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US team digging history in Sivasagar

A US team is on a visit to Assam to find out the mortal remains of their four soldiers who died in air crash during the World War II. Led by David Gooch, the team under the banner of Joint Prisoners of War/Missing in Action Accounting Command is visiting Sivasagar district.

The focus of attention is a tiny village in Charaideo where the US team along with the officials of archeological survey of India is searching the remains of the US soldiers. The team starts search operation from Wednesday till November 5. The mortal remains, if found, would be handed over to the family members.

The crash took place on June 26 in 1944 when the US war plane crashed with eleven soldiers in Kothiakhunda village. Bodies of seven soldiers were recovered. Four others were left out because of an unavoidable circumstances.     

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Gary Zaetz's picture

The US Government is currently working with Rimo Expeditions to recover the mortal remains of four crewmen still missing from the crash of the US Army Air Force B-29 bomber "Eileen", which crashed in Assam's Sivasagar district on 26 June 1944. The missing airmen are 2nd Lt. Walter B. Miklosh of Illinois, Flight Officer Chester L. Rinke of Michigan, S/Sgt. Donal C. Aiken of Washington state, and T/Sgt. John M. Larkins of Tennessee (sources: C. M. Quinn, The Aluminum Trail (1989), National World War II Memorial). We pray that their remains will be recovered and returned to their families. We thank the Government of India for permitting this recovery operation in Assam to proceed...Gary Zaetz, Founder and Chairman of Families and Supporters of America's Arunachal Missing in Action

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