Remains of pilot killed in 1945 crash handed over to US Government

The remains of a United States (US) pilot who was killed in a plane crash in Beruas, Perak in 1945, have been handed over to the US Government on Thursday.

The remains comprised just a tooth, identified as belonging to Judson B. Baskett.

The tooth was found on Sept 7 this year during an operation dubbed 'Operation Gangga'.

Defence Deputy Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum said the tooth was handed over to the US Government in a full ceremonial event at 9.30am, held at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base in Subang here.

"Other parts of the pilot's remains could not be found as they were believed to have undergone decomposition due to extreme soil condition," he told reporters after attending the ceremony.

'Operation Gangga' was an excavation mission to retrieve the remains of three crew members and a US cargo plane, C-47B Dakota Bravo which crashed in Mount Bubu, Beruas on Nov 27, 1945.

The remains of co-pilot William H. Myers and radio operator Donald E. Jones were not found.

"The remains were likely to have decomposed due to extreme soil condition and the team had only found personal items, believed to belong to them," said Mohd Johari.

He said the remains, together with the personal belongings would be taken to the Joint Base Pearl Harbour-Hickam in Honolulu, Hawaii to be handed over to their next-of-kin.

He added that US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter, who was "very satisfied" with the excavation mission by Malaysia's Army Museum and Global Archaeological Research Centre thanked the Malaysian Government.

Mohd Johari and Carter also paid their last respects to the deceased.

On Nov 27, 1945, the cargo plane lost contact while in the Malaccaa airspace after taking off from Singapore for the Butterworth Air Base.

The search for the plane ended on Dec 16, the same year and the crew was classified as 'Missing in Action'.

On Nov 28, 1946, the crew was classified as 'Killed In Action (KIA)' and their names were carved at the US cemetery in Manila, the Philippines.