Joseph John Bruno
PFC Joseph J. Bruno served with Headquarters Company, 3rd Marine Division.
He was killed in action at Bougainville on 24 November 1943.
Branch
Marine Corps Regular
Service Number 813123
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered.
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
April 1, 1923
at New Orleans, LA
Parents
Joseph Stephen Bruno
Eulalie (Anglada) Bruno
Education
Details unknown
Occupation & Employer
Higgins Industries
Industrial Canal Plant
Service Life
Entered Service
January 6, 1943
at New Orleans, LA
Home Of Record
1500 North Dorgenois Street
New Orleans, LA
Next Of Kin
Mother, Mrs. Eulalie Bruno
Military Specialty
Bandsman
Primary Unit
Band Section, HQ Company
3rd Marine Division
Campaigns Served
Bougainville
Individual Decorations
Purple Heart
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
PFC Joseph Bruno served with Headquarters Company, 3rd Marine Division during the Bougainville campaign. In camp, he was a musician with the division band – but in combat, most “bandsmen” were assigned to duty as needed. Often they were attached to the medical sections of combat units: Captain (MO) Horace Wolf of the 21st Marines commented that “the band musicians made brave stretcher bearers” on Bougainville.
Bruno may have been serving in this capacity on 24 November 1943 when he was killed in action by multiple gunshot wounds. He died at 1400 hours; few other details of his death are available.
Burial Information or Disposition
Bruno’s burial history is unusually long and complex.
Three days after his death, the Marine was buried in the field – presumably somewhere close to the spot where he died. On 9 December 1943, this grave was exhumed and the remains reinterred. The first official Report Of Interment (ROI), dated 28 March 1944, notes that Bruno was moved from “Marine Corps Cemetery #3, Row 6, Grave 11” to “Bougainville Cemetery” Plot C, Row 18, Grave 2.
On 13 March 1945, the remains were moved to USAF Cemetery New Georgia (Plot 44, Row 1, Grave 9), and finally to USAF Cemetery #5, Finschhafen (Grave 1022) on 23 November 1945. A sixth and final disinterment was made after the war; all remains from the Finschhafen cemeteries were relocated to Manila for final identification and disposition.
At this point, a mistake was discovered: the remains long thought to be Joseph Bruno could not be conclusively proven as his. The exact reasons for this decision are not clear; available evidence suggests that the remains belonged to someone else, but the historical record is frustratingly vague on specifics. Bruno was ultimately declared non-recoverable. Today, he may be among the unknowns buried in the Manila American Cemetery, or he may still lie somewhere on Bougainville.
Memorials
Next Of Kin Address
Address of mother, Mrs. Eulalie Bruno.
Location Of Loss
PFC Bruno was killed in action at an unspecified location near Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville.
