The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, unaccounted for since World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Marine Corps Pfc.Wilbur C. Mattern, 23, of Oelwein, Iowa, will be buried Nov. 21, in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C. In November 1943, Mattern was assigned to Company M, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Mattern died on the second day of the battle, Nov. 21, 1943.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio, but Mattern’s remains were not recovered. On Feb. 28, 1949, a military review board declared Mattern’s remains non-recoverable.
In June 2015, a nongovernmental organization, History Flight, Inc., notified DPAA that they discovered a burial site on Betio Island and recovered the remains of what they believed were 35 U.S. Marines who fought during the battle in November 1943. The remains were turned over to DPAA in July 2015.
To identify Mattern’s remains, scientists from DPAA used laboratory analysis, including dental comparison, which matched Mattern’s records, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
DPAA is appreciative to History Flight, Inc. and their partnership for this recovery mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war.
Story Originally published HERE.
Sgt Grit wants to hear from you! Leave your comments below or submit your own story!
Sgt. Grit, can’t you tell this photo is not a Marine? I don’t think there are Marines at this site, just merchants making a buck.
this is not a picture of a marine.It is a picture of a army soldier.
Looks like someone got a foto mixed up. Looks like an Army soldier to me.
anytime a United States Serviceman can be identified and his family given closure it is good- and even if this post caters to Marines- an Army or any other person fighting on our side – gets my support.
I was proud to have served in the Mike company third Battalion Marines in the bay of pigs and keep up the tradition of the Gilbert I am in Marines
I thought the same thing when I looked at the picture. No eagle, globe and anchor on the barracks cap!
he was a Marine, he served 4 years in the Army first then enlisted in the Marines.
They should post your clarification with the story. Thanks and Semper Fi
I know I should have posted the link. ok, here is the link to the story: http://washington.carpediem.cd/events/1000351-wilbur-clyde-mattern-reinterment-at-arlington-national-cemetery/ Semper Fi
It wasn’t uncommon in the 1930s-40s: Sergeant Basilone also spent three years in the Army before enlisting in the Marines.
None the less, Army, Marine, he is an American Serviceman. If he gets brought home and buried in Arlington….SEMPER FI!
Well said brother! SEMPER FI!
As a former active duty Marine, I totally agree with the previous comments. Unless Word War II Marines wore Army- issued gear (uniform), the young man in that photo is NOT a MARINE! (USMC SGT. E-5, STILL A PROUD MARINE!)
We all make mistakes in life.
Burke who the fuck you think you are making a comment that the Merchant Marines were in for the money Fuck you and that pusy you slid out of.
Ya know, my Dad was a Marine, who fought in the South Pacific during WWII. I don’t think he would have resented PFC Mattern fighting next to him then and I don’t now. Sgt Jim Gardner, USMC ’66-’70
As a Marine ,0311, I am distressed that you displayed a photo of a U S Army Soldier,no disrespect, in fact as I read the story, I thought maybe this Marine was in the National Guard before the war, but having seen no evidence of this, the only conclusion I come to is who the hell posted this photo? This is not a photo of a US Marine! DO YOU FOLKS KNOW THE DIFFERENCE, explain yourselves! You run a site and a business for US Mrines ! You should know the difference!
He was in the Army, then enlisted with USMC. Story: http://washington.carpediem.cd/events/1000351-wilbur-clyde-mattern-reinterment-at-arlington-national-cemetery/
Gentlemen, if I may call you that, this soldier was missing to his family and the world, unaccounted for since 1943. He served his nation with distinction. What does it matter that the photo shows him in an Army uniform. It just means someone made a mistake. Just be thankful he’s home on his native soil. As for Mr. Mahon, do you really have to talk that smack on this site, shows little if any class.
I CANNOT AGREE WITH JOHN CARR’S STATMENT. TO ERROR IS HUMAN, TO FORGIVE IS DEVINE,NEITHER OF WHICH BEING MARINE CORPS POLICY. IN KOREA, AFTER CHOSIN WE WERE ISSUED ARMY UTILITYS AS 1 ST DIVISION MARINES WE REALLY LOOKED LIKE RAGGERD ASSED MARIMES.
Just noticed what is up, the mailing address has changed! What is the story? Has the store moved also? How bout you at Grit telling us what the real story is, do not need to hear it from the third shitter on the left! Last note is the staff or anyone above the janitor reading this or proofing the content?
At Ease! Anyone think to check the link before jumping Sgt Grit. The photo is what DOD POW/MIA site forwarded with the story. Not that a DOD agency could ever make a mistake.
I, like many other who have commented on this post, agree that the identification of this brave young man is something to be honored, but we all know that the attached photo is not a United States Marine. I understand that some Marines were issued Army equipment and utilities following the war, but I find it hard to believe that they would have issued an Army dress green uniform to a Marine at any time. If I am wrong on this, I am sure I will be corrected by many who may be more insightful than I am on this subject. I am a generation away from WWII, the son of an Army-Air Corps WWII veteran and I am a proud Viet Nam era U.S. Marine Corps veteran. I will also make my statement in regard to Darrel Mahon’s vulgar and say that I am in total agreement with Gunny AJ’s response to it. Vulgarity is not called for. Let’s show some class Mahon. Semper Fi………..
