History Club
Military history and past events only. Rants or inflamitory comments will be removed.
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Alexander Bonnyman WWII USMC MOH - Located
GSPatton
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California, United States
Member Since: September 04, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, July 01, 2015 - 03:04 AM UTC
In Highland Memorial Park in Knoxville, Tenn., a large marble headstone stands in honor of 1st Lt. Alexander "Sandy" Bonnyman Jr., a Marine killed in action Nov. 22, 1943, during World War II's Battle of Tarawa.

Etched upon its surface, the only reference to the empty earth beneath it, are the words "buried at sea."

For nearly 70 years, Bonnyman's family -- members of which now live in Boulder County -- remembered the handsome, adventurous man they had lost with what few artifacts they had left: his Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously for his efforts to hold back a Japanese counterattack; a large portrait, commissioned from an Italian oil painter; and a few black-and-white photographs taken during the assault on Betio.

After his death, the military issued a letter stating that most of the Tarawa war dead were presumed lost at sea near the island.

But without conclusive proof that Bonnyman was among them, his family began a decades-long campaign to procure information about their beloved soldier's final resting place.

It's a campaign that now, finally, has come to an end.

JPTRR
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RAILROAD MODELING
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Tennessee, United States
Member Since: December 21, 2002
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Posted: Friday, July 03, 2015 - 08:56 AM UTC
Welcome home, Marine.