USMC Makin Raiders MIA Recovery

Makin Raiders History
The 2nd Marine Raiders Battalion lead by Col. Evans Carlson attacked Makin Island on 17 August 1942 raid on the island, the first combat launched from a submarines (USS Nautilus and the USS Argonaut) to pin down Japanese forces and was significant as the first U.S. military action held against the Japanese-held territory in the Eastern pacific.
The Marines succeeded im killing over eighty Japanese, and destroying a two seaplanes and two small ships before a larger force of Japanese arrived to respond, and forced them to retreat.

Marine MIAs on Makin
Official records listed that 19 Marines were buried by the local chief in a mass grave, with all their equipment. 12 were listed as MIA, with nine are believed to have been captured and executed on Kwajelein Atoll. Thanks to Daniel Leahy for list of Marines:

Capt Gerald P Holton, 0-7549
Sgt Clyde Thomason, 246433
FM Cpl Vernon Leroy Castle, 307868
Cpl I B Earles, 293609
Cpl Daniel Albert Gaston, 340727
Cpl Harris J Johnson, 334067
Cpl Kenneth Kirk Kunkle, 268716
Cpl Edward Maciejewski, 299149
Cpl Robert B Pearson, 275291
Cpl Mason O Yarbrough, 309064
PFC William A Gallagher, 307593
PFC Ashley Warren Hicks, 345385
PFC Kenneth M Montgomery, 305326
PFC Norman W Mortensen, 326651
PFC John E Vandenberg, 335768
Pvt Carlyle Oscar Larson, 346391
Pvt Robert B Maulding, 337436
Pvt Franklin M Nodland, 333878
Pvt Charles Austin Selby, 326661

CILHI Recovery
(January 1999) With the help of the local village chief who witnessed the burial, and three missions to the island, CILHI located the mass grave of the 19 MIA.

Recovery Photos

Remains, artifacts and ID tags were located Sketch of site Use of dental records for forensic identification

Audio Interview

Makin Recovery & Identifications Interview with Robert Mann (Duration 5:13 Size 1.19megs) Requires Free Quicktime Player, Recorded at the 2000 AWON Conference

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