Tarawa Cemetery 19

The isolated grave of Sergeant Leroy Rudolph Richter (K/3/2nd Marines). Sergeant Richter was killed in action on 20 November 1943; however, while his unit was able to confirm his death, his Marine Corps records lacked further information as to the circumstances of his burial.

Richter’s grave was located by the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company in 1946. Although he was the only Marine buried in the vicinity, the 604th could not conclusively prove his identity – suggesting possible damage to his grave marker, and a lack of ID tags or other clues on his remains. He was buried as an unknown in Lone Palm Cemetery, Plot 1 Row 2 Grave 6, on 21 March 1946.

Sergeant Richter arrived in Hawaii as Betio Unknown X-27. However, he was one of the early cases handled at the Central Identification Laboratory, and his identification was confirmed on 27 January 1947.