USNS Safeguard Visits East New Britain Province

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea: The Military Sealift Command’s U.S. Naval Ship (USNS) Safeguard, a rescue and salvage vessel, will visit the Rabaul and Kokopo area of East New Britain Province during the first few months of 2016. The ship is visiting Papua New Guinea in support of a U.S. Joint Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) underwater recovery mission in Simpson Harbor. The USNS Safeguard last visited Port Moresby and operated in the waters of East New Britain in 2014 when the Safeguard supported a previous DPAA underwater investigative and recovery mission.

The remains of some 2,000 U.S. soldiers are yet to be recovered from World War II battlefields, air crash sites, and the surrounding waters of Papua New Guinea. DPAA conducts search, recovery, and laboratory operations to identify unaccounted-for Americans from past conflicts in order to support the U.S. Department of Defense’s personnel accounting efforts. Specifically designed and built for rescue and salvage operations, the USNS Safeguard supports these DPAA underwater investigative and recovery missions.

In order to ensure mission success and the return of unaccounted-for Americans, DPAA routinely engages in technical negotiations and talks with representatives of foreign governments to promote and maintain positive in-country conditions wherever DPAA teams deploy. As such, DPAA works closely with host nation officials and local or regional government representatives during all investigative and recovery missions. The cooperation and joint efforts of organizations like Papua New Guinea’s National Museum and Art Gallery are essential for DPAA to accomplish its mission.

The United States remains committed to achieving the fullest possible accounting of Americans lost during the Second World War. With continued support from the government and people of Papua New Guinea, DPAA plans to continue successful operations.

If anyone has information that pertains to U.S. World War II remains or crash sites in Papua New Guinea, please contact Mr. Joses Veleke at +675 321 1455 extension 2190 or mobile +675 7200 9414. You may also contact the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby at email address: PDPortMoresby@state.gov.