of the holds handling the light bulbs that were still floated up against the ceiling and old tools from one of the tool rooms etc...
sadly still read a lot about down there and since the internet days huge issue of stuff being taken off the boats and sold on the internet not sure how they are managing that but its sad its happening
we did the same stuff even on Maui at Molokini taking stuff used to be you could find bullets from practice strafing all the time these days nothing left
my basic dive rules to my divers in a fun but kinda serious voice
dont touch it unless it touches you first :)
dont take anything I will throw it back with you attached :)
Ironbottom Sound? Lots of ships rusting away there, hence the name.
My current boss was in the Air Force on Guam way back and while there he took up diving. Got the chance to do Truk and said it was amazing but you weren't allowed to touch anything or remove souvenirs.
Very cool stuff! I have always wanted to visit Vella Lavella just because that's where Boyington and the Blacksheep were based.
Very cool stuff! I have always wanted to visit Vella Lavella just because that's where Boyington and the Blacksheep were based.
IIRC in the show it was called Vella LaCava.
IIRC in the show it was called Vella LaCava.
It was. They renamed it for the show. I've got the dvd of the entire series. Funny to see a bunch of actors in there before they made it big. Boyington's autobiography used the real name of the island.
ETA- http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Battle_of_Vella_Lavella
With the OP's permission so as not to hijack. I'll post some pictures of Saipan of the Marianas.
With the OP's permission so as not to hijack. I'll post some pictures of Saipan of the Marianas.
Absolutely! Go for it!
when I was there we allowed people to touch plates and some other things like bullets in one huge hold and the compass and other instruments that were on a betty bomber and the one Zero fighter plane that was in a hold but that was about it (sure it was the same one AustinN4 mentioned)
Honu, it has been about 30 years since I was there and my memory is foggy, but I am pretty sure the Zero I am talking about was in the forward hold of the Fujikawa Maru. It was sitting upright at around 120 feet, while everything else in the hold was pretty well smashed up. And yes, I did sit in the cockpit.
Here is some great info on the wrecks from the M/V Thorfinn web site: http://thorfinn.net/
I can't believe Thorfinn is still in operation as I remember it from 30 years ago.
that would be it :) good memory :)
forgot the local guys name who witnessed the whole thing and was a kid he hid up in the hills but he would give his angle on things and what it was like to watch the whole thing unfold
have to get more stuff scanned in as I was film those days so wish we had digital then and not limited on number of shots and had go pros cause they would have fit into some of those tough spots much easier :)
we did a lot of deco diving (multi tanks) sometimes diving at 150 feet for like 30+ minutes :) hahhahaha long hang times was a lot of fun though
for sure one of those places that just blows your mind diving though :)
Honu, it has been about 30 years since I was there and my memory is foggy, but I am pretty sure the Zero I am talking about was in the forward hold of the Fujikawa Maru. It was sitting upright at around 120 feet, while everything else in the hold was pretty well smashed up. And yes, I did sit in the cockpit.
Here is some great info on the wrecks from the M/V Thorfinn web site: http://thorfinn.net/
I can't believe Thorfinn is still in operation as I remember it from 30 years ago.
My wifes grandather fought on Okinawa. From what he's said of the caves and dug in bunkers there, that place is well fertilized with buried Japanese soldiers...
My wifes grandather fought on Okinawa. From what he's said of the caves and dug in bunkers there, that place is well fertilized with buried Japanese soldiers...
None of those islands would have been the first choice of a claustrophobic Japanese soldier! I'm ever-so-slightly claustrophobic and the thought of how small those tunnels were makes me cringe, especially if crawling out meant death. Of course for most of them staying in there meant death too. Lose-lose all the way around.
I wasn't alive during WWII but having visited some of those islands in Micronesia makes the events of that war seem much more recent - the (rusting) relics are all right there to see.
Singlestack Wonder
04-09-15, 09:54
With more and more being learned about the exponential number of atrocities the japs committed in WWII including this http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/japanese-experiments-u-s-pows-exhibit-shows-brutal-history-n338231, the only thing those jap bodies on Peleliu deserve is to be pissed on.
davidjinks
04-09-15, 13:50
Delete
I've read enough about Japanese war crimes to not feel bad for their dead. I find the discovery of bodies to be historically very interesting but I don't feel bad for their dead or the families.
I've read enough about Japanese war crimes to not feel bad for their dead. I find the discovery of bodies to be historically very interesting but I don't feel bad for their dead or the families.
I posted it for the historical aspect of it, which I too find very interesting. It certainly wasn't in memoriam for (former) enemy troops.
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