Forensic Archaeological Investigation and Recovery of Underwater U.S. Naval Aircraft Wreck Sites: Two Case Studies from Palau and Papua New Guinea

Summary

This paper will examine two recent underwater forensic archaeological efforts undertaken by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) to address Second World War-era U.S. Naval aircraft wreck sites associated with unaccounted-for U.S. Military service members.  These efforts, in the Republic of Palau and the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, serve as case studies that illustrate the intersection between the responsibility of site preservation, and the duty of personnel accounting via forensic science and the human identification process.  These efforts also serve as examples of productive coordination between interested government organizations - in this case, between the DPAA and the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC).  Finally, these case studies serve as informative examples of collaborative public-private partnerships that have developed between the DPAA and non-government organizations and private individuals.  As such, these efforts and the lessons learned from them may serve as models for successful future public-private collaborative efforts.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

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

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 980