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Lost Gold of WWII: Treasure Hunters Uncover Buried Japanese Gold *2 Hour Marathon*

HISTORY・90 minutes read

A team, led by John Casey and Rick Hurt, is searching for Yamashita's gold in the Philippines through various sites, encountering evidence of American and Japanese presence. Chuck McDougall provides treasure maps from Curtis and Marcos, guiding the team through challenges as they drill horizontally to uncover potential treasures beneath the mountain.

Insights

  • Chuck McDougall provides crucial insights and original treasure maps, hinting at the presence of Yamashita's gold in the Philippines, with potential political interference in past expeditions.
  • The team faces numerous challenges, including collapsed tunnels, unstable ground, and modern tools indicating prior exploration, complicating their quest for the hidden treasure.
  • Discoveries of artifacts like a Japanese rifle and red marble from France suggest connections to World War II history, possibly involving Nazis, General Yamashita, and a vast treasure trove.

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Recent questions

  • What is Yamashita's gold?

    Hidden treasure believed to be in the Philippines.

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Summary

00:00

"Yamashita's Gold: Philippines Treasure Hunt Revealed"

  • The team, including John Casey and Rick Hurt, is in the Philippines searching for Yamashita's gold, believed to be hidden by Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita during World War II.
  • Investigating three sites: a waterfall, a crater known as Breach 6, and a camouflage tunnel, following mysterious symbols believed to be left by Yamashita.
  • Adding a horizontal drill to reach metal deposits beneath the waterfall, aiming to drill 930 ft horizontally through the mountain at an altitude of 300 ft below the waterfall.
  • Miners Levi and Gio venture into an underground tunnel, revealing evidence of both American and Japanese presence, including an American knife and a Japanese A3 land mine.
  • Chuck McDougall, connected to Robert Curtis, was involved in a 1988 treasure expedition in the Philippines, searching for Yamashita's gold based on Curtis' maps and knowledge.
  • McDougall recalls the abrupt end of the treasure hunt at Fort Santiago due to political pressure, with the belief that powerful individuals wanted to recover the treasure for themselves.
  • McDougall shares original maps of the treasure found in Marcos's office, indicating the presence of gold and marble at Fort Santiago during the dig.
  • The team continues excavating Breach 6, finding charcoal at 10 ft below the surface, and discovering metal deposits indicated by tech scans.
  • Rick finds a mysterious metal object resembling a magazine off a rifle, while Levi and Gio uncover bones in the collapsed tunnel, possibly human, leading to a shutdown for further investigation.
  • Bingo meets with McDougall, who presents original maps of Yamashita treasure sites, including rice paper maps waxed over, providing valuable insight into the search for the lost gold.

19:41

"Japanese Treasure Hunt at Camp McKinley"

  • Camp McKinley has a circle driveway with a shaft in the center leading to 14 tunnels believed to hold Japanese buried treasure.
  • The value listed at the bottom of the Maps from the 1940s indicates potentially 555 billion yen or roughly 5 billion US dollars buried in each spot.
  • Attempts to recover the treasure were hindered when the individual was asked to leave the Philippines.
  • A metal artifact discovered at breach 6 is identified as part of a Japanese type 99 arasaka rifle, suggesting a Japanese soldier was in the area during World War II.
  • A local scientist examines bones found in a tunnel, determining they are from a cow and a pig, likely brought in as rations during World War II.
  • Treasure hunter Chuck McDougall possesses potentially game-changing treasure maps obtained from the University of Philippines, likely from the 1970s.
  • Negotiations for a partnership with Chuck involve access to the maps, with a proposed 1% share of gross proceeds for successful treasure hunts.
  • The team faces challenges with a horizontal drill stuck on a steep incline, requiring heavy-duty equipment and manual labor to move it.
  • The team lays sand and gravel to aid the drill's progress, facing time constraints due to impending thunderstorms.
  • Despite obstacles, the team remains determined to reach the target and uncover the potential treasure beneath the mountain.

