Thursday, September 18, 2008

Bits 'O History: Swamp Ghost Coming Home-- WW II Torpedo Washes Ashore-- Pirate Ship Whydah

Some New News About Old Stuff.


1. SWAMP GHOST COMING HOME-- Papua New Guinea's government will allow a US company to repatriate the World War II bomber wreck known as the Swamp Ghost.

In February 1942, it crashed into Agaiembo Swamp after being damaged by Japanese Zeros in an attack on Rabaul. All nine crewmen survived.

The American company spent $500,000 getting it out of the swamp and will pay the PNG government another $177,000 to leave the country.

This is especially interesting with the news of a WW II aviator's remains being found in a tree in PNG and a recent story about the Swamp Ghost in the Smithsonian Magazine.



2. WW II TORPEDO WASHES ASHORE-- A German World War II torpedo washed up on Timmendorf Beach in Germany. It was removed for investigation. Many munitions were dumped into the North Sea at the end of the war.


3. PIRATE SHIP WHYDAH-- The August 8th ABC News reported that the pirate ship Whydah is thought to have captured at least 50 ships before sinking in a storm off Cape Cod in 1717 and taking its treasures down with her.

It stayed undiscovered at Wreck Hill until 1984 when underwater explorer Barry Clifford found "the only verified pirate shipwreck ever discovered. Since then, over 1000 items have been recovered.

http://whydah.com

Avast There matey!! --Old Coot

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