The Tanapag Coronado: A Case Study in Site Formation Processes

Summary

The study of submerged aircraft, while not new, is a relatively unexplored area of maritime archaeology. Receiving even less attention is the study of site formation processes as they apply to submerged aircraft wreck sites—what processes affected the site between the time it crashed and now? These studies are becoming increasingly important, especially for cultural resource managers who are responsible for managing submerged aircraft. This paper summarizes the results of a case study of a previously unidentified U.S. Navy PB2Y Coronado flying boat located in Tanapag Lagoon, Saipan. This case study examined how the study of site formation processes contributes to our understanding of submerged WWII aircraft and their subsequent management, and resulted in both the identification of the aircraft itself as well as the numerous processes that affected the site since deposition.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Archaeological Research and Preservation of US Navy Ship and Aircraft Wrecks   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2016

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 417