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Initiatives

Research articles, visualizations, and mapping of burials.

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2 thoughts on “Initiatives”

  1. My grandpa, Robert Canavan, enlisted in the USCG at the start of World War II. He was on an anti-submarine patrol in the waters of Iron Bottom Sound between Florida Island and Savo Island the night of 18AUG42. His Higgins boat (LCP) was ambushed by an unmarked Japanese destroyer, Hagikaze. He piooted the boat with 5 other personnel; 3 USCG and 2 USMC. The two Marines were PFC George Benson and Pvt Ralph Petersen. They’re both listed as missing on your website but after doing some research this Memorial Day weekend… they’re listed as KIA and buried in Manila, Philippines at Manila American Cemetery. I found them on Naval History website… it’s a good source for researching and cross-referencing personnel.

  2. Hi Rick – thanks for your note, and for putting some extra information towards the story of that LCVP! Was your grandfather captured, or did he manage to escape? And do you know the fates of the other men aboard – whether killed in action or died in captivity? I have a good friend doing detailed research into the Guadalcanal campaign, and I think he would be very interested to hear about your grandfather’s story. Let me know if you’d like me to connect you.

    I can assure you that Benson and Petersen are still on the non-recovered list. The official list maintained by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) is regularly updated and has both men still unaccounted for: https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaOurMissing

    Their memorials at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial are cenotaphs on the Walls of the Missing:
    https://www.abmc.gov/decedent-search/petersen%3Dralph-0
    https://www.abmc.gov/decedent-search/benson%3Dgeorge-0

    (You’ll notice the dates of death are 7 January 1946, which was the time they were officially declared deceased.)

    Coast Guardsmen Alcorn, Stickney, and Williams are also commemorated there.
    I have some original documentation on the 1940s search for their remains – specific to Alcorn and Benson, but relevant to all aboard – if you’re interested.

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