FYI – SGT GRIT was purchased a several months back by NLC. NLC is Nite Lite Company, they are a “Mail Order House” with their main facilities (Warehousing) in Clarksville, Arkansas. If memory serves me right they originally started out selling Hunting Dogs and Coon Hunting equipment. They morphed into other area of hunting merchandising and now it looks like they’re going into other area ala Sgt Grit and who knows what, They have a P O Box in Little Rock, AR, most probably a small administrative office. Their Clarksville facility is on I-40 West, right past the 158 Exit. Only time will tell how they service our brotherhood. Remember most of their products probably come from China and they re-sell it and make a profit. I believe the term is called Capitalism. Semper Fi – David Skelton, USMC 1960-1965
Too bad, Sgt. Grit. You performed a fine service up until the end (cowardly way to go, though – guess you got an extra buck or so not to do the decent thing and let us know you sold out.) You can just piss off, NLC. Moving this to my junk mail and the catalog goes in the trash. I’ll just go to the Marine Corps Museum and MCA&F from now on. Thanks for letting us know Skelton – salute to you and finger to Grit/NLC.
The new owners of Sgt Grit don’t have a clue who Chesty is! I’m done!!!
Bunch of Arkansas goobers ! The kind of ignorant people that call Marines soldiers. Too bad, Grit you let us down. Richard Pearson Sgt 69-73
Where is the Semper Fi in bailing out without letting your Marines know?
He served 4 years in the Army, then enlisted in the USMC.
If the real Sgt.Grit is out there…….we miss you and I hope you are enjoying retirement. Things are a lot different since you sold the business. Customer service and quality have gone south. The folks in OKC were first class and I miss them. I hope they are all doing well.
I enjoyed it while it lasted. This new format is for the birds. It’s always about the money, isn’t it. I’ll miss the stories, not the site.
I agree with you Dave. I liked the old format much more myself……….
Hey Daniel Marso, Put the bravado aside and show some respect. While your at it shitbird just eat a bag of dicks. Regardless of branch he’s a brother with a family.
I served with M-3-8 from June 1961 to July 1962. There was a ribbon on our Guydon for the service that our unit fought for in WW2. I like this format except it’s hard to see what you are writing. God Bless all Marines everywhere and thank God this Marine was brought back home.
Fellow Marine brothers,we are all hard-nosed, die-hard, hard-core, trained to do or die, but lets not forget Sgt.Grit newsletter is read by many others not use to our expressions nor our lingo that may be misconstrue.
Sgt Grit, Please go back to the old format for your newsletter.
To Pfc.Wilbur C. Mattern, welcome home, brother. May you finally rest in peace among your brothers and may your family finally have the piece of mind that comes with knowing that you are home. Semper Fi, Marine.
Sgt. Grit sold out and didn’t tell us Marines that supported his store and paid his bills? I should have known something was up when I ordered two Marine Corps flags and received tissue paper thin made in China knock offs. Shame on you!!!!
PLEASE GRIT, SAY IT AIN’T SO???
HAVE YOU LEFT US TO ‘PICK $#!T WITH THE CHICKENS IN ‘ARKIN-SAW’???
THE LEAST YOU CAN DO IS SEND OUT A ‘LETTER OF APOLOGY’, EH WHOT??
I WON’T HOLD MY BREATH, BUT I WILL RETAIN MY ‘FINAL JUDGEMENT’,
“UNTIL THAT TIME, HUSTIS!” (Steve McQueen/”Soldier in the Rain’)
OttoMan/aka’HAR-DON’
PLEASE BRING BACK GySgt. F. L. Rousseau, USMC Retired, DDICK, SHORT ROUNDS, QUOTES, and All the GOOD Stories!!!!!
Reply to Robert T.
DITTO!
Semper Fi!
Now I discover we loyal viewer’s are screwed AGAIN! WTH happened to the newsletter’s photo magnification capability?! Previously, whenever we clicked-on-a-flic, it enlarged for better viewing!…..ESPECIALLY needed by we Old Corps Marines! Is it possible to screw us even more?!
AS usual I’m a week or so late and behind the curve but upon reading Mr. Mumford’s comments I checked out the MCA&F store because I was curious and I am considering a Corps flag and I don’t want one made in China. The MCA&F store has flags cheaper than Grit and made in the USA. That sold me on moving on to a different store. The newsletter……well I agree with Robert T. on bringing back Gunny Rousseau, my Drill Instructor DDick and all the rest.
Take me off your mailing list !! as I was reading about your business,being sold and I will not buy from you. the new people who took over don’t seem to care for the Marines, who were buying from Sgt Grit ? My name is Victor H Lackey Sgt USMC Jan 1966 to Jan 1970 Thank you