Tarawa Cemetery 4

A small “beautified” cemetery, with markers denoting two unknown individuals, plus PFC Robert C. Johnson and PFC Charles W. Ford.  Johnson and Ford were both reported as missing in action following the battle.

The 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company recovered remains from this location in March of 1946 and interred them close together in Plot 1, Row 5, Lone Palm Cemetery. At the time, only Johnson’s remains could be positively identified. The rest – including Ford – were designated as unknowns.

Later analysis at the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii confirmed the identities of PFC Ford (Betio Unknown X-86) and PFC Rondus T. Winters (Betio Unknown X-85A). An additional set of remains – consisting of a right arm and pair of legs – was segregated from Winters and designated Betio X-85B.

X-84 and X-85B have yet to be identified.