Pfc. Stanley S. Graeser, #430453
Company C, 1st Corps Medium Tank Battalion.
Reported as Killed in Action, 11/20/43
The story of Private Graeser is poorly documented, but, thanks to the Chief Rick Stone Foundation, we are able to learn more about this young man from Ohio.
His brief life story is one of the most interesting among the men of C Company, as he is the only MIA of his unit whose remains were recovered after the war.
Stanley Graeser landed somewhere on Betio island under the heavy Japanese fire. He and his comrades made their way to the beach, to find cover behind the seawall.
He and his fellow Marines probably tried to reorganize themselves and push forward to secure a larger perimeter.
Pfc. Graeser was killed somewhere on the island, probably during the first day. The unlucky man was impossible to identify and was buried on Betio as an "unknown". He was listed as MIA until 1949.
His original grave was located by the members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) in 1946, but they were unable to identify him. His remains were moved from their original place to Tarawa's Lone Palm Cemetery.
Personnel of AGRS ascribed him the number "Unknown X-269" and transfered his remains a second time, to Hawaii in early 1947.
There, Pfc. Graeser was identified by the members of the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory in 1949.
Since the identification of his remains, Stanley Graeser rests in the Punchbowl Cemetery (Hawaii), close to his fallen brothers in arms.
His brief life story is one of the most interesting among the men of C Company, as he is the only MIA of his unit whose remains were recovered after the war.
Stanley Graeser landed somewhere on Betio island under the heavy Japanese fire. He and his comrades made their way to the beach, to find cover behind the seawall.
He and his fellow Marines probably tried to reorganize themselves and push forward to secure a larger perimeter.
Pfc. Graeser was killed somewhere on the island, probably during the first day. The unlucky man was impossible to identify and was buried on Betio as an "unknown". He was listed as MIA until 1949.
His original grave was located by the members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) in 1946, but they were unable to identify him. His remains were moved from their original place to Tarawa's Lone Palm Cemetery.
Personnel of AGRS ascribed him the number "Unknown X-269" and transfered his remains a second time, to Hawaii in early 1947.
There, Pfc. Graeser was identified by the members of the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory in 1949.
Since the identification of his remains, Stanley Graeser rests in the Punchbowl Cemetery (Hawaii), close to his fallen brothers in arms.
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