Wreckage of Long-Lost World War II Aircraft Discovered in Pacific Islands After 72 Years, Unveiled by Project RECOVER
Project RECOVER Makes a Significant Discovery in the Pacific
Project RECOVER, a collaborative effort to locate aircraft and associated Americans missing in action (MIA) since World War II, has made a notable discovery in the waters surrounding Palau. An American aircraft, a TBM-1C Avenger, missing since July 1944, has been located.
The discovery adds to the growing list of wrecks discovered by Project RECOVER. The project, which includes marine archaeologist Dan Davis and other experts, is actively engaged in locating and identifying U.S. World War II aircraft wreckage and the associated missing personnel.
Project RECOVER's mission is to bring the missing home, enabling the U.S. government to repatriate them for a proper burial. The group's work has contributed to important discoveries and identifications through detailed site surveys and collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense and allied archaeological groups.
In 2019, Project RECOVER was contracted by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) to conduct an initial survey and mapping of a WWII-era aircraft wreck found 60 feet underwater by recreational divers in Danish waters. The project's team helped locate human remains during the investigation, enabling further recovery efforts by the DPAA and Trident Archäologie.
Project RECOVER has also played a role in the identification and accounting of airmen such as 2nd Lt. Jason K. Goldwater and 2nd Lt. Frank A. Johnstone, both lost during WWII. These identifications were made possible through ongoing excavations, excavated material analyses, and coordination with partner institutions over multiple years.
Dan Friedkin, founder and chairman of Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation and chairman of Gulf States Toyota and The Friedkin Group, has made a substantial financial commitment to Project RECOVER. The funds are being used to support field efforts that lead to discoveries of World War II wreckage and their associated MIAs. Financial gifts to Project RECOVER are shared among its three founding entities: the University of Delaware, Scripps Oceanography, and the BentProp Project, which are all non-profit organizations.
The funds are being used in the development of technology, data processing, and analysis, and in field efforts that lead to discoveries of World War II wreckage and their associated MIAs. The funds are also helping sustain ongoing missions and enabling the organization to innovate its technology and expand its search and discovery efforts.
Scattered around Palau's island chain are several dozen U.S. aircraft and the remains of as many as 80 U.S. airmen. The DPAA is tasked with recovery and repatriation efforts, including notification of the families of these MIAs. The most recent find is another step closer towards Project RECOVER's goal of finding the final underwater resting places of all Americans missing in action since World War II.
Project RECOVER recently signed memorandums of understanding with DPAA to formalize their public-private partnership with the U.S. Government for conducting MIA related searches. The group continues to perform underwater archaeological surveys, assist in excavations, and provide critical mapping and documentation support, which has led to successful recoveries and identifications as recent as mid-2025.
Dan Friedkin is a member of the Heritage Flight pilots qualified to fly in formation with U.S. Air Force single-ship demonstration teams. Eric Terrill, an oceanographer from the University of California San Diego, is one of Project RECOVER's founding entities.
The U.S. government continues to prioritize the repatriation of missing military personnel, and Project RECOVER remains a key contributor to this mission. The organization's work is essential in bringing closure to the families of those lost during World War II and ensuring a proper burial for the fallen heroes.
The discovery made by Project RECOVER in the Pacific is significant for the field of environmental-science, as it provides valuable data and insights into the conditions surrounding World War II aircraft wreckage in oceanic environments.
Leveraging advanced technology, Project RECOVER's mission aligns with the broader goals of science, aiming to improve our understanding of history and contribute to the development of new methods and techniques in marine archaeology.
