:: Letters and Comments ::

A NOTE FROM MR. RAYMOND KAUPPILA, ONE OF THE VETERANS WHO TRAVELED ON THE BURMA ROAD TOUR WITH ME IN MARCH 2005.

Dear Khine,

It was the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me, everything went well and the height of the trip was my return to the area after 60 years. It was a moving moment at the site near Esther's home in Namkhan, I almost did not make the last words of my speech.
I feel great and had comments on how well I looked after the trip.

Khine, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to be on this trip. Please keep in touch.

Love,
Ray


A NOTE FROM MR. ELMER LYNN HAULDREN, ONE OF THE VETERANS WHO TRAVELED ON THE BURMA ROAD TOUR WITH ME IN MARCH 2005.

Hi Khine,

Thanks for your note.
Our trip home, aside from a five-hour delay in Tokyo - went fine. And thanks to your efforts, we had a nice tour in Bangkok.

We’d like to thank you again for all you did to make our China-Burma trip so very enjoyable, memorable and trouble-free. You were simply awesome. You planned the trip so very well, made the perfect arrangements, found the best hotels, restaurants and sites and took very good care of us every step of the way.

Not only that, but you yourself are such a joy to be with. Good with languages, knowledgeable about your subjects, great attitude and a wonderful sense of humor. Damned good-looking lady, too. What a combination!
(And I haven’t forgotten those Dove chocolates, either.)

Much love,
Lynn


Emails received from various people on MIA search expedition efforts. Thank you for your emails.

January 2005

Email received from Ronald J. Boulton, Editor of Aussie Dekho of the Burma Star Association, NSW, Australia.

Dear Khine,

I have just received your DVD and played it through the computer. The quality is absolutely superb - even individual blades of grass are discernible. I am now wondering how best it can be shown to branch members.
I think it will be possible to show it on a large TV screen that may become available to us when we next meet on the first Saturday in February at the Masonic Club. I am sure everyone will find it as captivating as I do.

I enjoyed it all. Particularly the scenery and nature of the terrain that had to be covered. The music also added to the enjoyment. For those Burma Star members who were involved in the first and second Wingate expeditions (Chindits) this will recall some of their own personal experiences. The next edition of the Aussie Dekho is already complete, but will not be sent out until February. In it there are a couple of articles that refer to the type of territory covered by Clayton and his team. As a reminder, the Aussie Dekho can be downloaded on the Net at www.waratah.org/dekho

Last year’s March edition was particularly memorable as it was dedicated to the Chindits. I am sure you are going to get a very good response from the playing of the DVD. No doubt it will encourage others to participate in your future expeditions.

Kind regards to you, Khine and to Clayton. Wishing you all the very best for this year’s future activities.

November 2004 from Cindy Fonken:
I read with great interest your efforts to find the missing planes and remains of servicemen.
My mother’s husband, C/P 2nd Lt. Glen Wiltbank was killed when his C-47 was shot down during a food drop. I think the number was #5783. Four were killed two survived by the document that I was sent. I know how hard it was for my mother to know he had died but for some with MIA’s it was and must be heartbreaking. I applaud your efforts and hope you can continue to bring closure to the many families who have MIA servicemen.
May God Bless you.

October 2004 from Ralph Hawes Jr.:
Dear Mr. Kuhles,
Thank you again for your most appreciated efforts. Since receiving your first email, I have viewed a map of where you located the wreckage, it is evident to anyone who views the terrain that yours in no casual expedition. Finding 60 year old wrecks in that part of the world is a tribute to your exceptional drive and intellect.
I have reviewed that radio transcripts from 41-23696. In one entry the plane reported it was in the clouds at 17,000 feet and later on top of a second layer at 21,000 feet. Apparently, it didn’t have much of an altitude cushion over the terrain before it met its end.
I am not a blood relative of the co-pilot since his father, a retired Air Force Colonel, married into our family shortly after WWII. The loss of his son, however, was always source of grief to the late colonel and has remained a topic of interest to our family.

September 2004 from Wendall A. Phillips:
Your message to the CBI message center is wonderful news. You and your work are admired by all who flew the “hump” so long ago and lost so many of our comrades to the wiles of the worst flying conditions in the world. Personally, I made 116 trips over the “rock pile” as a radio operator in ATC (Army of Terrified Civilians!). What an education and an experience one can never forget!
Thank you from all of us who managed to survive so long ago. We honor you everyday and keep you in our prayers.

August 2004 from Norma Fiedler:
I just received my latest newsletter form Hump Pilots Association and it said you were returning to Burma to try to find remains of aircraft lost. Please let me know if you find any wreckage or remains of a C-109 aircraft #44-49235 or
Capt. Floyd F. Strohl Sr. #0424697. Both were lost on 5 January 1945 when en route from Kurmitola, India to Hsinching, China. Last contact by radio was over Imphal, India. None of the crew of five and aircraft were ever located. I am the next of kin to Capt. Floyd F. Strohl. We still pray that someday his aircraft will be located. Gook luck and May God Bless you on your mission.


Letter received from Ivor Smith, the nephew of one of the aircrew on board MIA B-24, crashed January 31, 1945 before Khine’s departure to Burma in October 2004.

Dear Khine,
I have taken the liberty of addressing you as Khine on the advice of my friend and research colleague, Matthew Poole in Washington DC.
As Matt has probably discussed with you he and I have been colleagues and friends for 10 years or more now, in our mutual interest and desire to learn more about the deaths of his mother’s former husband Sergeant George Plank and my uncle Warrant officer Arthur Roland Williams of the Royal Australia Air Force.

No doubt, Matt has addressed you of the details surrounding the fateful last mission of Liberator aircraft BZ-938W, “Wottawitch” and the crash of that aircraft near the village of Letpanbin in Southern Myanmar on the 31st January 1945.

I will not add more detail here - however I have enclosed some copies of relevant documentation which will give you an insight into my quest for more possible information about the death of my uncle.

I am deeply indebted to you for your gracious kindness and generosity in doing this task for me. I wish you every success and safe traveling as you undertake your own mission and ambition.


Email forwarded from Terry Bellingan, son of the co-pilot of MIA B-24, crashed January 31, 1945 after Khine and Clayton returned from Burma in November 2004.

Thanks for all the information from various sources. It really is amazing that so much is happening. Khine and Clayton are truly admirable people. Please inform them on my behalf that I really appreciate all their interest and effort.
Since first contact by the Internet so much has been sent to me from so many interested people. After I had a letter printed in the Burma Star Association magazine called DEKHO, another load of letters came to me.


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