FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 17th, 2024 – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), in partnership with Project Recover and other experts in the field, has announced that they have positively identified the remains of 2nd Lt. Thomas V. Kelly, Jr., who had been Missing In Action since World War II. The 21-year-old from Livermore, CA served as bombardier in a B-24 bomber named “Heaven Can Wait” that was shot down over a remote bay in Papua New Guinea on March …
Relatives of WWII B-24 Crew Gather For Heaven Can Wait ‘Family Reunion’
Heaven Can Wait Family Reunion On March 11, 1944, a World War II B-24 bomber called Heaven Can Wait came under anti-aircraft fire and crashed in the waters off Papua, New Guinea, killing all 11 crew members onboard. Seventy-four years later, on October 13th, 2018, relatives of the crew members gathered for a “family reunion” in Victoria, Minnesota. Using side-scanning sonars, high definition images, and underwater robotic technologies, Project Recover located the B-24 in 2017 under 213 feet of water. …
The New York Times Reports Project Recover Locates B-24, Heaven Can Wait
The New York Times reports that Project Recover locates the B-24 ‘Heaven Can Wait’ in Hansa Bay, New Guinea, 74 years after it was shot down Japanese anti-aircraft fire. The B-24 ‘Heaven Can Wait’ was on a mission to disrupt Japanese shipping and supply chains when it was shot down. Lt. Thomas Kelly, Jr., was a bombardier aboard the B-24 and one of the 11-member crew who died that day. On Memorial Day, nearly a century later, Kelly’s cousin once …
Memorial Day Service Honors Lt. Thomas Kelly, WWII Bombardier
A Memorial Day Service honoring Lt. Thomas Kelly, a World War II bombardier, shortly after Project Recover announced locating his B-24, Heaven Can Wait.
Project Recover Locates WWII B-24 Bomber, Heaven Can Wait
May 22, 2018 – A B-24 D-1 bomber, Heaven Can Wait, associated with 11 American servicemen missing in action from World War II was recently found and documented in Hansa Bay off Papua, New Guinea by Project Recover—a collaborative team of marine scientists, archaeologists, and volunteers who have combined efforts to locate aircraft associated with MIAs from WWII. The crew of “Heaven Can Wait” was part of the 320th squadron of the “Jolly Rogers” 90th Bombardment Group and was on …
WWII B-25 Bombers located by Project Recover one of Top 10 Archaeological Discoveries of 2017
December 22, 2017 – WWII B-25 Bombers located by Project Recover off Papua New Guinea named one of the Top 10 Archaeological Discoveries of 2017 by HeritageDaily. In 2017, a Project Recover team traveled to Papua New Guinea to survey a large underwater area hoping to locate missing two WWII B-25 bombers. The Project Recover team includes volunteers and professionals from several fields including Archaeology, History, Oceanography, and Engineering. This interdisciplinary team was able to combine decades of expertise to narrow …
Two WWII B-25 Bombers Documented by Project Recover Off Papua New Guinea
May 23, 2017 – Two B-25 bombers associated with American servicemen missing in action from World War II were recently documented in the waters off Papua New Guinea by Project Recover—a collaborative team of marine scientists, archaeologists, and volunteers who have combined efforts to locate aircraft and associated MIAs from World War II. The B-25 bomber is one of the most iconic airplanes of World War II, with nearly 10,000 of the famous warbirds conducting a variety of missions—from bombing …
