Posted on 11/18/2017 7:13:13 PM PST by nickcarraway
The remains of a World War II Marine who was killed in the South Pacific arrived at San Jose International Airport Friday to be returned to his family in Gilroy.
The Masoni family has waited since 1943 for Frank Masoni to return home.
Masoni was a Marine cook in the South Pacific but was sent into action and killed in the battle of Tarawa.
His family thought his body was never recovered until the military conducted a DNA test matching it to an unknown Marine buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. Turns out, it was Masoni.
"A moment that my dad never believed would ever happen in his lifetime," said Frank Masoni's niece, Lanna Sandoval.
On Friday, with full military honors, Masoni's casket was guided by the Patriot Motorcycle Club as firefighters manned every overpass from San Jose to Gilroy, saluting the fallen Marine.
"It's nice to know our missing veterans are still being looked for and found and returned to their families," said Mike Cabael from the Patriots Motorcycle Club.
Welcome home!
Well done .
As the son of a WWII vet, I say bravo and welcome home!
The U.S. wasn’t even in the war until late 1941.
Every Marine a rifleman. RIP.
My dad taught me to draw MR Gilroy when I was very young. Good memory. Thanks
“As the son of a WWII vet, I say bravo and welcome home”!
Same here.
My Dad’s best friend was killed at Tarawa.
“The U.S. wasn’t even in the war until late 1941.”
I guess they count the volunteers who went to England, and such.
3 killed, 43 wounded, one naval craft sunk December 12, 1937. Japanese aerial bombardment.
Captain Robert Moffat Losey killed April 21, 1940. German aerial bombardment.
11 killed, 22 injured October 17, 1941 when a German submarine defended itself from an unprovoked attack by an American warship.
7 officers, 93 enlisted personnel killed, one ship lost while engaged in action against a German submarine, October 31, 1941.
The U.S. wasn’t even in the war until late 1941.
= = = = = = = = = =
Officially as per politicians etc
The USS Reuben James (DD-245) and the many USN ships that were convoy escorts
may have an ‘argument’ with you over that one
(Yes, Nov is late 41 but I will presume you are referring to Pearl Harbor)
Of course ‘they’ were willing to say that all those that served in VN from WWII to Gulf of Tonkin were never there either as the personnel in Laos & Thailand etal..
Finally got recognition but the USG acted like we never existed till the 2003 or so era...
Typically it takes the Govt 50 or so years to admit they MAY have been mistaken and will NEVER admit they were wrong. <: <:
1943 came -after- 1941.
I had the honor of attending the wake of another Marine found in the same common grave as Marine Masoni. DNA has been used to connect families to the remains. If you lost a blood relative Marine at Tarawa contact the Marine Corps and ask to have your DNA compared to the remains they have found.
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