Ensign Max Lopez, NA - Bud Hendersin ARM1C - Fred Williams AMM1C Remain Buried in a temporary grave 63 years after their crash and burial.

US Navy Antarctic Aircrew - Repatriate These Men

Target:

President Barack Obama

Sponsored by:

The George 1 Repatriation Project (www.george1recovery.org) and the surviving family members of these men are committed to the recovery and repatriation of the remains of three young servicemen to their surviving families and their country. These men died in the service of their country on a classified mission when their U.S. Navy seaplane codenamed George 1 exploded and crashed in Antarctica on December 30, 1946:

Ensign Maxwell "Val" A. Lopez, Naval Aviator, 20
Newport, Rhode Island
Chief Wendell "Bud" Hendersin, Aviation Radiomate 1st Class, 25
Sparta, Wisconsin
Chief Fred Williams, Aviation Machinist's Mate 1st Class, 26
Huntingdon, Tennessee

In his May 25th 2009 Memorial Day speech President Barack Obama declared,"..."the support of our veterans is a sacred trust...we need to serve them as they have served us...that means bringing home all our POWs and MIAs..."

Under the Fullest Possible Accounting mandate the United States of America has both a legal and moral obligation to bring these men home.

Help the surviving families bring Max, Bud, Fred and all our POW/MIAs home.

Ensign Maxwell "Val" A. Lopez, Naval Aviator, 20
Newport, Rhode Island
Chief Wendell "Bud" Hendersin, Aviation Radiomate 1st Class, 25
Sparta, Wisconsin
Chief Fred Williams, Aviation Machinist's Mate 1st Class, 26
Huntingdon, Tennessee

The US Navy George 1 aircrew, Ensign Max Lopez, Naval Aviator, Chief "Bud" Hendersin, Aviation Radio Mate 1st Class and Chief Fred Williams, Aviation Machinists Mate 1st Class perished in the crash of their Navy seaplane codenamed George 1 on a remote Antarctic island on December 30th 1946. Six survivors of the crash returned to their ship 13 days later after burying their fallen ship mates in a well marked and protected grave.
These brave and gallant US Navy servicemen died in the service of thier country are long overdue in their repatriation to US soil and their return to their surviving yearning families. The logistics, safety and technology now exist to bring these men home from their remote Antarctic crash site.

Under the Fullest Possible Accounting mandate the United States of America has both a legal and moral obligation to bring these men home. In your May 25th 2009 Memorial Day speech you declared,"..."the support of our veterans is a sacred trust...we need to serve them as they have served us...that means bringing home all our POWs and MIAs...".

We respectfully urge you to assign the Secretary of Defense with the task of returning these men home now so that these men may finally be reunited with their sisters, nieces, nephews and cousins; to be placed alongside the parents who longed so deeply to have them home.

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We signed the "US Navy Antarctic Aircrew - Repatriate These Men" petition!

# 101:

10:04 am PST, Nov 18, Stephen Jett, Washington
Please keep your promise to the families of these brave souls.

# 100:

7:49 am PST, Nov 16, Tom Sherlock, Colorado

# 99:

2:24 pm PST, Nov 13, Bibi Serendip, Belgium

# 98:

10:06 am PST, Nov 13, Name not displayed, Netherlands

# 97:

6:50 am PST, Nov 13, Kraak Helder, Netherlands

# 96:

1:41 am PST, Nov 13, Patrick Morse, Belgium
I wish you all success with the recovery of your loved ones

# 95:

10:37 pm PST, Nov 12, Jack November, Netherlands

# 94:

4:41 pm PST, Nov 12, Pieter Now, Netherlands

# 93:

4:21 pm PST, Nov 12, Mira Friday, Belgium

# 92:

3:55 pm PST, Nov 12, Devmar Smith, Netherlands

# 91:

2:19 pm PST, Nov 12, Luna Finally, Netherlands

# 90:

12:56 pm PST, Nov 12, Remeo Donderdag, Netherlands

# 89:

11:32 am PST, Nov 12, Will Vlaskamp, Netherlands

# 88:

10:29 am PST, Nov 12, Bo Friday, Netherlands

# 87:

10:26 am PST, Nov 12, Cleome Thursday, Netherlands

# 86:

6:11 pm PST, Nov 10, Zaza Jgenti, Washington

# 85:

12:05 pm PST, Nov 9, Joe Kooijman, Washington

# 84:

4:46 pm PST, Nov 7, W. R. Thuma, Canada
We owe it to all who step forward and served with dedication and devotion, and to their families - bring them home, bring closure to the families.

# 83:

11:23 am PST, Nov 7, Walter Sidley, Massachusetts
My father was Radioman First class aboard the USS Canisteo during Operation Highjump. It was his wish that the Navy would someday return and complete that mission by bringing home the three men who were left behind. It is long overdue.

