Tarawa Cemetery 15

The isolated grave of PFC Robert James Lawrence (A/1/18th Marines) of Big Rock, Illinois. PFC Lawrence’s battalion was a combat engineer outfit, and he trained as a flamethrower operator. Tarawa was his first battle: Lawrence had only been in uniform for nine months when he died on 20 November 1943.

Interestingly, while PFC Lawrence was originally reported only as “buried at Betio Island,” his Marine Corps paperwork later listed two burial locations: West Division Cemetery, Row B, Grave 16, and “Isolated Grave 15” pictured. This lone burial (seen below, photographed by LTCDR Charles Kerley in March 1944) shows a double marker – a cross and a shell casing inscribed “J. R. Lawrance” [sic] – and a rusted-out Browning Automatic Rifle. Later that year, the grave was rebuilt with the standard white cross/log border configuration typical of the Navy “beautification” project (seen above).

PFC Lawrence’s remains were located and identified by the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company. He was reburied in Lone Palm Cemetery Plot 1, Row 1, Grave 18 on 19 March 1946, and ultimately returned to his family.

Note: Lawrence’s date of burial in Lone Palm suggests that he was actually buried here at Cemetery 15. The 604th QMGRC did not begin operations at West Division/Cemetery 11 until 8 April 1946.