Recovery of WWII Plane Wreck in Alaska: Calpernia's Story

Thought I'd post this for Veteran's Day! During my time as a Navy combat medic serving in Alaska's Aleutian Islands, we went on a mission to recover the wreck of a WWII B-24 Liberator plane on a nearby deserted island. Here are my photos! Flickr photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/calpernia/sets/72157628127083922/

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• calpernia
• WWII
• plane
• airplane
• wreck
• adak
• attu
• sitika
• Crash
• Accident
• Adak
• Alaska Slideshow
• recovery
• mission
• navy

[badaboomrock]

hey What Island was this I want to buy it

[CalperniaAddams]

@badaboomrock I don't totally remember, either Attu or Sitika (?)

[bashfulbrother]

@badaboomrock My big dream is to get to Attu at some point. There must still be trenches and evidence of the Japanese occupation. On the last day of the battle the Japanese ran a suicide charge and all but a very small number were killed. They had been told by their superiors if they got captured they would be tortured endlessly and then killed.

[bashfulbrother]

@badaboomrock My father used to tell us stories of the islands. Almost all of them are the result of volcanic activity. There is some natural vegetation but a lot of the surface areas are bog. They actually had to rescue a couple of guys at different times that sank up to their necks. They would probably be good for a day visit. I would suggest staying at Kodiak island and then take a plane to the islands out on the chain. Remember the weather is NEVER great.

[badaboomrock]

@bashfulbrother I could just go there for a vacation and stay does any thing grow on these islands besides grass I know there are only bushes because the wind I mean food wise thanks for the info :)

[bashfulbrother]

@wa1jmm When were you up there? I know that the Seal teams train up there.

[wa1jmm]

I was stationed at Adak at NCS and visited this site. My name was engraved on one of the wings along with hundreds of others. It was not far from the barracks we lived in on Adak...

[bashfulbrother]

@badaboomrock This was filmed on Adak Island. During WW2 they used this island as a flight base. It was only 600mi from Attu and Kiska which were both being held by the Japanese. There are probably close to 20 planes in the water around Adak and Shemya. My father said that a lot of times the planes would come in from a raid all shot up and missed the runway. They would hit the Ocean and all on board would go down.I don't think that you could buy one of these islands.

[RolandDeschain1]

Alaska looks so beautiful. I;d love to go there someday.

[ClarissaX100]

Amazing, and so klose to kamchatka. I guess the person with no face is......

Clarissa

[rocky4858]

i just wanted to say that you are amazing...your a true inspiration to me as someone who is in transition as someone who is an entertainer....and just as a person all together....you make me wanna be a better person....i dont know what this had to do with this video i just felt the need to tell you! lol..thank you for everything you do

[Pathartandphotos]

Thank you for posting these photos. Very well done, very moving