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PFC Emmett L. Kines comes home to West Virginia

by Jonn Lilyea••11

Emmett L. Kines

Last month, Hondo told us that Emmett L. Kines’ remains had been identified from the battlefields of the Pacific island Betio in Tarawa, another missing Marine recovered by History Flight from among the hundreds. Today we hear that he made it home yesterday to Grafton, West Virginia;

Emmet Kines

From WeHeartWV;

On hand was his only remaining living sibling, 90-year-old Betty Huffman. She was present when his remains arrived at the Donald G. Ford Funeral Home.

Betty Huffman

She hugged her brother’s flag-draped coffin, finally reunited with her long-lost brother.

From DPAA;

Marine Pvt. Emmett L. Kines, 24, of Grafton, West Virginia, will be buried Sept. 19, in his hometown. In November 1943, Kines was assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, 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. Kines died sometime during the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943.

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11 thoughts on “PFC Emmett L. Kines comes home to West Virginia”

    1. “Every time one of these men goes home is just wonderful. I like to tell people it’s like putting a little bit of America back into America. “It’s important to give closure to the family, and to also restore the dignity of the missing individual. So we are very pleased that Emmett Kines is back where he belongs.”–Mark Noah, founder of History Flight

      So are we. Welcome home, Emmett.

      1. PFC Kines is now where he rightly belongs, on friendly home soil. Welcome home, Grunt. You were gone but never forgotten.

  3. Welcome home, soldier.
    Our hearts are with you, Mrs. Huffman. May you find comfort from the God of all Comfort.

  8. I saw that picture of his sister at the funeral home and suddenly my eyes watered – wife must be chopping onions. Or it just got real dusty in here.

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