# 82:

9:06 am PST, Nov 6, Joanne Olson, Wisconsin
I am the sister of Wendell K. Hendersin

# 81:

5:37 am PST, Nov 6, Sheila Donovan, South Dakota

# 80:

4:16 pm PST, Nov 5, Bryan B. Branch, North Carolina
Son of S1 Byrd B. Branch / USS Pine Island / Operation Highjump.

# 79:

6:44 am PST, Nov 4, Dorian De Wind, Texas

# 78:

4:33 pm PDT, Oct 27, Eddie Hair, South Carolina

# 77:

6:45 pm PDT, Oct 25, Name not displayed, New York

# 76:

5:51 pm PDT, Oct 17, Monica Mullaney, Washington

# 75:

7:59 pm PDT, Oct 13, Bonnie Robbins, Washington

# 74:

4:55 pm PDT, Oct 7, Al Jackson, California
Own UP, Do The Right Thing!

# 73:

6:02 pm PDT, Oct 4, Dan Callahan, Georgia

# 72:

1:12 pm PDT, Sep 30, Eileen Davie, Georgia
For once, do what is truly right and bring them home. For a minimal amount of dollars compared to what is being spent on other things that are less "humanly" important today, you could really make an impact and thank those folks who served and protected our country when it was needed in a real and substantial way.

# 71:

12:50 pm PDT, Sep 29, H. J. "Mack" McLennan, Texas
It's time to bring all our boy's home. Remember the time honored tradition of the miltary "No Man Left Behind".

# 70:

9:59 pm PDT, Sep 28, Francine Kraus, Connecticut

# 69:

4:25 pm PDT, Sep 28, Don Reynolds, Kentucky

# 68:

12:38 pm PDT, Sep 28, Name not displayed, Vermont
I feel it is about time that the remains of these servicemen were returned to the birthplace and given the due respect that all personell who give their lives whilst serving their country

# 67:

9:38 am PDT, Sep 27, Buddy Reid, South Carolina
These men deserve to be returned home and to rest in peace. Their families need closure knowing that their loved one are back home where they belong. They gave all for their Country and their Country should do no less for them.

# 66:

12:53 pm PDT, Sep 26, Gary Randall, Oregon
Robbie is a dear friend of mine and deserves to have his work to bring his shipmates home recognized and acted upon. It's a shame that our government isn't willing to sponsor their recovery.

# 65:

11:53 am PDT, Sep 25, Ella Wilson, New Jersey

# 64:

10:55 am PDT, Sep 25, Brittany Tracy, Washington

# 63:

1:19 am PDT, Sep 24, Joanne Cx, United Kingdom

# 62:

7:51 pm PDT, Sep 23, Jess Dixon, California
As an Army Veteran and an American who supports every aspect of our Armed Services, as having lost my father, I can not comprehend the mentality of our government in providing millions of dollars for a dishonest, manipulating political tool such as ACORN and will not support a mission to bring back these comrades in arms. Enough pussy-footing around. Let those in charge, roll up their sleeves and let's get this mission accomplished!

# 61:

11:58 am PDT, Sep 18, Dave Turnbull New Mexico, New Mexico

# 60:

10:43 am PDT, Sep 17, Marshall McRight, New Mexico
Let's get these men HOME!!

# 59:

10:35 am PDT, Sep 17, Doug Frary, New Mexico
My father was a crew member aboard the USS Pine Island (AV-12) and remembers the incident well. Let's get the Naval Aviators home!

# 58:

7:50 pm PDT, Sep 16, Michael Frary, Colorado
My father was serving aboard the USS Pine Island (AV-12) from which "George 1" was launched on the mission that ended with the crash and loss of these airmen. By signing this petition I am hoping that the United States will do its utmost to bring these aviators home. They and their families deserve no less.

# 57:

5:47 pm PDT, Sep 16, Douglas Frary, New Mexico
Please Visit Our Web Site and Tell Your Friends so that we may finally bring these men home to their families.

# 56:

7:31 am PDT, Sep 16, H. Peter Hudson, Florida

# 55:

6:34 am PDT, Sep 16, ROBERT GAGNE, Rhode Island

# 54:

2:58 pm PDT, Sep 15, John W. Good, Missouri
Someone please do the right thing - bring these sailors home to U.S.A soil - Why would you leave your comrads behind in the frozen Antarctic - If it was your brother what was there what would you do if you had the power to something? Thanks for your consideration. John W. Good

# 53:

10:01 pm PDT, Sep 13, Name not displayed, Arizona

# 52:

4:19 pm PDT, Sep 9, Johnie Walker, Colorado

# 51:

3:55 pm PDT, Sep 9, Andy Romero, Florida

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