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Harry Elliott Lanchett

Private Harry E. Lanchett served with Dog Company, First Battalion, 8th Marines.
He was reported missing in action at Betio, Tarawa atoll, on 21 November 1943.

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Branch

Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number 521389

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Current Status

Remains Not Recovered

Pursuit Category

This case is under Active Pursuit by the DPAA.

Capsule History

Pre-War Life

Birth

September 21, 1924
at Wayne, MI

Parents

Harry F. Lanchett
Hilda Mae (Steinhebel) Lanchett

Education

Henry Ford Trade School (1942)

Occupation & Employer

Details unknown

Service Life

Entered Service

December 11, 1942
at Detroit, MI

Home Of Record

35014 Ash Street
Wayne, MI

Next Of Kin

Father, Mr. Harry Lanchett

Military Specialty

Primary Unit

D/1/8th Marines

Campaigns Served

Tarawa

Individual Decorations

Purple Heart

Additional Service Details

Loss And Burial

Circumstances Of Loss

Private Harry Lanchett served with Dog Company, 8th Marines, during the the battle for Tarawa.

At midday on 20 November 1943, BLT 1-8 climbed over the sides of their transport ships and boarded LCVPs in Tarawa lagoon. They anticipated imminent landing orders, but due to the desperate situation on the beach were held offshore in their little boats, bobbing in the waves for the rest of the day and a very long night. Early on 21 November, they were ordered to land on Betio’s Beach Red 2.

At 0615, the first waves of 1-8 rushed down the ramps and into the breaking surf on a coral reef some 500 yards from shore. Although friendly troops held the water’s edge, they “immediately came under heavy machine gun fire from both flanks.” The battalion was decimated on the long walk to shore. An action report penned by the 8th Marines noted that “many of the casualties resulted from drowning, due to the heavy packs and equipment men attempted to take across the submerged fringing reef.”

The Dog Company Marines, many of them weighed down by crew-serviced weapons and heavy ammunition, were especially hard-hit; Private Lanchett was last seen alive during the landing operation. When the battle ended, he was officially noted as “missing in action” – a status that was soon amended to “killed in action.”

Burial Information or Disposition

None recorded; reported as missing in action.

A memorial marker was erected in Cemetery 33, Plot 15, Row 2, Grave 1.

Next Of Kin Address

Address of father, Mr. Harry F. Lanchett.

Location Of Loss

Private Lanchett’s battalion landed in the vicinity of Beach Red 2, Betio.

Gallery

Betio Casualties From This Company​

(Recently accounted for or still non-recovered)
*Although BLT 1-8 did not land until 21 November, the official date of death for some personnel is given as 20 November 1943.
The reasons for this discrepancy are not known.
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