The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 34, August 26, 2007, Article 20

THE FROZEN AIRMAN'S POCKET CHANGE

"A 1923 buffalo nickel, an old Army uniform and a crumbly wallet
with faded photographs might help investigators figure out exactly
which missing World War II airman's remains are lying in the
county morgue in Fresno.

"But it will probably come down to something more modern and
foolproof -- DNA matching.

"The remains of what is believed to be the second of four crewmen
who died on a 1942 training flight were found by hikers last week
on a remote Sierra mountainside in Kings Canyon National Park. The
body was brought by helicopter and coroner's van to the morgue Monday.

"A coroner's deputy took a quick peek inside the wallet, to see
if there might be identification. All she found were faded
photographs, the images not recognizable, Hadden said. Deputies
also found the nickel and an 87-year-old dime.

"The remains were found less than 100 feet from where climbers
found the ice-covered body of airman Leo Mustonen in 2005.

"Mustonen was one of four men aboard the AT-7 navigational plane
that disappeared in a blizzard Nov. 18, 1942, after taking off
from Mather Air Force Base near Sacramento on an Army Air Force
training flight. The others were pilot William Gamber, 23, of
Fayette, Ohio, and cadets John Mortenson, 25, of Moscow, Idaho,
and Ernest Munn, 23, of St. Clairsville, Ohio."

To read the complete article, see: Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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