Park Ridge Pilot's New Guinea Tribal Artifacts to be Returned

New Guinea Tribal Artifacts Repatriated

Return of World War II Cultural Items facilitated by Rep. Schakowsky and US Embassy

In the beginning phases of the Pacific War, Captain Len Happ was based at Gusap Air Base, just south of Lae, in what is now Papua New Guinea. At the time it was so remote, and the Equatorial weather so inhospitable, that it was the last known point of contact for the pioneering aviator Emilia Earhart, before her mysterious disappearance.

From the war zone, seventy seven years ago, Happ sent a rare native tribal bow set with several arrows, to his home in Park Ridge, Illinois. He bartered G.I. provisions for this set and ingeniously packed it in a long tube made of several metal cylinders welded together. The tube was then wrapped in excess military canvas for the voyage to America. Mrs. Grace Vele, Curator of the National Museum and Art Gallery in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea calls the artifacts "rare antique items of cultural significance."

In a joint effort facilitated by the U.S. Embassy in Papua New Guinea and U.S. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, the items are now being repatriated to the newly renovated museum. Embassy personnel refer to the National Museum as similar in stature to our Smithsonian Institution. The veteran's son, John, says, "My father never spoke much about his time in the war. But we came to learn that he meticulously saved his military orders, correspondence and photos and stored them away in his Navigation Case. It was a surprise to learn that he was a combat pilot."

The son inherited the Navigation Case and his father's memorabilia shortly after his father's passing. Among the collection being returned to Papua New Guinea are historic photos from the Lae area and its people and the five feet long wooden bow with several wooden spear-like arrows adorned with unique hand carving, still in excellent condition.

Excerpted correspondence to the pilot's family from the summer of 1944, confirms some of his interaction with the host population.

"From nearby native gardens we get cocoanut and such fruits as bananas, limes, pineapple and pan pan (like our musk melons). In a village farther distant the natives raise pretty fair corn and the squadron has had one meal of corn on the cob from their fields. It was a real treat."

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Empire of Japan sought to take the natural resources of the many European colonies in Pacific Asia, including New Guinea. The key battle to stop Japan took place on the 1,500 mile length of the massive island. The once unspoiled tropical country, located just south of the Equator, was "discovered" by European explorers in 1548 and remains today as one of the most unique and diverse cultures in the modern world.

Captain and Operations Officer Len Happ served in New Guinea in 1944. He flew sixty four combat missions and numerous long distance supply missions back to Australia. The Battle of New Guinea is now known as the greatest campaign victory in the history of the U.S. Air Force.