MANILA, Philippines – Nagsasagawa ng major underwater excavation ang Estados Unidos sa Pilipinas para irekober ang mga labi ng American service members na nawawala noon pang World War II.
“Right now, we have teams in Leyte, Luzon, and Mindoro,” sinabi ni US Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Director Kelly McKeague sa briefing nitong Miyerkules, Abril 1.
“The support we receive from the entire Philippine government is truly extraordinary, and it helps strengthen the alliance between the United States and the Philippines,” dagdag pa.
Noong Marso 15, sinabi ng US agency na ang liderato at staff mula sa Manila American Cemetery and Memorial ay lumahok sa recovery team sa isang underwater site sa Pilipinas noong Marso 7.
Ani McKeague, ang operasyon sa Subiv Bay ay ang “largest, most complex underwater mission ever” ng ahensya na nagsimula noon pang Pebrero 2025.
Sentro ng excavation ang isang Japanese transport ship na maling napasabog ng US forces noong Disyembre 1944 habang ibinabyahe ang Allied prisoners of war.
Ibinabyahe ng barko ang mahigit 2,500 Allied POWs nang ito ay atakehin at kalaunan ay lumubog sa Subic Bay.
Mahigit 250 nawawalang Amerikano ang maaaring nasa loob pa din ng wreckage.
Ilang taong pinaghandaan ang misyon kabilang ang underwater surveys at paglikha ng three-dimensional image ng wreckage gamit ang advanced technology.
Tumutulong din ang mga lokal na awtoridad kabilang ang Armed Forces of the Philippines, sa recovery efforts.
“This mission is rooted in a sacred promise that the United States will search for, recover, and identify the remains of Americans missing from past wars. We do this to provide answers to their families and the nation,” sinabi ni McKeague.
“It is more than a military mission. It is also a tool of diplomacy that binds allies, strengthens partners, and reconciles with former enemies,” dagdag pa.
Isinasagawa rin ang mga kaparehong operasyon sa buong mundo kabilang ang Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Laos, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Kiribati, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, at Solomon Islands. RNT/JGC
