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MUFONET-BBS NETWORK - MUTUAL UFO NETWORK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCIENCE NEWS - WIRE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ кФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФП Г=START= XMT: 14:12 Fri Jul 26 EXP: 14:00 Sat Jul 27 Г Г Г ГTITANIC EXPLORER PLANS EXPEDITION TO WWII NAVAL BATTLEGROUNDГ ГIN SOUTH PACIFIC Г Г Г ГFALMOUTH, MA (JULY 26) UPI - The underwater explorer who Г Гdiscovered the wreck of the luxury liner Titanic in the Г ГNorth Atlantic now plans an expedition to one of World War Г ГII's bloodiest naval battlegrounds in the South Pacific. Г Г Г ГRobert Ballard of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Г Гhis project co-director and wife Barbara and a team of Г Гresearchers plan to head this fall to explore the underwaterГ Гgraveyard of more than 100 ships that were sunk during the Г Гbattle of Guadalcanal. Г Г Г Г''The purpose is to find out just what's there,'' Barbara Г ГBallard said Friday. ''We're going down to see what's thereГ Гand no one's done that before.'' Г Г Г ГShe said the initial exploration will take about a month andГ Гthe explorers plan to return in 1992 for a more detailed Г Гsurvey and mapping of the battlegound. Г Г Г ГBallard said the project is to ''document and image the Г Гremains of these ships'' that litter the ocean bottom south Г Гand east of Guadalcanal. Ships from the United States, JapanГ Гand Australia are scattered in the area some 5,000 feet Г Гbelow the surface. Г Г Г ГThe team will make a visual inspection of the area with Г Гremote-controlled unmanned submarines, such as those used byГ ГRobert Ballard to locate and photograph the ocean liner Г ГTitanic in 12,000 feet of water in 1986, and the German Г Гbattleship Bismarck that was sunk during World War II in Г Г15,000 feet. Г Г Г ГThe purpose of the initial mission is to determine if it is Г Гworth a major expedition. Г Г Г Г''If it's doable, we can use the remote control submarine Г Гtechnology gained through the Jason project to explore theseГ Гships and take detailed photographs of their condition,'' Г ГRobert Ballard said. Г Г Г ГJason was used on the Titanic expedition. Г Г Г ГIncluded in the upcoming project will be an attempt to Г Гlocate whatever might be left of John F. Kennedy's torpedo Г Гboat, PT-109, which was rammed and sunk by a Japanese Г Гdestroyer on Aug. 2, 1943. Г Г Г ГAn inactive Navy commander, Robert Ballard said JFK's patrolГ Гboat was made mostly of wood and if there is anything Г Гremaining, it would be its engine and torpedo launchers Г Гunder 1,500 feet of water. Г Г Г Г=END= Г