37:54

Drilling for Treasure: Mountain Expedition Challenges

  • The team is preparing to drill through 930 ft of hard rock beneath a waterfall to uncover what lies beneath.
  • Aiming the drill accurately is crucial, as a slight deviation could cause them to miss the void space they are targeting.
  • The team faces challenges such as collapses in the tunnel and unstable ground, hindering their progress.
  • Miners uncover a layer of charcoal and a Japanese World War II military rifle, indicating they may be on the right track.
  • A remote-controlled demolition robot is brought in to help clear debris in the collapsed tunnel efficiently.
  • The team receives treasure maps from Chuck McDougall, potentially leading them to the Yamashita treasure.
  • The maps show features resembling their mountain, including a river and a central area believed to be breach six.
  • The team analyzes the maps, noting various details like arrows and shafts, aiming to decipher the map's full meaning.
  • The team continues drilling horizontally towards the void space, monitoring core soil samples to ensure accuracy.
  • The pressure is high as they progress further into the mountain, with aerial surveillance adding to their concerns about potential interference.

56:34

"Treasure hunt reveals WWII secrets in Philippines"

  • The clock face represents direction markers and the number of pieces needed to reach that marker.
  • The map lacks a scale and references to determine if it matches the team's mountain.
  • Geologist Gerard Moff analyzed a red marble sample, revealing calcium, carbon, oxygen, and iron content.
  • The red marble found in the Philippines is French marble, possibly looted during World War II.
  • The presence of marble and gold flecks suggests a connection to the treasure at Fort Santiago.
  • The marble's origin in France hints at a vast treasure possibly linked to Nazis and General Yamashita.
  • Local inspectors visit the site unexpectedly, raising concerns about compliance and permits.
  • Chuck McDougall, a treasure hunter, provides insights on the map's features and potential tunnel entrances.
  • Excavation at Breach 6 uncovers a layer of wood, possibly indicating a cap or post of an underground structure.
  • Using a drone, the team aligns markers on McDougall's map with locations on the mountain, potentially leading to tunnel entrances.

01:14:12

"Treasure hunt uncovers hidden underground tunnel"

  • Chuck believes the circle on the map marks a tunnel at the back door.
  • The team has a good perspective on the map, noting a cavity at the back door.
  • Despite previous failed attempts, they plan to revisit the back door with better equipment.
  • Rob checks the horizontal drill, which is over 200 ft in and going well.
  • Water circulation in the bore hole suddenly stops, indicating a possible unexpected void space.
  • If the void is wider than 2-3 ft, they may need to pull the drill to prevent damage.
  • A piece of wood and a nail are discovered in the void, suggesting a man-made tunnel.
  • John hires security due to concerns about theft or harm from others interested in the treasure.
  • A possible tunnel discovered underground raises hopes of an easier route to the treasure.
  • Excavation at breach 6 reveals tools like a pick head and double block, hinting at access to a tunnel or void space.

01:32:21

Exploring Tunnels for Yamashita's Treasure

  • Booby traps and bad ground are concerns that have been addressed.
  • Gas detectors are essential for checking gases in old tunnels.
  • Gases in tunnels can hang at knee height and be stirred up while walking.
  • Finding a network of tunnels leading to potential treasure below a waterfall is the goal.
  • Discoveries at breach 6 include digging tools, steel, an old pick, and a peen hammer.
  • Concern arises over the presence of modern tools and nylon rope in the tunnel.
  • Nylon was developed by DuPont in 1938 and used for various purposes during World War II.
  • Suspicion arises that previous treasure hunters may have accessed the tunnels.
  • A collapsed tunnel at breach 6 indicates potential prior exploration for treasure.
  • Connections between the US government, General MacArthur, and Yamashita's treasure are explored, suggesting covert operations and the creation of a trust fund for financing covert operations.

01:50:47

"Treasure Hunt: Tunnel Challenges and Discoveries"

  • The team discovers a tunnel inside a mountain that may contain treasure.
  • They encounter challenges like booby traps and high levels of carbon dioxide in the tunnel.
  • To ensure safety, they use a gas detector to monitor the air quality.
  • Ventilation is crucial to flush out the carbon dioxide from the tunnel.
  • A metal sleeve is installed across a hole to support the drill's movement.
  • Data from electrical resistivity tomography helps locate a void space near the back door.
  • The team clears boulders to access the void space, hoping it leads to the tunnel system.
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