U.S. Marine from Nevada killed in WWII to be buried in Hawaii
Military officials say a U.S. Marine from Nevada who was killed in action in the Pacific Ocean battle of Tarawa in World War II will be buried next week with military honors.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency says the remains of Pvt. John M. Tillman of Reno will be returned to his family for burial April 6 in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.
Tillman was 21 when he died during fighting against Japanese troops on the small island of Betio in November 1943. He was assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division.
He was one of about 1,000 U.S. Marines and sailors and thousands of Japanese and Korean service members who died in the battle. Most from the U.S. were initially buried on the island.
Tillman’s remains were accounted for last September. AP
U.S. soldier killed in Korean War identified after 68 years
A U.S. soldier from northeast Ohio who was killed in the Korean War has been identified after 68 years and is to be buried with full military honors.
The Plain Dealer reports that the niece of Army Sgt. First Class Peter Simon says his remains are being returned for burial March 31 in a cemetery in the Cleveland, Ohio, suburb of Northfield.
Dolores Soltesz, of the Cleveland suburb of Maple Heights, says the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency notified her earlier this year that Simon’s remains had been identified. The agency said he was killed in action Sept. 5, 1950. His remains were found the next year but remained unidentified until this January.
Soltesz says Simon’s mother had previously provided officials with a DNA sample for identification purposes. AP