Savage Harvest Part 15

165 They made Pirimapun on the morning: Author's interview with Hubertus von Peij, Tilburg, Netherlands, December 2011; author's interview with Wim van de Waal, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, December 2011.

17. NOVEMBER 1961.

166 At nine a.m. on Sunday, November 19: Dutch Navy, telex to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, November 20, 1961, National Archive of the Netherlands.

167 If that wasn't bad enough, the very next day: Singh, Papua, p. 77.

167 the Dutch Royal Air Force kept a squadron: Author's telephone interview with Rudolf Idzerda, January 2012.

167 The plane was the first designed: See Military Factory, "Lockheed P2V Neptune Land-Based Patrol Aircraft/VP Transport," available at: http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=514; and Wikipedia, "Lockheed P-2 Neptune," available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_P-2_Neptune.

167 a range of four thousand miles: Ibid.

167 At thirty-eight, the former fighter pilot: Author's telephone interview with Rudolf Idzerda, January 2012.

167 Late on the morning of November 19: Ibid.

167 Von Peij, waiting for Michael: Author's interview with Hubertus von Peij, Tilburg, Netherlands, December 2011.

167 Farther down the coast: Van Kessel, report to Tillemans, January 23, 1962.

167 After three hours, Idzerda's navigator: Author's telephone interview with Rudolf Idzerda, January 2012.

168 Rene Wa.s.sing spotted the plane: Author's interview with Wim van de Waal, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, December 2011.

168 As soon as Idzerda located the boat: Author's telephone interview with Rudolf Idzerda, January 2012.

168 van de Waal received a radio call: Author's interview with Wim van de Waal, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, December 2011.

168 It was dark and the sea was quiet: Ibid.

168 He was asleep in the men's house: Ben van Oers, HN magazine (December 1996), National Archive of the Netherlands.

168 "Fire has fallen from the heavens": Ibid.

168 Wim van de Waal was in it: Author's interview with Wim van de Waal, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, December 2011; also confirmed by Dutch cables, National Archive of the Netherlands.

169 "Mike is gone," Wa.s.sing said: Author's interview with Wim van de Waal, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, December 2011.

169 And now he was there, in the family home: Morgan, Beginning with the End, p. 4.

169 "wary and watching": Ibid.

169 He held a yellow cablegram in his hands: Ibid.

169 Nelson received a radio telephone call from Hollandia: "Rockefeller in Honolulu," New York Times, November 21, 1961.

169 "I'm headed out there," he told reporters: Ibid.

170 "I am extremely sorry to hear about your son": Ibid.

170 chartered a Pan American Boeing 707: "Rockefeller Search Joined by Natives," New York Times, November 25, 1961.

170 "We found ourselves within a new group": Morgan, Beginning with the End, p. 7.

18. NOVEMBER 1961.

172 "In connection with the enormous publicity": Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cable 7425 to Ministry of the Interior, Hollandia, November 21, 1961, National Archive of the Netherlands.

173 "As a consequence of the tragic disappearance": Ibid.

174 On Monday, November 20, a Dutch DeHavilland Beaver: The search is detailed in cables and telexes between government officials and military personnel in the Netherlands and New Guinea at the National Archive of the Netherlands in The Hague.

174 A PBY Catalina flying boat was brought in from Lae: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cable 7425 to Ministry of the Interior, Hollandia, November 21, 1961, National Archive of the Netherlands.

174 Ken Dresser and missionary pilot Betty Greene: "Explorer Sought in Crocodile-Infested Jungle," New York Times, November 22, 1961.

174 The Dutch patrol boats Tasman, Eendracht, and Snellius: Government cables, National Archive of the Netherlands.

174 In Biak a Dutch marine tied gerry cans to his waist: Ibid.

174 As a test, the navy dropped gerry cans into the water: Ibid.

174 cabled that he was overwhelmed: Ibid.

174 Nelson and Mary paused briefly in Biak: Ibid.

175 "My daughter Mary and I are very satisfied": "Gouverneur Rockefeller naar erauke vertrokken (2)" (press report summary), November 23, 1961, National Archive of the Netherlands.

175 "a flat, ugly little settlement": Peter Hastings, "The Press, the Press, the Awful Press," The Bulletin, December 23, 1961.

176 "The story we had all arrived to report": Ibid.

176 "He was," remebered Broekhuijse: Author's interview with Jan Broekhuijse, Nieuwkoop, Netherlands, December 2011.

176 "For the first time in my life": Morgan, Beginning with the End, p. 18.

176 "The coastline here is dismal": Letter from Eliot Elisofon (undated, recipient unknown), Eliot Elisofon Papers, Harry Ransom Center, University of TexasAustin.

177 Rene Wa.s.sing was trotted out: Morgan, Beginning with the End, p. 19.

177 "mirrored my own deep anxiety": Ibid., p. 20.

