WWII Marine Finally Laid to Rest at Arlington, 73 Years After His Death
The Long Search
Harry K. Tye, a Marine private, was killed in action during the Battle of Tarawa in 1943, one of the deadliest battles between U.S. and Japanese forces in World War II. His body was never recovered, leaving his family with decades of uncertainty and sorrow.
Tye’s family never gave up hope of finding his remains. His father traveled to Japan in search of him, and his mother wrote to Allied Military Headquarters, pleading for information. Despite their efforts, Tye’s fate remained a mystery.
A Glimmer of Hope
In 2015, a glimmer of hope emerged when representatives from History Flight, a non-profit organization that searches for missing American soldiers, contacted Tye’s great-nephew, David Tincher. They informed him that Tye’s remains had been discovered in a mass grave on Betio Island, the site of the Battle of Tarawa.
Confirmation and Identification
Tincher and other relatives provided DNA samples to confirm the identification of the body. The match was positive, and arrangements were made for Tye to receive a soldier’s burial—73 years after his death.
A Soldier’s Farewell
On Tuesday, Tye was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. His flag-draped coffin was flanked by soldiers of the Caisson Platoon of the Third Infantry Regiment, the oldest active-duty Army infantry unit in the United States. Twenty-one rounds were fired during the service, which was attended by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly.
Tye’s great-nephew, David Tincher, received a folded American flag once the service was over.
Closure for a Grieving Family
The funeral brought closure to a long and difficult chapter of uncertainty for Tye’s family. Tincher expressed his gratitude to History Flight for their tireless efforts in finding and identifying Tye’s remains.
“Every year at Christmas and his birthday, she would cry about him and say, ‘If they ever find him, bring him home and take him to Arlington,'” Tincher explained. “‘That’s where we want him to be.'”
History Flight’s Legacy
History Flight has played a crucial role in recovering the remains of missing WWII soldiers from Tarawa. In 2009, the organization used ground-penetrating radar to locate and identify over 200 U.S. Marines left behind after the war.
Their work continues to provide closure for families who have waited decades to know the fate of their loved ones.
Resources for Families of Missing Service Members
Family members looking for more information on missing American service members can visit the Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency website. This organization is dedicated to locating, identifying, and repatriating the remains of missing U.S. personnel from past conflicts.
