A U.S. Marine who served and died during World War II finally returned home to Red Bluff, California after being lost for the better part of a century. PFC Thomas Frank Johnson was laid to rest in the Northern California Veterans Cemetery in Igo on Nov. 23, some 77 years after his death during the Battle of Tarawa.
Johnson’s remains were received by his family and community just a few days before his procession at the Depart Hoyt-Cole Chapel of Flowers on Monday. Johnson received full military honors and nonprofit organization Honoring Our Fallen assisted his surviving family with the funeral proceedings.
Johnson’s brother and fellow Marine, Hugh, is also believed to have died during the Battle of Tarawa. Hugh is among the 72,000 Americans killed in WWII whose remains are still unaccounted for, according to the federal Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.
The Battle of Tarawa, 1943
In late November of 1943, U.S. Marines stormed the beaches of the Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands as the first step in an overall effort to liberate the Central Pacific from Imperial Japan.
Some 18,000 Marines, including Johnson, made up the invasion force and were expected to easily overtake the 4,600 Japanese defenders. However, an imprecise aerial bombing campaign, adverse weather, and stout fortifications turned what was supposed to be a quick capture into one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific theater.
What’s now known as the Battle of Tarawa lasted 76 hours despite overwhelming allied numbers and dwindling Japanese supplies. Defending fortifications and artillery survived the aerial bombardment and hindered the Marines’ amphibious assault. Strong currents kept landing craft from reaching the shores of the atoll, so Marines were forced to wade through rough waters while facing enemy fire.
A vanguard force of 6,000 Marines was able to capture and hold a beachhead through the night, eventually paving the way for the remaining invasion force to land on the island despite unwavering resistance.
Once the situation was deemed hopeless by Japanese defenders, a final banzai charge was ordered in an effort to inflict as much damage to the invading Marines. Of the 4,600 defenders, 17 survived.
Throughout the course of the battle, over 3,000 Marines were killed or wounded.
Author: Christian Southards
Coming from a family with a proud military background and wanting to contribute his writing skills to a worthy cause, Christian began writing for the California American Legion in August of 2020. His father is a 25-year Army Veteran and his grandfather served in the Navy during Vietnam.
