ShreyaRewind To 1945
The planes are speculated to arrive at the Marshall Islands when the battle raged in Kwajalein in 1944. The US Navy and the Marines were planning and executing the ‘island hopping’ strategy in order to win from Japan. This was a battle fought to take control of the Midway and it proved to be one of the defining World War II battles.
Battle Ground Of Power
The long-term plan of the US for acquiring the Marshall Islands was that that would have given them vantage to attack the Japanese mainland after their strike at Guam. For this mission alone, more than 50,000 US army men were recruited. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had weakened the American Pacific Fleet and this was going to be America’s revenge. But how does that relate to the drowned airplanes?
Taking Over
The Allies took over the islands in the South Pacific one by one and managed to get a foothold in an imminent region. They were within striking distance of the Japanese Empire and strike they did. Aircraft were used to bomb Japan regularly and as we all know on August 6, 1945, Hiroshima was attacked by a nuclear bomb and thus the war ended.
What Happened To The Fighter Planes?
To fight the Japanese, the Allies had created a massive force of fighter aircraft and jets. But when the war got over in 1945, these aircraft were thrown into the ocean intentionally because the army wanted to avoid their addition to the already existing surplus of planes. The management of so many planes was beyond them and they threw them in water. But these pictures and videos reveal what happened when these planes ground zero.
Laying, Waiting
This inglorious wreckage of metal was silently lying hidden beneath the surface for over 70 years until Brandi discovered it. After that day she came again and again to gather as many photographs of these murdered airplanes as possible. The assemblage is eerie. It was an intriguing and enlighting adventure for her and the video from one such visit is posted in the next slides.
Which Planes Were These
Some of these planes were placed in an awkward vertical position and some were lying face down, buried in the sea-bed. The findings included TBF/TBM Avengers, Helldivers, F4F Wildcats, B-25 Mitchell, Curtiss C-46 Commando and F4U Corsair. The only damage done to them in 70 years was that either their tail or a wing was broken.