P-MAN IV - p. 17              

ATTACHMENT 8: Conducting Explorers Club Flag #103 ceremonies at two new sites, 12 April 02 and 19 April 02

a) Flag Ceremony 1  We held an Explorers Club Flag ceremony on 12 April 02 at the site of an unknown airman who was reported to have washed up on this site.

b) Flag Ceremony 2  We held an Explorers Club Flag ceremony on 19 April 02 at the site of Marine aviator LT James Misley’s Corsair, lost 10 March 45 in Ngatpang State on Babeldaob (see Attachment 1).

ATTACHMENT 9: Participating with the Palauan Senate in honoring Bill Cantrell, LTC, USMC (Ret), 11APR02

Senator Surangel Whipps, who graciously took time to introduce the PMANIV team to the Palauan elders, paid particular attention to Bill Cantrell during the discussions with the elders. Senator Whipps made a special effort to get the Palauan elders and Bill talking together, with the Senator as translator. Bill wanted to come to Palau, in part to visit those areas of Palau that he had only flown over during the war with VMF-114.

Senator Whipps made sure to take Bill to remaining Japanese buildings on Babeldaob, all of which had been bombed (some undoubtedly by Bill). After one such visit, Senator Whipps invited Mary Alice and Bill and the rest of the team to attend a session of the Palauan Senate that afternoon. As in the United States, we gathered in an upper gallery. Once the session began, Senator Whipps asked, from the Senate floor, permission to suspend the agenda to introduce and honor LTC William Cantrell, USMC (Ret) for his role in the ultimate freeing of Palau from the military occupation of the Japanese. The President of the Senate, Senator Seit Andres, also thanked Bill Cantrell, and the other American airmen, for indirectly making this session possible. We then were invited into the chamber where each Senator shook Bill Cantrell’s hand. For a trip that had already had many emotional moments, and with so many more to come, this visit with the Senate meant very much for Bill, Mary Alice and all of us.

Palau’s local television station broadcast the ceremony that night and for the rest of the trip, Bill and his wife, Mary Alice, were greeted as heroes wherever they traveled throughout Palau.

Page last modified 28 April 2005