Operation Galvanic

Duncan, Deward William Jr.
Navy Reserves Seaman 2nd class

Deward William Jr. Duncan from Durham, North Carolina, New Hanover county.

Parents: Mitchel L. Hutchins

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Wednesday, January 12, 1944
Death details: On May 17, 2018, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Seaman Second Class Deward W. Duncan Jr., missing from World War II. Seaman Second Class Duncan, who entered the U.S. Navy from Georgia, was attached to Aviation, Construction, Ordnance, Repair, Navy 14, Standard Landing Craft Unit 4, and was stationed on Betio, following the capture of Tarawa Atoll. On January 12, 1944, S2 Duncan was killed during a Japanese air raid over Betio. He was buried in a cemetery on Betio, but his remains could not be identified from among the remains recovered from Betio after the war. In 2017, the independent investigative group History Flight, in partnership with DPAA, located a grave site on Betio and recovered human remains. DPAA analysts identified S2 Duncan from among these remains.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Morris, John Owen
Navy Reserves Aviation machinist’s mate 2

John Owen Morris, age 22, from Seattle, Washington, King county.

Spouse: Margaret Mary Morris

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Thursday, December 16, 1943
Death details: On September 13, 2018, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Aviation Machinist’s Mate First Class John Owen Morris, missing from World War II. Aviation Machinist’s Mate First Class Morris, who entered the U.S. Navy from Washington, served in Carrier Aircraft Service Unit 17. He was killed by a gunshot discharge on December 16, 1943, within the weeks following the Battle of Tarawa, and was buried on Betio in Cemetery 33; however, he could not be identified among the remains disinterred from the island following the war. In 2015, the nongovernmental organization History Flight, Inc. discovered a burial site on Betio Island from which they recovered the remains of U.S. Marines who fought during the Battle of Tarawa, and DPAA analysts used modern forensic technology to eventually identified AMM1 Morris from these collective remains.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Gore, Ben Hadden
Marines Private 1st class

Ben Hadden Gore, age 20, from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Christian county.

Parents: Ruth Gore

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Thursday, November 25, 1943
Death details: On September 1, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced it has identified the remains of Private First Class Ben Hadden Gore, missing from World War II. Private First Class Gore, who entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Kentucky, was assigned to Special Weapons Group, 2nd Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force. He was injured sometime and died, likely from his wounds, on November 25, 1943, during his unit’s assault on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll. Although the exact circumstances surrounding his death are unknown, he was buried on Betio at the time. After the war, his remains could not be identified from among those recovered from the island. In 2015, the nongovernmental organization History Flight, Inc., discovered a burial site on Betio Island and recovered the remains of 35 U.S. service members who fought during the battle in November 1943; the remains were turned over to the DPAA laboratory in Hawaii, and analysts used modern forensic techniques that eventually identified Pfc Gore from among them.
Cemetery: Riverside Cemetery in Hopkinsville

Source: National Archives, findagrave.com, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Grimm, Elden William
Marines Sergeant

Elden William Grimm, age 26, from Menasha, Wisconsin, Winnebago county.

Parents: Freda A. Grimm

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Thursday, November 25, 1943
Death details: On September 26, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Sergeant Elden William Grimm, missing from World War II. Sergeant Grimm, who entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Wisconsin, served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 18th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. On November 25, 1943, Sgt Grimm was killed in action during the assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa. His remains were not recovered at the time. After the war, remains from battlefield cemeteries on Tarawa that could not be identified were disinterred for analysis at the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii. Remains that still could not be identified were reinterred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. In 2016, DPAA analysts exhumed a set of these remains and, using modern forensic technology, identified them as those of Sgt Grimm.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Kegley, Elis
Marines Reserves Private 1st class

Elis Kegley, age 23, from Widemouth, West Virginia, Mercer county.

Spouse: Married

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Thursday, November 25, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class Ellis Kegley entered the U.S. Marine Corps from West Virginia and served in Company A, 1st Battalion, 18th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 25, during the Battle of Tarawa. PFC Kegley was buried on Betio Island in Cemetery #33, Main Marine Cemetery, but his remains could not be identified among those disinterred from the island following the war. Private First Class Kegley is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Leffell, Hylbert
Marines Corporal

Hylbert Leffell, age 21, from Newport News, Virginia.

Parents: Cora L. Leffell

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Thursday, November 25, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Corporal Hylbert Leffell entered the U.S. Marine Corps from West Virginia and served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 18th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. On November 25, 1943, he was killed in action against Japanese forces on Tarawa, and he was buried in Cemetery #33, Main Marine Cemetery. His remains were not found in post-war searches of burial sites on Tarawa. Today, Corporal Leffell is memorialized in the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Roberts, Larry Ronald
Marines Private 1st class

Larry Ronald Roberts, age 18, from Damascus, Arkansas, Van Buren county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Thursday, November 25, 1943
Death details: On August 16, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) accounted for Private First Class Larry Ronald Roberts, missing from World War II. Private First Class Roberts entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Arkansas and served with the Special Weapons Group, 2nd Defense Battalion. In November 1943, he participated in the amphibious assault on Betio Island, as part of the Battle of Tarawa. He was killed in action on November 25 and was buried in a Marine cemetery on Betio, but his remains were not recovered in the immediate aftermath of the war. In 2015, the nonprofit organization History Flight located a burial trench on Betio and recovered several sets of human remains. DPAA forensic analysts later identified PFC Roberts from among these remains.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Wilson, Howard Dorus
Marines Reserves Private 1st class

Howard Dorus Wilson, age 23, from Winfield, Kansas, Cowley county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Thursday, November 25, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class Howard Dorus Wilson entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Colorado and served in Company A, 1st Battalion, 18th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action during the Battle of Tarawa and buried in Cemetery #33, but after the war his remains were not located, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Private First Class Wilson is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Ary, Clarence Kenneth
Marines Reserves Private 1st class

Clarence Kenneth Ary, age 23, from Norte, Colorado, Rio Grande county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Tuesday, November 23, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class Clarence Kenneth Ary, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Colorado, served with Company C, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on Tarawa by enemy gunfire on November 23. He was reportedly buried on Betio, but attempts to recover his remains following the end of the war were unsuccessful. Today, Private First Class Ary is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Cemetery: Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial

Source: National Archives, American Battle Monuments Commission, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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