"Makin Raid" Mass Grave Recovery on Makin Island
Central Identification Laboratory Hawaii (CILHI)

Makin Raiders
On August 17, 1942 at 3:30am two submarines USS Argonaut (SM-1) and USS Nautilus (SS-168) surfaced off Makin and deployed rubber rafts with outboard engines to land U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) 2nd Raider Battalion including Company A and Company B led by Col. Evans Carlson landed on Makin Island. This was the first Marine operation launched from submarines. Also, the first significant U.S. military action against Japanese occupied territory in the Gilbert Islands.

The "Makin Raid" was to disrupt the enemy, destroy installations and divert reinforcements to Guadalcanal. The Raiders claimed 83 Japanese killed and destroyed installations, two small ships and two flying boats by Boys Anti-Tank rifle fired by Sgt Buck Stidham and Sgt Walter Carroll.

On August 18, 1942 by midnight, the Marines were forced to evacuate in the face of Japanese air attacks and reinforcements. They used the same rafts to return to the submarines and were forced to leave their dead behind. A total of nineteen Marines were officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Afterwards, the dead Marines were buried in a mass grave by Gilbertese islanders under the direction of the Japanese.

Marines Missing In Action (MIA) on Makin Raid
A total of nineteen Marines were officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). A dozen were believed to have been killed during the raid. Nine others were believed to have been captured and became Prisoners Of War (POW) then executed on Kwajelein Atoll.

Captain Gerald P. Holtom, O-007549 (MIA / KIA, BR) CA
Sgt Clyde A. Thomason, Jr., 246433 (MIA / KIA, BR) GA earned Medal of Honor, posthumously
FM1 Vernon Leroy Castle, 307868 (MIA / KIA, BR) CA
Cpl I. B. Earles, 293609 (MIA / KIA, BR) CA
Cpl Daniel Albert Gaston, 340727 (MIA / KIA, BR) TX
Cpl Harris J. Johnson, 334067 (MIA / KIA, BR) MN
Cpl Kenneth Kirk Kunkle, 268716 (MIA / KIA, BR) CA
Cpl Edward Maciejewski, 299149 (MIA / KIA, BR) IL
Cpl Robert B. Pearson, 275291 (MIA / KIA, BR) OR
Cpl Mason O. Yarbrough, 309064 (MIA / KIA, BR) MO
Pfc William A. Gallagher, 307593 (MIA / KIA, BR) CA
Pfc Ashley Warren Hicks, 345385 (MIA / KIA, BR) CA
Pfc Kenneth M. Montgomery, 305326 (MIA / KIA, BR) IL
Pfc Norman W. Mortensen, 326651 (MIA / KIA, BR) WI
Pfc John E. Vandenberg, 335768 (MIA / KIA, BR) CA
Pvt Carlyle Oscar Larson, 346391 (MIA / KIA, BR) MN
Pvt Robert B. Maulding, 337436 (MIA / KIA, BR) CA
Pvt Franklin M. Nodland, 333878 (MIA / KIA, BR) IA
Pvt Charles Austin Selby, 326661 (MIA / KIA, BR) WI

Mass Grave
After the battle, the dead Marines were buried in a mass grave wearing their equipment on Makin Island (Butaritari). The burial was conducted by the local chief supervised by the Japanese.

Recovery of Remains by U.S. Army CILHI
During January 1999, a team from U.S. Army CILHI visited Makin Island to search for the Marines mass grave. In May 1999 an excavation resulted in nothing. With the help of the local village chief, Bureimoa Tokarei who witnessed their burial and helped the team find the locaiton. During November 1999 and December 1999 the team returned to excavated the mass grave and recover the remains of all nineteen Marines. In total, U.S. Army CILHI conducted three missions to Makin Island. During 2000, each individual Marine was officially identified and accounted for with their status changed to recovered. Each Marine was laid to rest fifty-nine years later on August 17, 2001.

Memorials
The Marines Missing In Action (MIA) from the "Makin Raid" were officially declared dead August 17, 1942. Each Marine earned the Purple Heart, posthumously.

Each Marine is memorialized at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing. Castle and Gallagher on court 2. Holtom, Thomason (with gold inlay indicating he earned the Medal of Honor), Johnson, Kunkle, Maciejewski, Yarbrough, Hicks, Montgomery, Mortensen, Vandenberg, Larson, Maulding, Nodland and Selby on court 4. After each Marine was identified, a rosette was added next to their name indicating each individual was accounted for.

After the recovery of remains, the Marines were laid to rest fifty-nine years later on August 17, 2001 at Arlington National Cemetery in a group burial at section 60 site 8036. The front of the grave has the inscription † United States Marine Corps with the names of each Marines and their date of death August 17, 1942. The rear of the grave reads "2d Marine Raider Battalion Raid Butaritari Island - Makin Atoll 17-18 August 1942" with the insignia of the United States Marine Raiders.

Holtom also has an individual grave at Arlington National Cemetery at section 60 site 8035.

Thomason also has an individual grave (with gold inlay indicating he earned the Medal of Honor) at Arlington National Cemetery at section 60 site 8037. He also has a memorial marker at Sandy Springs United Methodist Cemetery in Sandy Springs, GA.

