"Bachelor" On Hunt For Human Remains

Posted Mar 20th 2008 10:01PM by TMZ Staff

Former "Bachelor" bachelor Andy Baldwin just got back from the island of Palau in the South Pacific -- not on vacation, on a mission with the Navy. Now let's talk about why we the taxpayers are footing the bill on such BS.

Baldwin was among 20 military types who were on a search mission in the middle of the ocean. What, you ask, were they looking for? A B-24J bomber that went down during the war. Not Iraq. Not Vietnam. No, not Korea. We're talking WWII, as in more than 60 years ago.

Turns out, the military spends $52 million each year to find the remains of missing soldiers -- it's part of the POW/MIA program. That's all well and good depending on the circumstances. But a crash that is ancient history, at a time when the economy sucks and the Federal government is sucking the life out of everyone with taxes??

Baldwin, a Navy medic and diver, and crew found what could be human remains. We're told it's all being tested in the lab and it could take months, even years, to determine identities. At least he got a really good tan.

Filed under: TV, Reality TV

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(Page 1 of 64) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

1. These are the lightest taxes we are going to have for at least another 4 years. You think this is bad? I wish this was bad.

Posted at 6:25PM on Mar 20th 2008 by cody

2. The military is committed to recover their own. If there is a chance to find the remains of a relative, they will do it. This is a small price the US Government pays to provide service members' families peace of mind.

Posted at 6:25PM on Mar 20th 2008 by SmartMom

3. Spoken by someone who has never lost a loved-one to battle. Stick to following stars, TMZ. Your commentary on US spending leaves something to be desired.

-Someone who opposes war (old and new) but who supports the veterans (old and new) who have fought them.

Posted at 6:27PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Charles

4. How could this even be spoken as a possible waste? Many soldiers in any war have been MIA. These family members would give anything to find out what happened to their loved ones and give proper respect and burial. TMZ's stance is pretty clear. Very Sad, Very Sad

Posted at 6:27PM on Mar 20th 2008 by BikNoise

5. I don't think it is too much, not considering they gave their lives for the freedom of this country and the freedom you have right now to report on this story and like the freedom I have to view it and comment on it.

Posted at 6:28PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Debby

6. Any American soldier that dies in a ANY war has a right to be brought home for burial! The peeps that think it is a waste obviously don't have any family in the military........

Posted at 6:29PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Navy Brat

7. I'm glad they are still looking for fallen military people. If someone had a relative missing for years, that would be great closure.

BTW, does anybody care about The Bachelor anyway? Who is this guy?

Posted at 6:30PM on Mar 20th 2008 by JMO

8. You children at TMZ have no idea of what you are talking about (again)...this program makes certain that we will bring our heroes home, no matter what, for their final resting place. Not all deaths occur in lands where the people are grateful, like the cemeteries in France...and not all deaths occur where an immediate retrieval is a possibility.

As for your comment about taxes...you kids keep supporting Socialists like Obama and Hillary and you'll soon know what taxes are really like...ask Harvey about 75% income tax rates and 20% interest rates. You'll have to go and get real jobs then...but at least mom and dad will let you keep living in your old room so you can afford to live like you are successful.

Posted at 6:31PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Tony P

9. Shame on you for picking on on a MIA mission! Just because it's in the Pacific doesn't make the work any less serious or grueling. Yes, the economy sucks, and we'll prob. be paying for this current war for generations to come, but we should always try to provide closure for the families of those who've fought so hard for our country. As you wrote, this particular mission was for a WWII bomber. Even if you think that our current war in Iraq is unjustified, I can't believe that you'd think that the U.S. entering WWII (after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, in case you forgot) was unjustified.

Posted at 6:33PM on Mar 20th 2008 by li

10. Wow, "TMZ Staff." I hope you never have to go through the experience of never knowing what happened to a missing serviceman/woman in your family. These "human remains" which you call such a waste of time and money to identify because they're, what -- too old??? -- are some family's sons, brothers, fathers, even grandfathers. Your coverage I usually find amusing and fun, but this is really callous. Have any of you "TMZ Staff" given ANY amount of time to your country (let alone your life)? Or is your definition of 'danger' the possibility of being run over by Britney Spears? Shame on you. And guess what, I'm a Democrat who is against the war but FOR our servicemen, of ALL ages in ALL wars. Go back to your hanging around on the sidewalk waiting for some vapid star to exit a coffee shop. God Bless servicemen and women who help protect America, in ANY war or action, and YOUR FREEDOM to report and OUR FREEDOM to read about every idiot star's beach butt or denial to a club.

Mary

Posted at 6:33PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Mary

11. tmz, if this was one of your relatives, i'm sure there would be no bitching about taxes. harvey, i hope you're not the one who wrote this, because i thought you were a little better than that.

Posted at 6:36PM on Mar 20th 2008 by montana mike

12. Strange, the real waste here was reporting on some D list celebrity. The fact that he's is activily part of a unit that searches for our fallen warriors puts him on my A list. Your dead wrong on this one TMZ.

Posted at 6:36PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Wildqbn

13. This is probably the best thing the military will spend my taxes on. Soldiers and their families deserve this service. Especially from the military with the biggest budget in the world.

Posted at 6:37PM on Mar 20th 2008 by thebloop

14. If it was your family memeber, you wouldnt pop ish.... this country spends 4 billion dollars a year on soft drinks alone.... food for thought... stash in the dash....

Posted at 6:37PM on Mar 20th 2008 by matty

15. Thanks Tony P. and Mary. It is nice to have someone lay it all out there!

Posted at 6:38PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Dallas

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