During the heart of World War II's Pacific campaign, a group of individuals attempted to flee Java's turmoil aboard the Douglas DC-3-194 named "Pelican." Unfortunately, their journey was cut short by Japanese Zero fighter planes, crashing the plane into Carnot Bay after a fierce battle.
The skilled pilot, Ivan Smirnow, balanced wounds from the skirmish with the desire to safeguard his passengers. Despite the carnage and the impending doom that lurked in the wreckage, they clung to hope for rescue. The devastation claimed the lives of the flight engineer and three passengers, including an infant.
The following day, the survivors faced yet another harrowing ordeal. A Japanese flying boat bombarded them, but they managed to survive the hail of bullets. The survivors' memories were forever tainted by the loss of a valuable treasure; a small package of diamonds valued at a staggering $20 million today.
Rumors swirled around the crash site's discoverer, Philipp Cox, who stumbled upon scattered, seemingly worthless stones. Unbeknownst to him, these cherished gems could have transformed his life. Meanwhile, a sailor named Jack 'Diamond' Palmer took a closer look at the wreckage, intrigued by the lingering scent of death. He allegedly extracted the diamonds and stashed them away in salt and pepper shakers.
Later, Palmer found himself in hot water when Major Cliff Gibson, the state prosecutor, learned of his illicit discovery. Charges surfaced, but the court saw the war's chaos as a barrier to constructing a foolproof case against Palmer and his allies. Even after their trial, the Dutch authorities recovered only a mere 7% of the stolen diamonds.
As the DC-3 crash became a well-known military anecdote, these 20 million unclaimed dollars swirled through the treasure-hunter community's imagination, concealed beneath the waters of Carnot Bay.
Despite the passage of time, the search for the lost diamonds not only captivates historians but also lingers in the old-school stories of militaristic legends. The survivors could only bear witness as hope for the once-precious relics slowly faded, now priced lower than a cent.
Additional Perspectives
Unraveling the Wartime Saga – Exploring the Battle of Rabaul
Pacific Odyssey – The Humankind's Unbreakable Spirit in the Face of Adversity and War
Uncovering the Mysteries: A Hidden History of the Pacific War
The passengers of the Pelican, once adorned with the possibility of wealth, narrowly escaped the clutches of war. Alas, their tale of fortune was nothing more than a tale – a piece of wartime folklore wrapped around the loss of a $20 million treasure.
