Lower Colombia River & Adriatic Sea

[B-24]

I’m from Washington State by the lower Columbia River. The water is cold here, some of it is ice cold year around. Scuba diving is not very popular. My Father taught me how to swim when I was 7 years old. Between what he taught me and what I learned in Boy Scouts I’m a good swimmer. I have a lot of experience out on the Columbia River in all kinds of boats. It can be a dangerous place even with experience. The currant can be from 5 to 15 knots depending on the time of year, which way the tide is going and if they have opened the gates at Bonneville Dam or not. There is a long list of hazards out there that could come unexpectedly.
My reason for joining this forum is I need information on the Adriatic Sea. My Uncle has been MIA there since March 16 1945. Before we can start a search we need to know what legal issues we need to comply with. We need information about currents; weather conditions and anything else that will help make the search a success.
Don

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Hi Don Welcome to Scubaboard...There are a lot of divers on the board from Washington. Good luck on your search.

 

[Wilson]

Welcome to the Scubaboard! Whew! you have a pretty serious situation...try a post on Basic Scuba Discussions Forum about your Uncle..something like "Missing since 1945" and give as much info as you can. It may take some time, but there are some pretty diligent reseachers on the board. If the Moderators choose, they may move it to another forum, but at least you will have a start. Good Luck!

 

[snepdiver]

Welcome to ScubaBoard. Good luck with your search.

 

[Jason Ooi]

Welcome to :sblogo:
:wave-smil :wave-smil

 

[k4man]

Don,
Another welcome to ScubaBoard and Merry Christmas from the midwest.

Go Bucks!!

 

[B-24]

Thank you all so much for the welcome. After surfing your forum I can see there are some scuba divers here in the Pacific Northwest. I see some posts from the Oregon Coast and from the Puget Sound.
This search started again after my cousin found a web-site posted by the co-pilots grand-nephew. He had been communicating with the tail gunner’s nephew. My uncle was the flight engineer. More people got interested and involved. Then an airman stationed in Italy found a scuba diving club that has a picture of a B-24 on the sea bottom. He was after them all last summer to go back and identify it but they didn’t.
I contacted several scuba diving clubs in Florida about it. They all replied back with interest. One replied with questions about the depth. I think they were ready to go. Then came the search for funding.
Since then we’ve identified that B-24 through search and rescue records. It was shot down June 13 1944 and the crew was taken POW. We think the reason the diving club wouldn’t go back to identify it is at:
http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org12-7j.htm

We’ve contacted a couple different companies that use side scan sonar with some other means of underwater searching for a quote but they can’t give us one until we come up with specific information for them.
There are still 78,751 men missing in action from WW II. I have a list of 22 B-24s missing over the Adriatic Sea with 2 more that are not on that list. Every one had a crew of 9 or 10 men that are still MIA. That doesn’t count the B-17s or the fighters. We’ve applied for federal support.
I know the Adriatic Sea is popular for scuba diving. This forum seems like a good place to find someone that’s been there and has the information we need.
Don

 

[DandyDon]

Howdy & Welcome!

Yes, we have a PNW forum with many very friendly & skilled divers, should you get involved with Scuba yourself.

That Sea is over half mile deep in places, tho - much of it beyond Scuba depths. Big project, good luck.

I have given my family other instructions should I ever be lost at sea long enough to be prudently presumed dead, but I know many families want to bring the dead home. We're big on that in the Marines, too - but that had more to do with battlefield losses, not lost at sea.

best wishes, don