Kolibri Forensics

09/23/2021

One of our volunteers is on the way this morning to Italy to check out what is believed to be the crash site of a P-38 Lightning fighter plane. The pilot of the plane we believe crashed at this location remains unaccounted for. This is the first big step towards finding this young man who has been missing since 1944 and returning him to his family for a proper burial.

Thank you to the staff of Evansville Regional Airport, the Transportation Safety Administration, and Envoy/American Airlines for their help this morning.

05/05/2021

Last week, while two of our volunteers were in Massachusetts assisting with a search for an aircraft that had been missing for nearly 22 years, the storage unit at Bee Hive Storage where we kept most of our team's equipment burned. We lost between $5,000 and $7,000 worth of gear including a brand new 18 foot boat that we planned to use for the first time on a search later this summer. The fire also destroyed much of our forensic archaeology equipment needed for excavations of sites on land.

14News interviewed our executive director and chief forensic specialist, Stephen Richey, and did a news story on how this loss impacted our ability to help locate and recover missing persons. Many of these cases are ones where we are the only team actively investigating so the fire has affected not only our team but also the families of the missing who are waiting for answers and closure.

We would ask that donations be made so that we can replace the equipment we that was destroyed. We are also seeking in-kind donations of equipment such as trowels, shovels, buckets, wheelbarrows, etc. Likewise, if there is anyone who has a used boat, trailer, or outboard motor they would like to donate that would also be appreciated as it would be a major step in our efforts to recover and execute the plans we have for this summer and fall.

If you have any questions, please feel free to message us on here or contact us through the website. Thank you for your time and thank you to all those who have already donated.

A local non-profit is looking for help recovering from the large fire at Bee Hive Mini Storage.

03/02/2021

Our executive director is back after a two day trip to Massachusetts regarding a case. We are happy to report that Kolibri is going to be doing a search for a missing civilian aircraft at the end of April in partnership with the Quincy Police dive team. Hopefully, this first mission of the 2021 season will resolve a decades old mystery and allow us to return the remains of the missing pilot for a proper burial. Further details will be released once the family of the pilot has been notified.

02/12/2021

02/09/2021

This week in 1944, ace Marine pilot and posthumous Medal of Honor recipient 1st Lt. Robert Hanson died in a World War II air fight against the Japanese.
Flying for the Marine Fighting Squadron 215, Hanson is credited for numerous heroic missions and downing a total of 25 Japanese aircraft in his F4U-1 Corsair fighter.
“His great personal valor and invincible fighting spirit were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service,” reads his official Medal of Honor citation, signed by President Franklin Roosevelt.
Hanson also received the Navy Cross and Purple Heart.
He is listed on the wall of missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines, alongside more than 36,000 others.

- Read Hanson’s full Medal of Honor citation: https://bit.ly/2O8RwcL
- More on the Manila American Cemetery: https://www.abmc.gov/Manila
- Photo appeared in "Life" magazine, May 15, 1944, by Myron Davis

U.S. Marine Corps Marine Corps Recruiting U.S. Navy U.S. Embassy in the Philippines

01/15/2021

We have no idea who did it but someone purchased nearly $2900 worth of equipment for Kolibri Forensics off of our Amazon Smile wish list. If the person who gave so generously is reading this, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have no idea how much this means to the other volunteers and I.

We now have a side scan sonar that mounts on our search boat, another inflatable life vest, a full face dive mask that allows use of an underwater communications system, a new VHF radio, and a new boat hook. The anonymous donor also ordered us a dive computer, a BCD, a new laptop, and a first and second stage regulator which should be here tomorrow.

Thank you again so much!

If anyone else is curious about what equipment we are looking to obtain for our 2021 field season plans, please check out our list over on Amazon. https://smile.amazon.com/hz/charitylist/ls/ZJBPIJ4TT1F1/ref=smi_ext_lnk_lcl_cl

12/13/2020

🇺🇲A Salute to the Heroes of the Tuskegee Airmen

Tuskegee airmen being briefed at Ramitelli, Italy, March, 1945. They formed the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the United States Army Air Forces.

Front row, left to right: unidentified airman; Jimmie D. Wheeler (with goggles); Emile G. Clifton (cloth cap) San Francisco, CA, Class 44-B. Standing left to right: Ronald W. Reeves (cloth cap) Washington, DC, Class 44-G; Hiram Mann (leather cap); Joseph L. "Joe" Chineworth (wheel cap) Memphis, TN, Class 44-E; Elwood T. Driver, Los Angeles, CA, Class 44-A; Edward "Ed" Thomas (partial view); Woodrow W. Crockett (wheel cap); at Ramitelli, Italy, March 1945.



Original description and photograph sourced by: US Signal Corps Archive

11/20/2020

We are sharing this because as a nonprofit organization, we often have asked restaurants and other companies to donate goods or services that we need, or items like gift cards we can raffle off to help fund our mission. We would be remiss if we did not do something to return the favor and help them in their time of need.

Give back to those who have given you fond memories and other forms of support over the years.

Bravo Zulu to St. Elmos for putting this out there.

Remember that time you asked us, or one of our competitors, to donate a gift card for that charity you were supporting? That restaurant is calling you back. Please answer if you can.

This is not a plea for St. Elmo, it’s for independent restaurants everywhere. Dine out if you feel safe, or consider carry-out. Consider buying a gift card online even if you may not use it until next year.

Yes. We are asking you to buy gift cards from our competitors because this pandemic is crushing an industry that fuels the economic engine of our country. We are all in this together and our industry needs your support.

Metazoa Brewing Company, Bovaconti Coffee, Soupremacy, Giorgio'spizza, Bluebeard, Tony's, Cunningham Restaurant Group, Iozzo's Garden Of Italy, Cafe Patachou, Napolese Pizzeria - Downtown Location, The District Tap Downtown, Shapiro's Deli, Jack's Donuts, Baby's, The Greek Islands Restaurant, Georgia Street Grind, Bee Coffee Roasters, Rooster's Kitchen

11/18/2020

we remember; TSGT Cliffe H. Wolfe. TSGT Wolfe went Nov. 17, 1944. He served 109th Inf. Reg. 28th Inf. Div. - https://www.stichting-mia.nl/index.php/en/open-projects/cliffe-h-wolfe

11/13/2020

This serves as an excellent rebuttal to the mistaken belief that many people have about skeletal remains in bodies of water. They do not, under most circumstances, "quickly dissolve" or "get eaten". Bones can last for decades or even millenia underwater.

That is why the work of teams like Kolibri is so vitally important. Everyone deserves to come home and be given a proper burial. We are working to provide that for missing civilians and military aviators.

Archaeologists and divers have unearthed the remains of a medieval soldier from the underwater slope of Lake Asveja in eastern Lithuania.

11/11/2020

We would like to wish a happy Veterans Day to everyone but especially those veterans who volunteer with us.

This also seems an appropriate time to announce that we have narrowed down the list of potential cases for next year to six we plan to pursue. For reasons of privacy and security, we cannot give too many details but we can disclose the following.

Five of the cases involve unaccounted for military aviators and the other involves a civilian pilot. The losses occurred in Florida (three cases), Indiana (one case), Massachusetts (one case), and Virginia (one case). All but one dates from the World War II era.

We cannot pursue these missing men without your help. Your donation will bring us one step closer to giving the missing the honors they deserve when they are brought home to their families.

11/10/2020