Lost In Shangri-la

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World War II is slowly nearing its end, and in an effort to boost troop morale, 24 American servicemen and women are offered the highly sought after opportunity to fly over the mysterious Shangri-La. A day meant for pleasure soon turns tragic as the military plane known as the Gremlin Special crashes into a mountainside in the dense rainforest near the hidden valley thought to be a paradise on earth.

"To the ear-splitting din of metal twisting, glass shattering, engines groaning, branches snapping, fuel igniting, bodies tumbling, lives ending, the Gremlin Special plunged through the trees and slammed into the jungle-covered mountainside." (Lost in Shangri-La, p.50)

Nearly everyone at the U.S. military base in Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea coveted an invitation to join the flight of the Gremlin Special over Shangri-La. Rumor had it this was an exotic place with prehistoric tribes that had never been in contact with white men and women. American soldiers and members of the Women's Army Corps were anxious to experience this world that was so different from anything they had ever seen or known.

"Spread out before them was a place their maps said didn't exist, a rich valley Elsmore later called 'a riot of dazzling color'... Even more remarkable than the valley's physical splendor were its inhabitants: tens of thousands of people for whom the Stone Age was the present day." (Lost in Shangri-La, p.21-22)

Though thought of as perhaps utopian, Shangri-La was bounded to the north by warring tribes with cannibalistic tendencies. To the south, enemy troops — the Japanese — were lying in wait for an opportunity to ambush American forces. Anyone who chose to enter this forbidding territory was inviting disaster.

Twenty-one servicemen and women perished as a result of the crash of the Gremlin Special. The loss of these friends and family members took a huge emotional toll on the survivors. Would help arrive in time to ensure that any of these plane crash victims returned home? Could the human spirit endure such loss?

"We were in what was thought to be headhunter territory, we had no medical supplies, no shelter. We were in the middle of nowhere. I knew my twin brother was dead in the wreckage. I had to take care of the others." ~Lieutenant John McCollom (Lost in Shangri-La, p.94 )

Is it possible to survive with potentially mortal wounds and injuries when your location is unknown and the only sustenance you have are a few pieces of hard candy? Plagued with serious burns, gaping head wounds, hunger, hypothermia, and the onset of gangrene, the survival of Lieutenant John McCollom, Corporal Margaret Hastings, and Sergeant Ken Decker is tenuous at best. In reality, none of them should have survived long enough to walk away from the crash.

"Margaret, McCollom, and Decker had crash-landed in a world
that time didn't forget. Time never knew it existed."
(Lost in Shangri-La, p.115)

The only hope for the three survivors is to find their way through dense rainforest to a distant clearing where it may be possible to signal search planes. This journey would be nearly impossible for the most fit individuals with proper gear. For these survivors in such a weakened state, and without necessary provisions, it is as close to a death march as one can get.

"The jungle rustled and shook. As the survivors stared helplessly in that direction, their fears took human form: dozens of nearly naked black men, their eyes shining, their bodies glistening with soot and pig grease, their hands filled with adzes made from wood and sharpened stone, emerged from behind the curtain of leaves." (Lost in Shangri-La, p.103)

Tribesman - Baliem Valley - "Shangri-La"
Creative Commons - Photo Credit:710928003

New friendships are most likely the last thing on the minds of these ravaged crash victims. However, it is enduring friendship that becomes perhaps the most redeeming element of this tragic event. In order not to spoil the experience for potential readers, I won't reveal the details of how unlikely friendships emerge. I want you, the reader, to discover this as you absorb the amazing outcomes.

Waco CG 4A Glider Used in the Shangri-La Rescue Mission
Photo Credit: Public Domain - Wikimedia Commons

It is heroism that reached out and grabbed hold of me in the telling of this epic account. In tragedy, the true nature of individuals rises up to redefine what it means to serve. More than courageous action, it is the beauty of the human spirit that shines above all in this rescue mission and beyond. One learns the essence of humanity, compassion, and selflessness.

"The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper." ~Aristotle

Through it all, this story contains threads of paradise lost and found. One may ask: Did paradise ever exist? Is Shangri-La a state of mind or spirit rather than a geographical location?

How were individuals permanently changed by this clash of cultures? Were the changes for the good? What might have been had this uncharted region with its hidden valley and its primitive tribes remained unvisited by outsiders?

These are the questions that are swirling about in my mind as I reflect on Lost In Shangri-La. I hope you will return to share your thoughts after reading this compelling book.

If you don't want to wait to begin reading this incredible story, you have the option of immediately downloading the book in electronic format. You may already own a Kindle e-book reader, but if not, there is free software available that enables you to purchase and read digital books right on your computer, iPad, or smartphone.

I downloaded the free Kindle software from Amazon.com for my laptop computer. Now I can receive free e-books, download and read the Kindle versions of bestsellers, and preview chapters of books I am considering for purchase. It is very convenient. There is a version of this application for your iPad, iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Mac, or PC. I love it!

I deeply appreciate the support of my Squidoo colleagues. Many thanks to those who continually offer up encouragement and affirmation.

LizMac60
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