Project Recover is a collaborative effort to enlist 21st-century science and technology in a quest to find and repatriate Americans missing in action (MIA) since World War II, in order to provide recognition and closure for families and the Nation.

Project Recover began as Dr. Pat Scannon’s vision to bring MIAs home from Palau in 1993. Formerly known as The BentProp Project, the organization has grown from a grassroots effort to a team of dedicated professionals and volunteers using innovative science  to bring our MIAs home. Over nearly three decades, the team has located more than 30 US World War II aircraft associated with more than 100 MIAs in missions around the globe. 

In 2012, Project Recover was informally founded as a collaborative partnership between Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, and University of Delaware. In 2016, the partnership was formalized. In 2018, The BentProp Project officially changed its name to Project Recover. The organization works in close partnership with Scripps and UDel.

Completed Missions

Countries & Territories

Aircraft Located

Associated MIAs

MIAs associated with on going investigations.

Repatriated MIAs 

Awaiting MIA Recovery Missions

Aircraft in growing database 

Dan Friedkin
Chair

Derek Abbey, Ph.D.
President / CEO

Pat Scannon, M.D. Ph.D. President Emeritus

Daniel T. O'Brien
Treasurer / Admin

Val Thal-Slocum
Secretary

Flip Colmer
In Memoriam, Team Innovator

Colin Colbourn, Ph.D.

Dr. Colin Colbourn is Project Recover’s Lead Historian and a Postdoctoral Researcher with the University of Delaware. Since 2016, he has managed historical operations including archival research, data management, case analysis, and field investigations. Through these efforts, Project Recover has developed a massive internal archive comprised of thousands of historical reports, maps, and images. Learn more about Colin and his work with MIA Families

Andrew Pietruszka, Ph.D.

Dr. Andrew Pietruszka is an underwater archaeologist specializing in the search, documentation, and recovery of U.S. service members missing in action as a result of our nation’s past conflicts. He received an M.A. in Underwater Archaeology/Maritime Studies from East Carolina University and a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Syracuse University. He has over 15 years of experience conducting underwater archaeological research around the world.

Darcy Anderson
Vice Chairman, Hillwood Management

Matt Byrd
Colonel,USAF (ret.), President and CEO, Hillwood Aviation

T.M. Moseley
General, USAF (ret.) Former Chief of Staff of the US Air Force

Tom Henricks
Colonel, USAF (ret.) and former US Astronaut

Amanda Hughes
Director, The Friedkin Foundation

Eric Williamson
President, Friedkin Aviation
Vice President, The Friedkin Business Development Group

Jack McGrory
Jack McGrory is CEO of La Jolla MJ Management, LLC, a real estate investment company

Jeff Cathey
Head, Military and Veteran Affairs,
Senior Vice President
Bank of America

We are a small organization. We will make sure your messages gets to the right person and will do our best to get back to you within a few days. If you are interested in applying please go to our Mission and Values page. If you are writing about your family MIA please make sure to meet our historian, Dr. Colin Colbourn.