Missing RAAF Canberra Found - Vietnam
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Missing RAAF Canberra Found - Vietnam
An Australian investigation team believes it has found the aircraft flown by the last two Australian Defence Force members missing in Vietnam.
Flying Officer Michael Herbert and Pilot Officer Robert Carver disappeared without trace in 1970 while on a bombing mission.
The Defence Department says a recovery team sent into the region a week ago found what it believes to be the wreckage of their Canberra bomber in thick jungle in a remote area near the Laotian border.
While no human remains were found, a number of military artefacts have been discovered including a club badge which was unique to RAAF's No 2 Squadron.
The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Warren Snowdon, said the team had spent a week in the isolated province gaining information and hiking in to the wreck site.
"These brave airmen gave their lives in the service of their nation and locating the crash site is an important step in accounting for them, " he said in a statement.
"Relatives of the two crewmen have been advised of the discovery and Air Force will continue to keep them updated."
Mr Snowdon praised the team's use of innovative modelling techniques to narrow the area of interest.
He said the expertise of the Army History Unit in supporting the Air Force investigation was also priceless.
"Invaluable assistance has also been given by a number of former North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers and their commanders, as well as many local villagers, and their compassion and commitment in assisting us is humbling," he said.
Mr Snowdon said the next step would be an archaeological dig to confirm whether there were any human remains at the site.
Flying Officer Michael Herbert and Pilot Officer Robert Carver disappeared without trace in 1970 while on a bombing mission.
The Defence Department says a recovery team sent into the region a week ago found what it believes to be the wreckage of their Canberra bomber in thick jungle in a remote area near the Laotian border.
While no human remains were found, a number of military artefacts have been discovered including a club badge which was unique to RAAF's No 2 Squadron.
The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Warren Snowdon, said the team had spent a week in the isolated province gaining information and hiking in to the wreck site.
"These brave airmen gave their lives in the service of their nation and locating the crash site is an important step in accounting for them, " he said in a statement.
"Relatives of the two crewmen have been advised of the discovery and Air Force will continue to keep them updated."
Mr Snowdon praised the team's use of innovative modelling techniques to narrow the area of interest.
He said the expertise of the Army History Unit in supporting the Air Force investigation was also priceless.
"Invaluable assistance has also been given by a number of former North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers and their commanders, as well as many local villagers, and their compassion and commitment in assisting us is humbling," he said.
Mr Snowdon said the next step would be an archaeological dig to confirm whether there were any human remains at the site.
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Latest news is - But no human remains.
Did they bailout and then perish in the jungle - were they captured - is the aircraft only part of the aircraft?
Keep looking chaps.
Did they bailout and then perish in the jungle - were they captured - is the aircraft only part of the aircraft?
Keep looking chaps.
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The survival of human remains in this environment is dependant on a lot of things:
- acidity or alkalinity in the soil can dissolve the remains.
-monsoonal rainfall can wash the remains away (note that some of the wreckage had been washed down into the creek line)
- wild animals can dispose of remains, esp wild pigs who can remove all trace of human remains very quickly and thoroughly.
The chances of finding remains in this environment are a lot less than finding them in an exhumed grave site.
- acidity or alkalinity in the soil can dissolve the remains.
-monsoonal rainfall can wash the remains away (note that some of the wreckage had been washed down into the creek line)
- wild animals can dispose of remains, esp wild pigs who can remove all trace of human remains very quickly and thoroughly.
The chances of finding remains in this environment are a lot less than finding them in an exhumed grave site.
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Remains of final two missing Vietnam War dead located
Remains found: Flying Officer Michael Herbert, left, and Pilot Officer Robert Carver.
July 30, 2009 - 4:14PM
The remains of the final two missing Australian Defence Force personnel from the Vietnam War have been found, the Federal Government says.
Minister for Defence Personnel Greg Combet said a Royal Australian Air Force investigation team recently deployed to Vietnam located human remains at the site where the wreckage of a RAAF bomber was found in April 2009.
The aircraft went missing on November 3, 1970, and was flown by Flying Officer Michael Herbert and Pilot Officer Robert Carver.
The wreckage was located in thick jungle in a remote and sparsely populated area of Quang Nam Province, near the border with Laos.
AAP
Remains found: Flying Officer Michael Herbert, left, and Pilot Officer Robert Carver.
July 30, 2009 - 4:14PM
The remains of the final two missing Australian Defence Force personnel from the Vietnam War have been found, the Federal Government says.
Minister for Defence Personnel Greg Combet said a Royal Australian Air Force investigation team recently deployed to Vietnam located human remains at the site where the wreckage of a RAAF bomber was found in April 2009.
The aircraft went missing on November 3, 1970, and was flown by Flying Officer Michael Herbert and Pilot Officer Robert Carver.
The wreckage was located in thick jungle in a remote and sparsely populated area of Quang Nam Province, near the border with Laos.
AAP
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Flying Officer Michael Herbert was a student at Sacred Heart College in my home town of Adelaide before he joined up to go to Vietnam.
Phan Rang, in Quang Nam province, was the name of the USAF Air Base at which 2 (Bomber) Squadron was stationed. 2 Squadron was located at that place between 1967 and 1972.
The senior officer at the time of 2 Squadron was ready to head out and find the aircraft, which disappeared on 3rd November 1970, but the Americans held him back, saying they would do it. However they were unsuccessful.
A second (and final) Canberra was lost later, but the Americans recovered the aircrew.
There is a memorial at his school to FO Herbert, who was 24 years old at the time of his death.
FO Herbert will be returned to Adelaide where he will be given a State Funeral. PO Carver was from Toowoomba, Queensland, and will return there.
FO Herbert and PO Carver were the last two missing Australian Defence Force (ADF) members from the Vietnam conflict.
Lest we forget.
Phan Rang, in Quang Nam province, was the name of the USAF Air Base at which 2 (Bomber) Squadron was stationed. 2 Squadron was located at that place between 1967 and 1972.
The senior officer at the time of 2 Squadron was ready to head out and find the aircraft, which disappeared on 3rd November 1970, but the Americans held him back, saying they would do it. However they were unsuccessful.
A second (and final) Canberra was lost later, but the Americans recovered the aircrew.
There is a memorial at his school to FO Herbert, who was 24 years old at the time of his death.
FO Herbert will be returned to Adelaide where he will be given a State Funeral. PO Carver was from Toowoomba, Queensland, and will return there.
FO Herbert and PO Carver were the last two missing Australian Defence Force (ADF) members from the Vietnam conflict.
Lest we forget.
