A group of researchers from the University of Delaware and the Pentagon have made an exciting discovery in the Adriatic Sea – they’ve located five B-24 Liberator bombers that crashed in the ocean between Italy and Croatia. It is believed that these planes had sustained damage during the war and could not make it to a safe landing. 

In August, a dedicated team of researchers from the University of Delaware and the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) embarked on a two-week mission to search for the missing bombers. The team was assisted by a group of Croatian archaeologists, scientists, divers, and military personnel who helped in the search effort. 

To achieve such a feat, the team had to use advanced technology, and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) played a crucial role in discovering five B-24 Liberator bombers in the Adriatic Sea. These torpedo-shaped robots combed the ocean floor using sonar technology to locate possible aircraft wrecks.

The expedition was widely considered a success when the research team was able to positively identify three out of the five B-24 Liberator bombers located in the Adriatic Sea. In addition, these three planes were linked to 23 aircrew members listed as missing in action when the aircraft went missing.

Among the most feared aircraft in WWII was the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. The powerful aircraft was used during World War II by the U.S. Army Air Forces, which later became the U.S. Air Force. It was a four-engine bomber with a crew of up to ten members and a top speed of 297 miles per hour, and above all, it could carry a heavy load of up to 5,000 pounds of bombs on long-range missions. 

Talking about wreckages in the Adriatic Sea, a team of archaeologists completed a recovery mission in the Adriatic Sea, where they discovered the remains of a WWII bomber plane known as the Tulsamerican. As reported by Megan Gannon for Live Science, the team uncovered various artifacts that had been hidden since the plane’s crash in 1944.

After decades of searching, the search for the Tulsamerican came to a close in 2010, when it was finally located near the Croatian island of Vis. The plane had broken into two large pieces, with the nose of the aircraft looking” almost peeled open like a banana,” as archaeologist Brendan Foley who participated in the month-long recovery effort, described to Megan Gannon of Live Science. 

What made the Tulsamerican unique was that it was the last B-24 Liberator bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma. John Klein of Tulsa World reported that the plane had a special place in the hearts of the locals, as it became “sort of a local Tulsa celebrity.” 

December 1944 will always remain a memorable period for the families of the crew of the Tulsamerican who encountered German airforce over occupied Poland and sustained significant damage. 

Archaeologists working at the crash site of the Tulsamerican made some intriguing discoveries, including military equipment and clothing items, such as a life vest and a flight boot. Mate Parica, an archaeologist at Zadar University in Croatia, informed the Associated Press that the team also found “remains of human bones,” but further testing is needed to confirm their identity. 

As with the discovery of the five B-24 Liberator bombers that crashed into the Adriatic Sea, where the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) sponsored the search, the agency was also involved in the Tulsamerican find. 

For all the stunning discoveries, the research team is optimistic that DNA analysis will connect the bones found at the crash site to the three airmen who were on board the Tulsamerican. If the DNA test proves a match, it will be an emotional moment for the families of the airmen as it will bring closure to the tragic event that happened 79 years ago. 

With hundreds of thousands of American soldiers from World War II that remain unaccounted for, the two discoveries of the B-24 Liberators that tragically crashed in the Adriatic Sea are a significant milestone.