Dale Robert Geddes comes home

HMC Ret sends us the news that Dale Robert Geddes is coming home to Grand Island, Nebraska from his time on Betio Island after more than 70 years. He was killed in the battle in November 20-23, 1943 about a year after he enlisted in the Marine Corps;

Geddes’ casualty report, which was dated Oct. 18, 1949, said recovery of his remains was “improbable, if not impossible.” One reason is that his remains were buried along with others in an unmarked cemetery on the island, his family was told.

[…]

Geddes’ surviving family members were notified last year that his remains might finally be identified. Linda Elliott, of Aurora, Colorado, a great-niece of Geddes’, called the news of his identification “an unexpected gift.”

From the Omaha World-Herald;

A March 17, 1944, story in the Grand Island Independent said Geddes “had removed first-aid materials from his kit and was about to bandage his buddy’s wounds when he was hit … probably by the same sniper who wounded his buddy.”

[…]

Geddes’ closest relatives on Dale Geddes’ father’s side who still live in Hall County are the granddaughters of William G. Geddes’ siblings. They are John Robert Geddes’ granddaughters, Judy (Geddes) Arends of Grand Island, Jane (Geddes) Allan of Wood River and Carol Bryant of Grand Island.

The recovery of Mr. Geddes’ earthly remains was the result of the efforts of History Flight the organization that has taken on the task of identifying the remains of more than a thousand sets of remains on Betio.