Archie Newell comes home

Hondo told us that Archie Newell’s earthly remains were identified from Betio Island in June. The Capitol Journal reports that his trip home ended at Arlington National Cemetery yesterday.

A burial for Marine Corps Private Archie Newell is to take place Friday. Remains of the serviceman killed in November 1943 were identified after they were disinterred by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency from the National Memorial Cemetery in Honolulu last year.

The 22-year-old Newell was among the Marines who landed against Japanese resistance on the small island of Bertio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands. Newell was killed on the first day of the battle that killed about 1,000 Marines and sailors.

Private Newell was assigned to Company C, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division when he went to his reward.