KEEPING AMERICA'S PROMISE
Project Recover President and CEO Derek Abbey on the Mission to Find and Repatriate MIAs
By Devin Pangaro
So many military families share a story of immeasurable loss. A dear member who made the sacrifice and didn’t return home from service, and with that comes the struggles of generational grief and a lack of closure.
Project Recover exists for those searching for answers in the wake. No matter if it happened 5 years ago or 50+, home or abroad, the team at Project Recover work tirelessly in a collaborative effort with the University of Delaware and Scripps Institution of Oceanography to report to sites all over the world in search of MIAs and bring closure and recognition to those who’ve served and their families.
“MIA families have waited much too long,” said Derek Abbey, Project Recover President and CEO. “We serve a community of more than 5 million Gold Star MIA families across the country. For these folks, the loss of a loved one is just as impactful today as it was the day they went missing.”
THE ORIGIN
The vision for the mission began in 1993, when Project Recover founder Dr. Patrick Scannon, MD, PhD and his wife accepted an invitation to Palau to help locate a Japanese Trawler sunk nearly 50 years prior by George H.W. Bush, a young Navy ensign and the future U.S. President.
Noticing the wing of a downed B-24 sticking out of the swamp, Scannon knew right then and there that the stories of those who perished that day could also not be lost in the passage of time. He was determined to honor the legacy of the fallen and help families heal.
Returning to Palua, Scannon quickly realized that this kind of work would need a crew, and thus the BentProp Project was formed. Soon after the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the University of Delaware came aboard to support the mission, and Project Recover was born.
“The partnerships really scaled us into the future,” added Abbey. “The added technology assisted our mission, and the success that followed brought increased visibility and propelled us into a worldwide organization.”
THE EXPANSION
What started with a mission a year, has now grown into multiple missions annually across multiple countries. Working in full cooperation with host nations and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), The Project Recover team has embarked on recovery missions from World War II, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Desert Shield, and those lost in training exercises. From deep in the heart of Texas to deep in the jungles of the Philippines.
THE AVENGER
Helping to put Project Recover on the map, the team successfully located a missing TBM-1C Avenger that had been lost since 1944 off the Pacific Island chain of Palau, in May of 2016. The vessel represented one of multiple Avengers found by Project Recover, that ultimately led to the recovery and proper burial of several crew members, including LT. Jay Ross Manown, Jr., an aircraft pilot and the most recent MIA to be recovered.
“It’s been a very special mission for us, because Project Recover was involved in every single facet,” said Abbey. “We did the research, we searched, we documented the site, and we conducted the recovery. It marked the first time we ever executed an underwater recovery.”
THE PROCESS
The Project Recover efforts combine historical data and local knowledge with technology including scanning sonars, high definition and thermal cameras, advanced diving, and unmanned aerial and underwater robotic technologies. From there, they carefully excavate and analyze the recovered artifacts to identify the remains of the fallen.
THE CHALLENGES
In order for Project Recover to operate internationally, they must receive permission from both the country they’re entering and the Unites States. This involves approval from the respective and numerous agencies as well as landowners and proper entities. Of course, the work does present its fair share of safety hazards as well.
“We had a case in India, where we had good information centering around a specific site,” recalled Abbey. “As it turned out, this site was in the middle of a tiger preserve. We make it a point to ensure that the safety and security of the team is a priority at all times.”
THE HOMECOMINGS
Alongside Lt. Manown, Aviation Ordinanceman First Class Anthony Di Petta and Aviation Radioman First Class Wilbur A. Mitts of the U.S. Navy were two additional MIAs that were identified and recovered at the Avenger crash site in Paluan waters in 2015 and repatriated. As has become a Project Recover tradition, the fallen sailors received a flag ceremony in their honor, where their names were read out, following the recital of the poem For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon. For the families, folded flags are presented after the next of kin are notified, honoring the service and sacrifice of those recovered.
“In October, a few of us from Project Recover headed to Kingwood, West Virginia to welcome Manown home,” said Abbey. “The ceremony was attended by representatives from the Di Petta and Mitts families. It was the first time in years that these three families united. It was a life-changing experience for us and them.”
THE IMPACT
As it pertains to the families of MIAs, the opportunity to close a chapter is of the utmost importance.
“It’s different situation when someone is missing, than if they’re killed in action,” explained Abbey. “Frequently, a family will hold out hope – no matter how fleeting, that the one lost will survive and eventually, come home. So that interrupts the grieving process.”
The grief Abbey speaks can carry a heavy weight. Passed on throughout the years with no clear resolution. Project Recover works to bridge the gap and help families heal from years of dealing with the unknown.
THE PROMISE
Since its inception, Project Recover has...
- Completed over 100 missions in 24 countries
- Discovered and documented more than 75 aircraft associated with MIAs
- Developed a growing database of 700+ cases associated with 3,000+ MIAs
- Accounted for over 80 missing-in-action service members
- Repatriated 17 American heroes
THE FUTURE
2024 was a record year for the team at Project Recover, as they completed their most missions in a year since 2019. Anticipating the identification of 26 more MIAs by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) by the end of 2025, the plan currently is to continue the momentum and continue to scale up. Right now, they have 19 missions scheduled with a goal towards ultimately expanding to 30 missions a year.
“Frankly, time is not our friend,” added Abbey. “The more time that passes, the greater the chance of these sites decaying further and complicating human encroachment. We’re working on doing what we can to increase the number of missions as fast as we can and advance our terrestrial land efforts and underwater recoveries.”
THE CALL TO ARMS
For members of the GOVX community who wish to aid the mission, Project Recover is welcoming to both charitable donations and event participation.
“We rely on the charity of the public to drive the mission forward,” explained Abbey. “We know not everyone can take off to the jungles or waters on a whim, but right now anyone can make a financial contribution.”
In addition to accepting donations, Mission Miles has emerged as Project Recover’s biggest event of the year. This month-long September miles challenge helps funds the mission and features the opportunity to win swag as fundraising goals are hit.
“The community puts in the miles,” added Abbey. “Whether it’s running, walking, biking, or hiking while generating donations and raising awareness for the mission.”
Finally, Project Recover is very much built on the strength of its volunteers. The application process is extensive, but only because it’s imperative that the right people are in the right position to accomplish the mission. We at GOVX thank them for their vital work.