By Jack Lapauve Jr – EM TV, Port Moresby
Remains of US servicemen killed in action in Papua New Guinea during World War 2 were given a special ceremony this morning at Port Moresby’s Jackson Airport.
The ceremony was to pay tribute to the heroism of those lost and the ties between the people of the United States of America and PNG.
The ceremony follows a successul underwater investigation and recovery mission near Rabaul, East New Britain Province.
The joint search operation was conducted last month in Rabaul, East New Britain onboard the United States Naval Ship ‘Safeguard’.
US Ambassador to PNG, Walter North said the ceremony would not have been possible without the combined efforts of the PNG national Museum, PNG Defense Force and the government of PNG.
However, there is much more work to be done with over 2,000 US soldiers yet to be recovered from battlefields and air crash sites throughout PNG and the rest of the Pacific.
A formal document was also signed by the PNG National Museum to signify the official transfer of the soldiers remains to the US Government.
The repatriation ceremony is US Government’s effort under the JPAC – Joint Prisoners of War/Missing in Action Accounting Command to identify American soldiers fought in PNG during WW2.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=WLDzJvcBETw%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
