Comments on: Missing Marine Dead Discovered on Tarawa

By: Gene

Gene — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:40:51 +0000

Bring all of our marines Home.
From any time period,from any War.

Bring them HOME

By: Millard A. Baxley Sr.

Millard A. Baxley Sr. — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:25:59 +0000

I am a retired Marine Gunnery Sgt. USMC tradition has always been "never leave a Marine behind." That of course is easy to say but sometimes very hard to do. An example of that would be those left behind during the Mayaquez incident. If one reads the history surrounding the many Pacific Island campaigns and how our dead were buried and later exhumed…Tarawa is not all that unusual. We
all need to remember that the U.S. military goal at the time was to WIN the war against a very determined enemy and Tarawa was only one of the first in a long line of island fortresses that soaked up young american blood. Why not just clean up the area and place appropriate battle and casualty monuments with names of the missing. If some can be identified and if families want remains brought home then do so where possible. Otherwise leave these men where they fell with their brothers in arms.
Semper Fi…
An old gunny

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:40:27 +0000

Well said. The historical perspective is critical in understanding the actions of the times.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 06:42:48 +0000

In reply to DG's concern that Lt Bonnyman was buried under a parking lot. The reality is that this is a small, poor atoll in the mid Pacific. They do not have parking lots or shopping centers, in the North American sense. They have some vehicles, but nothing like the term "parking lot" evokes in our imaginations. Betio where the Tarawa battle took place is a small islet that was pulverized. After the battle the dead bones were in many cases bull dozed into large communal graves and a Marine Airfield laid down. This was necessary because of the climatic conditions (extreme heat) and the need to prevent disease. The lack of physical space does not allow for a cemetery for the many casualties. I hope this helps give some perspective to your genuine concerns.

By: mrbenito

mrbenito — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:56:23 +0000

I came across this article by chance. Return our Marines back home to American soil and give them the respect and honors they deserve. If it were my grandfather or great-grandfather's remains, I would want him home. No American should ever be left behind.

By: DG

DG — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 08:20:20 +0000

What about Lt. BONNYMAN (MOH receipient) his body was never recovered & last we heard it was buried under a parking lot!

By: Al

Al — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:08:18 +0000

If it's true that Tarawa will be underwater in two decades, then these marines should be returned to the USA for proper burials. I would not want to think of their remains awash in the ocean.

By: STEVEN RADFORD

STEVEN RADFORD — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:21:41 +0000

HELLO

I, MYSELF, AM A FORMER MARINE.

IN MY OPINION, THE DEAD MARINES AND SAILORS (THERE WERE
NO ARMY DEATHS ON TARAWA THAT I EVER HEARD OF) SHOULD
BE LEFT THERE WITH A MONUMENT.

THEIR PARENTS ARE LONG DEAD, THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS
ARE MOSTLY DEAD AND THEIR CHILDREN ARE IN THEIR SIXTIES
OR SEVENTIES.

IT IS NOT LIKE THEY WERE LAID TO REST IN AN ENEMY
COUNTRY (AS WAS BRITISH CUSTOM IN WW-2).

I AM NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE EXPENSE. BUT WHY ADD
MORE STRESS TO THE REMAINING FEW RELATIVES OF THESE
BRAVE MEN.?

MY OPINION ONLY.

STEVEN RADFORD

By: Tex

Tex — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:14:28 +0000

Why not leave the dead to rest. Make a nice monument where they are resting recognizing their sacrifice. The unit in hawaii wiill sift the sand for a few teeth and spend $$millions to return a tooth or bone to the family for what?? Let the dead rest in peace.

By: Tommy

Tommy — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:27:48 +0000

It is a tragedy that the US government has left those fallen men behind. They need to be excevated and brought home and given a proper burial for the sacrafices they have made for their country.