https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/history/remains-from-wwii-battle-of-tarawa-found/65-66b690b1-74b5-40be-9e98-21c1cc2a7155

Virginia group’s discovery leads to identification of 11 sets of American WWII remains

Even during the pandemic, the work of Defense Department scientists and the nonprofit, History Flight, identified American remains from the WWII Battle of Tarawa. Author: Mike Valerio Published: 1:15 AM EDT May 8, 2020 Updated: 1:23 AM EDT May 8, 2020

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — The nation’s enduring promise of “no one left behind,” isn’t put on hold because of the global pandemic. Scientists from the Defense POW / MIA Accounting Agency announced the positive DNA identification of 11 sets of American remains last month, all belonging to service members who died in the November 1943 Pacific Battle of Tarawa.

The identifications were made possible because of new excavations on a small sandbar the size of the National Mall – where World War II guns still point towards the Pacific. Anthropologists working for the Fredericksburg-based non-profit, History Flight, discovered an elusive burial row of a lost grave in March 2019, with the results of DNA testing announced days ago.

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"Scientists are still working on DNA analysis, even during the covid shutdown, every single day," Sgt. Maj. Justin LeHew, History Flight’s chief operating officer, said. "Once our team made that discovery, we continued to excavate that row, and that row revealed 32 sets of long-missing remains."

Of the 32 sets, three identifications were made in January and February 2020.

Below are the 11 individuals newly identified from Tarawa since the pandemic began.

Rank & Name Service Date Announced

Pfc. John E. Gillen USMC Reserve 4/27/2020
Pfc. Harold W. Hayden USMC Reserve 4/27/2020
Cpl. Raymond J. Tuhey USMC 4/27/2020
1st Lt. Hugh D. Fricks USMC Reserve 4/27/2020
Sgt. Fred Farris USMC 4/17/2020
Pvt. Jacob Cruz USMC Reserve 4/17/2020
Pfc. Elden R. Baumbach USMC 4/16/2020
Sgt. George R. Reeser USMC 4/16/2020
Pfc. John W. Hoffman, Jr. USMC Reserve 4/16/2020
Pvt. Jack R. Stambaugh USMC 4/15/2020
Sgt. Donald D. Stoddard USMC 4/06/2020

HAYDEN, Harold William