177 "I can provide patrol planes": CINC American Pacific Fleet, Netherlands naval communications cable to CINC Netherlands Navy New Guinea, November 23, 1961, National Archive of the Netherlands.

177 "I am considering your kind offer": Admiral Netherlands New Guinea, Netherlands naval communications cable to CINC American Pacific Fleet, November 23, 1961, National Archive of the Netherlands.

177 "The Indonesian minister of Foreign Affairs has suggested Friday": Reuters, November 24, 1961, in collection of press clippings sent by the attache for New Guinea affairs, Dutch emba.s.sy, Canberra, Australia, National Archive of the Netherlands.

178 "After consultations with Governor Nelson Rockefeller": COSTRING Netherlands naval communications cable to BDZ, November 24, 1961, National Archive of the Netherlands.

178 officials in Hollandia had "abandoned all hope": a.s.sociated Press, November 23, 1961, in collection of press clippings sent by the attache for New Guinea affairs, Dutch emba.s.sy, Canberra, Austrailia, National Archive of the Netherlands.

178 "There is no longer any hope of finding": "Dutch Rejoin Navy Hunt," New York Times, November 24, 1961.

178 "I'm a realist," the governor said: "Rockefeller Hunt Joined by Natives," New York Times, November 25, 1961.

178 "If Michael reached sh.o.r.e": Ibid.

178 "for having inspired so much loyalty and affection": Ibid.

178 "Rockefeller enthusiastic about rescue action": Hollandia, telegram to Department of Interior, The Hague, November 25, 1961, National Archive of the Netherlands.

179 two Australian army Bell 47 G2-A helicopters: Captain d.i.c.k Knight, "The Search for Michael Rockefeller," Fourays Journal 1, no. 1 (March 1995), available at: http://beckerhelicopters.com/oscar/oscar-joins-the-army/Oscar-looks-for-rockefeller.html.

179 ninety miles along the coast and six miles inland: Ibid.

179 "a torrid, hostile wilderness": Ibid.

179 a red Johnson gasoline can for an outboard engine: Dutch naval communications to Ministry of Interior, National Archive of the Netherlands.

179 The tank was shown to Wa.s.sing: "Rockefeller Search Joined by Natives," New York Times, November 25, 1961.

179 Nelson looking like he was at a country club: Photos in OSC Archives.

179 "Is this yours": Author's interview with Wim van de Waal, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, December 2011.

180 They landed briefly in the Catalina: Morgan, Beginning with the End, pp. 3031.

19. NOVEMBER 1961.

182 First, sharks rarely attack humans: Author's interview with George H. Burgess, Gainesville, FL, August 2012.

183 Van Kessel immediately sent his a.s.sistant: Van Kessel, report to Tillemans, January 23, 1962.

183 Gabriel saw nothing out of the ordinary: Ibid.

183 Van Kessel followed him: Ibid.

183 Van Kessel linked up with the Tasman: Ibid.

183 Gabriel, meanwhile, spent the entire day: Ibid.

184 The villagers fled into the jungle: Ibid.; author's interview with Kosmos Kokai, Basim and Pirien Village, Papua, February 2012.

184 the village emptied at the sight: Van Kessel, report to Tillemans, January 23, 1962; author's interview with Kosmos Kokai, Basim and Pirien Village, Papua, February 2012.

184 They said they knew nothing of Michael: Ibid.

184 In Atsj, von Peij watched as s.h.i.+p after s.h.i.+p: Author's interview with Hubertus von Peij, Tilburg, Netherlands, December 2011.

184 In Atsj, von Peij waited a week to let: Ibid.

185 "There are some men who want to meet you": Ibid.

185 "Let them come," he said: Ibid.

20. DECEMBER 1961.

186 van Kessel started hearing: Van Kessel, report to Tillemans, January 23, 1962.

186 van Kessel sent Gabriel back to Otsjanep: Ibid.

187 "We saw a fierce giant snake": Ibid.

187 But Bere went on a rampage: Ibid.

187 Van Kessel sent a canoe: Ibid.

187 "Men of Otsjanep," Gabriel told them: Ibid.

187 Pep had a new dagger: Ibid.

187 He "saw they were acting": Ibid.

187 Van Kessel wasn't sure: Ibid.

188 On December 9, von Peij arrived in Omadesep: Author's interview with Hubertus von Peij, Tilburg, Netherlands, December 2011.

188 He felt unsettled: Ibid.

188 in walked four men: Ibid.

188 They wore shorts: Ibid.

188 "Okay," von Peij said, "tell me your story": Ibid.

188 Bit by bit, it spilled out: Ibid.

189 "Was he wearing gla.s.ses": Ibid.

189 Their answer burned in his memory: Ibid.

189 "Fin-tsjem aotepetsj ara": Ibid.

189 "What about his thigh bones": Ibid.

189 Pep had one thigh bone, Ajim the other: Van Kessel, report to Tillemans, January 23, 1962.