Castle also has an individual grave at Arlington National Cemetery at section 60 site 8034.

Earles also has a memorial marker at Tulare Cemetery in Tulare, CA.

Kunkle also has a memorial marker at Mountain Home Cemetery in Mountain Home, AR.

Larson also has a memorial marker at Glenwood Lutheran Cemetery in Glenwood, MN his epitaphs reads: "Member of 'The Carlson Raiders' Lost In Action on Makin Island 1918–1942". On May 13, 1945 a memorial service was held at Luther College in the C.K. Preus Gymnasium.

Selby also has a memorial marker at Holy Family Catholic Cemetery in Ontonagon, MI.

References
Makin Recovery and Identifications interview archaeologist Dr. Robert Mann duration 5:13 AWON Conference 2000
Arlington National Cemetery ANC Explorer - 2d Marine Raider Battalion Group Burial section 60 site 8035 (grave photos)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Gerald P. Holtom
Arlington National Cemetery ANC Explorer - Gerald P. Holtom (grave photos)
FindAGrave - Capt Gerald Price Holtom (photos, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Capt Gerald Price Holtom (photo, group burial Arlington Cemetery photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Clyde Thomason
Arlington National Cemetery ANC Explorer - Clyde Thomason (grave photos)
FindAGrave - Sgt Clyde Aristide Thomason Jr. (photo, courts of the missing)
FindAGrave - SGT Clyde Aristide Thomason Jr. (photo, Arlington National Cemetery photo)
FindAGrave - Sgt Clyde Aristide Thomason Jr. (photo, Sandy Springs United Methodist Cemetery memorial marker photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Vernon Leroy Castle
Arlington National Cemetery ANC Explorer - Vernon L. Castle (grave photos)
FindAGrave - FMusCorp Vernon Leroy Castle (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Vernon Leroy Castle (photo, group burial Arlington Cemetery photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - I. B. Earles
FindAGrave - CPL I B Earles (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - CPL I B Earles (photo, memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - CPL I B Earles (photo, group burial photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Daniel Albert Gaston
FindAGrave - CPL Daniel Albert Gaston (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - CPL Daniel Albert Gaston (photo, group burial photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harris J. Johnson
FindAGrave - CPL Harris Jonathan Johnson (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - CPL Harris Jonathan Johnson (photo, group burial photo)
FindAGrave - CPL Harris Jonathan Johnson (memorial marker photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Kenneth Kirk Kunkle
FindAGrave - CPL Kenneth Kirk Kunkle (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - CPL Kenneth Kirk Kunkle (photo, group burial photo)
FindAGrave - CPL Kenneth Kirk Kunkle (memorial marker photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Edward Maciejewski
FindAGrave - CPL Edward Maciejewski (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - CPL Edward Maciejewski (photo, group burial photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert B. Pearson
FindAGrave - CPL Robert Brooks Pearson (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - CPL Robert Brooks Pearson (photo, group burial photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Mason O. Yarbrough
FindAGrave - CPL Mason Opel Yarbrough (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - CPL Mason Opel “Slim” Yarbrough (photo, group burial photo)
FindAGrave - CPL Mason Opel “Slim” Yarbrough (photo, memorial marker photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William A. Gallagher
FindAGrave - PFC William Albert Gallagher (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - PFC William Albert Gallagher (photo, group burial photo)
FindAGrave - William Albert Gallagher (photo, memorial marker photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Ashley Warren Hicks
FindAGrave - PFC Ashley Warren Hicks (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - PFC Ashley Warren Hicks (photo, group burial photo)
FindAGrave - PFC Ashley Warren Hicks (photo, memorial marker photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Kenneth M. Montgomery
FindAGrave - PFC Kenneth Maurice Montgomery (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - PFC Kenneth Maurice Montgomery (photo, group burial photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Norman W. Mortensen
FindAGrave - PFC Norman Warren Mortensen (photo, courts of the missing photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John E. Vandenberg
FindAGrave - PFC John Eugene Vandenberg (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - PFC John Eugene Vandenberg (photo, group burial photo)
FindAGrave - PFC John Eugene Vandenberg (photo, memorial marker photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Carlyle Oscar Larson
FindAGrave - PVT Carlyle Oscar Larson (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Pvt Carlyle Oscar Larson (photo, group burial photo)
FindAGrave - Pvt Carlyle Oscar Larson (memorial marker photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert B. Maulding
FindAGrave - PVT Robert Benton Maulding (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Pvt Robert Benton Maulding (photo, group burial photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Franklin M. Nodland
FindAGrave - PVT Franklin Merrill Nodland (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Pvt Franklin Merrill Nodland (photo, group burial photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles Austin Selby
FindAGrave - Pvt Charles Austin Selby (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Pvt Charles Austin Selby (photo, group burial photo)
FindAGrave - PVT Charles Austin Selby (memorial marker photo)
Arlington National Cemetery Website - Marine Corps Raiders Home At Last
Thanks to U.S. Army CILHI Dr. Robert Mann for additional information

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