Missing World War Two Era Plane Finally Found After 80 Years

A long-lost plane from World War Two has finally been found after being missing for 80 years. It was found wrecked in a jungle in Papua New Guinea back in February.

Officials from the US Department of Defense have been informed about the status of the wreck and are putting into motion steps to send investigators down to the crash site.

Where Was the Plane Found?

The Daily Mail reported locals near the crash site on the island of New Ireland found evidence of the plane's body spread across the floor of the jungle.

They found parts of the plane in separate pieces as well as wreckage from the engine and propeller.  Human remains were also discovered but they have not been properly identified.

Discovery of the Plane

Locals near a jungle in Papua New Guinea had reportedly known of the existence of the crash. Stories told for generations spoke about the plane crash but it wasn’t until now that the exact location was found.

“The story was told by some of our grandparents and passed on to us that there was a plane crash on the mountain part of the jungle, but they did not know where exactly it crashed,” said local Kilala Kindau.

A Thorough Search

Kindau told the Daily Mail that his search group looked through the jungle in December and January before they were able to finally find the wreckage. They also found the serial number of the plane to confirm it came from America.

“The plane was crashed and broke into three pieces, leaving the pilot trapped inside and unable to escape,” he said.

Black Panther Squadron

The plane was identified as a Douglas SBD Dauntless, a model that was used by the US Marines during World War Two for operations.

The particular plane belonged to Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 236. Squadron 236 was nicknamed “Black Panthers” and operated in the South Pacific Theater during World War Two.

The History of the Black Panther Squadron

Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 236 was formed on January 1, 1943. Squadron 236 specialized in dive bombing operations and was created out of the Marine Corps Air Station Mojave located in California.

In July of the same year, Squadron 236 underwent a series of training missions to practice dive bombing.

The Plane That Was Found

The Douglas SBD Dauntless that was found had a serial number of 35971. It was manned by L. Billy Ray Ramsey and Sgt. Charlie J. Sciara when it went down.

SBD Dauntless 35971 was built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in El Segundo and delivered to the US Navy. Its operations history saw it assigned to the US Marine Corps, Marine Air Wing 2, Marine Air Group 21, and finally the Black Panthers Squadron.

Plane Goes Missing

On January 14, 1944, Dauntless 35971 was assigned to a mission to strike targets in Rabaul, a province located in Papua New Guinea.

The planes were after Japanese shipping targets in the vicinity and managed to sink nine direct hits on seven transports. During the mission, Dauntless 35971 reportedly had its tail shot off by anti-aircraft fire and disappeared over Saint Georges Channel.

Missing in Action

After being seen disappearing in the northeast of Rabaul, Dauntless 35971 was officially declared Missign in Action after it failed to return to base.

There was a search conducted by a PBY Catalina that was looking for lost aircrews from the January 14 mission but it did not turn up anyone from Dauntless 35971.

Fate of the Pilot

The pilot of the Dauntless 35971, 1st Lt. Billy Ray Ramsey, is thought to have died in the crash and remained on the Missing in Action list. He was officially declared dead on January 15, 1945.

After his declared death he was posthumously promoted to the rank of Captain and awarded a Purple Heart. His name appears on the tablets of the missing in Manila American Cemetery.

What Happened to the Gunner?

The gunner of the aircraft, Sgt Charlie J. Sciara reportedly managed to bail out of the flailing aircraft and make it safely to the ground. Unfortunately, he was captured by Japanese forces and became a Prisoner of War.

His brother John Sciara saw a letter from the Marine Corps indicating this. “After the war my parents received a letter from the Marine Corps stating Sgt Charles Sciara did not die on January 14, 1944. He somehow survived the crash and was taken prisoner by the Japanese and died in an unknown prison camp.”

Department of Defense Investigation

A spokesperson for an agency within the US Department of Defense commented on the reports of the plane wreck discovery.

“DPAA has received multiple reports that wreckage potentially associated with missing personnel was recently discovered on New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. We are working to get a team of investigators to the site as soon as we can. As the agency responsible for recovering the remains of Americans missing from past conflicts, DPAA is committed to pursuing this lead,” the spokesperson said.