John Paul Langan
PFC John P. “Jack” Langan served with Charlie Company, First Battalion, 6th Marines.
He was killed in action at the battle of Tarawa on 22 November 1943.
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number 485569
Current Status
Accounted For
as of 7 July 2020
Recovery Organization
History Flight 2019 Expedition
Read DPAA Press Release
History
John Langan was born in Platte Center, Nebraska on 30 January 1925. He was the third youngest of seven children born to Edward and Mary (Kamm) Langan; his siblings included Martha, Arnold, Harvey, Dolores, Kenneth, and Donald.
“Jack” grew up in Platte Center, where he attended St. Joseph’s high school. He experienced two major tragedies as a boy – Mary Langan passed in 1936, and Martha was badly injured in a home fire in 1940. She died a few days after the accident, at the young age of 24.
After this double loss, Edward left Nebraska for Idaho while the surviving Langan siblings remained near Platte Center. Jack moved to nearby Columbus with his older brother Arnold, who also became his legal guardian.
Jack was residing in Columbus when he decided to enlist in the Marine Corps
Jack enlisted on 25 November 1942 at a recruiting station in Des Moines, Iowa. He was 17 years old at the time.
Following boot camp at Recruit Depot San Diego, Private Langan was assigned to the 11th Replacement Battalion. He shipped out from the United States in the spring of 1943, and arrived in New Zealand several weeks later. Upon arrival, Langan was assigned to duty with Company C, First Battalion, 6th Marines.
Langan spent the summer and early fall of 1943 training with his new company, and advanced in rank to Private First Class before shipping out for combat.
PFC Langan’s company landed on the island of Betio, Tarawa atoll, on the night of 21 November 1943. The battalion arrived ashore at Green Beach in rubber boats, and prepared for a morning attack to the east which would turn the flank of Japanese positions and help establish contact between hard-hit and depleted units still trapped along the Red beaches.
The attack jumped off at 0800 and progressed well, however the brutal equatorial heat soon took a toll on the Marines. According to an unnamed man in C/1/6, a call for water bearers went out around 1200 hours. PFC Langan volunteered to try and reach an isolated group with a couple of canteens.
As he left cover, a Japanese machine gun opened fire and shot Jack Langan through the temple. He died instantly.
The following day, PFC Langan was buried in an unspecified cemetery on Betio. A memorial grave was later erected in Cemetery 11.
John Langan’s remains were recovered from Betio by the non-profit organization History Flight in 2019. Archaeologists excavated a burial feature known as “Row D” of Cemetery 33 and uncovered more than thirty potential Marine remains. Original burial rosters for the roll included thirty names, plus two unidentified Marines.
Langan did not appear on the original burial roster; he was likely one of the two unknowns buried in the row. His remains were handed over to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency for laboratory analysis, and the official identification was announced on 7 July 2020.
Decorations
Purple Heart
For wounds resulting in his death, 22 November 1943.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of brother, Mr. Arnold Langan.
Location Of Loss
PFC Hancock was killed at an unspecified location along Betio’s southern shore.
