NEWS RELEASES
Lake Mead Commemorates Submerged WWII B-29
Editor's Note: This news item was retrieved and first published through NPS's website.
BOULDER CITY, Nev. - On July 21, 1948, a B-29 Superfortress, the airplane that is believed by many to have led to Allied victory, crashed into Lake Mead, where it was discovered by divers in 2002. A program on July 21, 2018, at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Visitor Center, will commemorate this event 70 years ago and look at National Park Service efforts to preserve the WW2 aircraft that sits on the bottom of the lake. Although Lake Mead is a popular destination for scuba divers, diving at the B-29 site is not allowed at this time, due to its protected status.
The free, family friendly event on July 21 will be presented twice, from 10 a.m. to noon and again from 2-4 p.m. The schedule includes a panel of experts discussing the modified B-29 found in the lake, a short film telling the history of the 1948 flight and the preservation work of the National Park Service, including new underwater footage of the aircraft. Artifacts, including oxygen tank cylinders and glass and metal fragments from the plane, will be on display. Children who attend can participate in special programs to discover the underwater animals, plants and artifacts in America’s national parks and to earn their own Underwater Explorer Junior Ranger badge. Space in the free program is limited. To reserve a seat, call 702-293-8691.
View the full press release by NPS right here.