Eighty years after he died in the attack on Pearl Harbor and just months after his remains were finally identified, a California Marine has been laid to rest with full military honors.

About 50 people attended the ceremony on Tuesday for Pfc. John Franklin Middleswart at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in his hometown of San Diego.

Marines in dress blues fired a three-volley rifle salute.


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9673461/Marine-killed-Pearl-Harbor-laid-rest-California.html
Lalasticlala

Pfc. John Franklin Middleswart was killed along with more than 400 other Marines and Navy sailors aboard the battleship Oklahoma in a surprise attack by the Japanese that led the U.S. into World War II.

He was identified through mitochondrial DNA, extracted from Middleswart's bones and compared to DNA from his sister and two of his nephews.

The family was notified of the match in February.

Lt. Col. Christopher Benson, right, presents the flag that covered U.S. Marine Corps, Pfc. John Franklin Middleswart casket, to his nephew Edward Brown during the full military honors ceremony at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery Tuesday, June 8, 2021, in San Diego.

'It's the end of a journey,' said James Brown, 80, one of the nephews. 'We couldn't be happier.'

After the Pearl Harbor attack, Middleswart was officially listed as missing and presumed dead, his remains 'non-recoverable.'

His parents were sent an American flag and a Purple Heart to honor him. But not having a grave with his name on it, not having a place to mourn him, weighed on them the rest of their lives, according to family members.

His sister, Lauretta Brown, named one of her sons after him. Two of her other children, James Brown and Edward Brown, joined the Marines because of their uncle.

'We were always hoping one day they would identify him and bring him home,' James Brown said.



For nearly eight decades the remains of soldiers have been kept in unmarked graves (seen below), but a breakthrough in DNA technology means families bereaved by the tragedy finally get closure.

Only 35 of the 429 sailors and Marines aboard the Oklahoma who died were identified after the attack.

The rest of the bodies remained on the ship until it was salvaged at the end of the war.

They were then buried in mass graves in Hawaii in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

But in 2015, the Defense Department ordered the bodies to be exhumed and new DNA technology used to try and identify them and reunite them with their families.

I follow you die....I've watched pearl harbor movie over times mehn!, Make I no talk wetin dey my mind.

The labour of their Heroes past are not in vain.... Unlike Nigeria where they squeeze them into a tight coffin, and give those left to mourn them a miserable cheque of N120k.

Explorers Agbaa

If this thread no hit FP make I throway my new machete for tomorrow protest

"Nigerian" open your hearts and learn

These oyinbo are too much, they value their own

Nice one

This is what we call a country! A country that understands and respect the sanctity of her citizens.

Duru9:
If this thread no hit FP make I throway my new machete for tomorrow protest

Abeg if you by chance sight that Vulture Griller, stack am major for him skull..... lolx

These are the people who understand the sanctity of lives and service to motherland..

Can you imagine? Still value the guy after eighty years if na naija hmmmm

This is how to honour Veterans unlike

Now this is a country that works not this Sithole we reside in

Sexy camera....


Good one from US military. People that appreciate the ultimate sacrifice to fatherland.

Explorer onthe beat

Japan made a big mistake by bombing pearl harbour. The decision made US to enter the war fully.

Wow....

This is touching. Its great when you come from a great country that celebrates its heroes.

why do we fight?
A show of shame?
To butress what?
Assert Superiority?

Same Japan and USA still have bilateral agreements, citizens travel in and out of the countries. Maybe when humans stop wars within them, they'll join hands to fight the gods... Or why so much pains for what won't latter matter

A country worth dying for...

Better country

Over here they will first deny you ever died, won't make any attempt to search for your corpse or purposely let it rot away. Back in the barracks your wife and kids will be treated poorly and just one day payment will stop coming into the account.

See country na!

NIGERIA can't even recognize a fallen soldier from the civil war,wat am I saying do we have DNA data base in Naija

longetivity:
These oyinbo are too much, they value their own

that time nothing like DNA but they knew someday the remains will be identified. The white are far behind blacks in everything

chiiraq802:


Abeg if you by chance sight that Vulture Griller, stack am major for him skull..... lolx

then direct am to dey BJ queen of BMC

A country worth dying for. Unlike a certain country that I know where the government sponsors terrorism against its own citizens and members of the country's cabinet are confirmed terrorists!