The Gun Counter

Researchers: 139 WWII Marines found on Tarawa

By Melissa Nelson - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Nov 26, 2008 12:01:02 EST

PENSACOLA, Fla. — A Florida man’s quest to find hundreds of Marines buried anonymously after one of World War II’s bloodiest battles could lead to the largest identification of American war dead in history.

Researchers used ground-penetrating radar, tediously reviewed thousands of military documents and interviewed hundreds of others to find 139 graves. There, they say, lie the remains of men who died 65 years ago out in the Pacific Ocean on Tarawa Atoll.

Mark Noah of Marathon, Fla., a 43-year-old commercial pilot and longtime World War II history buff, raised the $90,000 for the Tarawa work by selling rides at air shows and partnering with The American Legion, VFW and other groups. He hopes the government will investigate further after research is given to the Defense Department in January — and he hopes the remains are identified and eventually returned to the men’s families.

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