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Nininger Moment #27
The Bondoc Philippine Meteorite Recovery Story
 One of the largest and best meteorites might have gone
undiscovered in not for Nininger's effort and that of his friend
John A. Lednicky. Only 2 other Philippine specimens had been found
prior to the Bondoc find. It started when Nininger and Addie were on
their 5 month long tour and after the sale of the first part of
their collection. Nininger had been seeking tektites from south east
Asia and visited the National Bureau of Mines in 1959. There
Nininger found a sample sent in as iron ore that was round and badly
weathered. The Mass having "stony" material attached and testing
positive for nickel set Nininger's mind into motion. After seeking
Permission to hunt the material down he was given the name of
Senator Tanada of the Filipino Congress who Nininger visited. The
matter had been transferred to the Senator's Son a lawyer who shared
the prospect with his friend Mendoza another lawyer who lived closer
to the site a remote jungle far down the Bondoc Peninsula.
The two young lawyers contacted two Japanese geologists who sought
finding an iron mine. The two Japanese geologist went to check out
the possible iron deposit but returned discussed and disappointed as
it was only something that had fallen out of the sky and they sought
an iron mine. Part of the state of mind of the geologists was due to
the great effort to reach the site. Several hours journey by slow
train. Then waiting hours for a bus that ran on days the roads were
passable and dry. A full days journey 40 miles to a small village.
Then from the small village by boat down the coast to the mouth of a
river. Down the River as far as the boat could go then trampling on
foot ten hours through crocodile and snake infested jungle! Nininger
attempted to make the trip himself along with his wife Addie with
guided help but twisted an ankle before they were very far along. He
then turned for help asking his friend John Lednicky who assisted in
the hunt.
The process of locating, finding a way to extract, floating the
specimen to the small village and finally getting it to Nininger was
a three and a half year process. Estimated recovery cost was
$3750.00. Lednicky hired men who loaded it on to a wooden sled but
three caribou were unable to move it. Neither was a small bulldozer.
A larger bulldozer was then used to bring the specimen to the mouth
of the river. A raft was then constructed of bamboo to tow the
specimen on to Manila. The effort to float it to Manila was a
nightmare with much risk involved. While transporting the specimen a
typhoon hit the area and huge waves rocked the raft and meteorite.
Two fishing boats with motors were hired to help stabilized the
cargo. One sank in the process and four men nearly drowned.
Difficulty in hiring a truck was the next problem after the storm,
as roads were washed out and dangerous and risked recovery of the
specimen. Finally a truck was hired from a friend of the men who
were hired to bring the specimen to Manila.
After reaching Manila more red tape and delays plague the shipping
of the specimen to Nininger. The specimen weighed Just under one ton
(1955 lbs) and was the second largest stony meteorite recovered at
that time. Upon reaching Nininger's newly built home in the hills,
he placed the meteorite just inside a window where his shop was.
Nininger studied the specimen's outside structure before attempting
to cut a slab from it. Nininger invited about 60 friends and
colleges over before the first slab was taken from it for an
"opening party". Nininger knew that the specimen was a unique one
from the original sample and he was very curious as to the internal
structure. At the party Nininger started the saw which ran for 162
hours and cut the first end piece off weighing 120 lbs. Of the
distinguished guests Carleton Moore was there and carried the first
slice back to the laboratory at Tempe Arizona for the University of
Arizona as a gift from Nininger. Nininger stated the real hero as
John Lednicky who's relentless effort brought about recovery of the
specimen at great personal time and sacrifice. Only expenses and
satisfaction of success were his requirements for payment. Nininger
later sent him a special meteorite gift as an added thank you.
Source: Find A Falling Star By H.H. Nininger
The Nininger Moments are articles or books written originally by
Harvey Nininger and put into a consolidated form by Al Mitterling.
Some of the items written in the moments might be old out dated
material and the reader is advised to keep this in mind.
--AL Mitterling
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