Marine Corps Reserve PVT William Edward Rambo, 20, killed in World War II, was finally returned to his family and, on April 4, 2022, laid to rest - in American soil - with full military honors.
Born June 9, 1923, in Hanna, Indiana, Billy was the youngest of three children blessed to the union of Hoosier natives, Paul and Frieda Ophelia (nee Toyne) Rambo.
Mr and Mrs Rambo were devout in their faith and Lloyd George, Phyllis Jean and little Billy were baptized at Bethany Lutheran Church in LaPorte; Billy's taking place on May 6, 1935 at 11 years old. While attending LaPorte High School, this natural athlete would was active in the Axe Club, Varsity and Reserve Football, Freshman and Intramural Basketball, Track and the Purdue Round-Up.
The June following his graduation with the Class of '42, 19-year-old Rambo registered for the draft. At the time, the 5' 11", 203 pound, fair skinned, blue eyed, brunette was working at Allis Chalmers. In an odd twist of fate, Billy would leave the safety of his family's home at 205 F Street on November 20, 1942 and travel to Chicago to enlist in the Marine Corps Reserves. Soon after he took a long train ride west to complete training in San Diego before shipping out into the Pacific Theater – Destination: Wellington, New Zealand – where Private Rambo's unit would await orders on what would be Billy's first and only battle.
Private Rambo was with his brothers in Hotel Company, 2nd Battalion of the 8th Marines (H-2/8) when they landed on Betio as part of Operation: GALVANIC. The mission of the 2nd Marine Division was to secure the island in order to control the Japanese airstrip in the Tarawa Atoll; thereby preventing the Japanese Imperial forces from getting closer to the United States, and enabling US forces to get closer to mainland Japan. It would become one of the bloodiest battles in the Corps history.
It was November 20, 1943 (D-Day of the "Battle of Tarawa" and one year exactly from the day he became a Marine) when young Billy – just 20 years old – perished. He was reportedly buried in Cemetery 27 on Betio Island - a temporary location chosen by his fellow Marines, the survivors of the battle, until the Fallen could be recovered and returned to their families.
Having a loved one away from home during the holidays is always trying; however, having a son off fighting in the war left the whole family on edge. The fact that this battle took place just before Thanksgiving meant that most of the families, who had unknowingly earned their Gold Star, would receive their heart-wrenching telegrams on Christmas Eve – some Christmas Day or even New Years Day.
For his service and sacrifice, Paul and Freda accepted their son's awards and decorations, including:
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Also left to mourn his passing was sister, Phyllis Jean (Mrs Frank Griffith). Billy was just 4 years old when Lloyd George Rambo passed at the age of eight.
In 1946, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company (604th GRC) centralized all of the American remains found on Tarawa to Lone Palm Cemetery for later repatriation; however, almost half of the known casualties were never found. No recovered remains could be associated with PVT Rambo, and on October 24, 1949, a military review board declared Billy "non-recoverable."
Billy's family placed a memorial marker at Union Mills Cemetery, in Union Mills, Indiana, in hopes that one day he would be found (142783043, a cenotaph).
In early December 2013, Jennifer Morrison, Chair of Rolling Thunder Indiana Chapter 1's FRS Committee, found the family of PVT Rambo and put them in contact with the Marine Corps POW/MIA (Repatriation) Section. This (re)established lines of communication with Billy's family regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered the late Robert Kossow - with the assistance of his nephew's wife, Marilyn Ledbetter-Kossow - the opportunity to provide the Family Reference DNA Sample ultimately necessary for his cousin Billy's identification.
On June 24, 2019 the DPAA officially identified PVT Rambo, and his family received "The Call" from the Marines with the good news. Scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis on Mr Kossow's donation to identify his remains. Additionally, scientists from the DPAA scientists used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Billy was finally returned to his family and, on April 4, 2022, laid to rest with full military honors.
Marine Corps Reserve Private William Edward Rambo is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has been recovered and identified, PVT Rambo's name shall remain permanently inscribed in Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate Billy has finally been found (56119853, a cenotaph).
SOURCE:
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Release No: 19-121 (July 16, 2019)
Jennifer Morrison, independent volunteer forensic genealogist
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from the memorial maintainer:
I am grateful to Chuck Williams & Hattie Johnson (USMC POW/MIA Section), the AFDIL and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. "It takes a village!"
Born June 9, 1923, in Hanna, Indiana, Billy was the youngest of three children blessed to the union of Hoosier natives, Paul and Frieda Ophelia (nee Toyne) Rambo.
Mr and Mrs Rambo were devout in their faith and Lloyd George, Phyllis Jean and little Billy were baptized at Bethany Lutheran Church in LaPorte; Billy's taking place on May 6, 1935 at 11 years old. While attending LaPorte High School, this natural athlete would was active in the Axe Club, Varsity and Reserve Football, Freshman and Intramural Basketball, Track and the Purdue Round-Up.
The June following his graduation with the Class of '42, 19-year-old Rambo registered for the draft. At the time, the 5' 11", 203 pound, fair skinned, blue eyed, brunette was working at Allis Chalmers. In an odd twist of fate, Billy would leave the safety of his family's home at 205 F Street on November 20, 1942 and travel to Chicago to enlist in the Marine Corps Reserves. Soon after he took a long train ride west to complete training in San Diego before shipping out into the Pacific Theater – Destination: Wellington, New Zealand – where Private Rambo's unit would await orders on what would be Billy's first and only battle.
Private Rambo was with his brothers in Hotel Company, 2nd Battalion of the 8th Marines (H-2/8) when they landed on Betio as part of Operation: GALVANIC. The mission of the 2nd Marine Division was to secure the island in order to control the Japanese airstrip in the Tarawa Atoll; thereby preventing the Japanese Imperial forces from getting closer to the United States, and enabling US forces to get closer to mainland Japan. It would become one of the bloodiest battles in the Corps history.
It was November 20, 1943 (D-Day of the "Battle of Tarawa" and one year exactly from the day he became a Marine) when young Billy – just 20 years old – perished. He was reportedly buried in Cemetery 27 on Betio Island - a temporary location chosen by his fellow Marines, the survivors of the battle, until the Fallen could be recovered and returned to their families.
Having a loved one away from home during the holidays is always trying; however, having a son off fighting in the war left the whole family on edge. The fact that this battle took place just before Thanksgiving meant that most of the families, who had unknowingly earned their Gold Star, would receive their heart-wrenching telegrams on Christmas Eve – some Christmas Day or even New Years Day.
For his service and sacrifice, Paul and Freda accepted their son's awards and decorations, including:
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Also left to mourn his passing was sister, Phyllis Jean (Mrs Frank Griffith). Billy was just 4 years old when Lloyd George Rambo passed at the age of eight.
In 1946, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company (604th GRC) centralized all of the American remains found on Tarawa to Lone Palm Cemetery for later repatriation; however, almost half of the known casualties were never found. No recovered remains could be associated with PVT Rambo, and on October 24, 1949, a military review board declared Billy "non-recoverable."
Billy's family placed a memorial marker at Union Mills Cemetery, in Union Mills, Indiana, in hopes that one day he would be found (142783043, a cenotaph).
In early December 2013, Jennifer Morrison, Chair of Rolling Thunder Indiana Chapter 1's FRS Committee, found the family of PVT Rambo and put them in contact with the Marine Corps POW/MIA (Repatriation) Section. This (re)established lines of communication with Billy's family regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered the late Robert Kossow - with the assistance of his nephew's wife, Marilyn Ledbetter-Kossow - the opportunity to provide the Family Reference DNA Sample ultimately necessary for his cousin Billy's identification.
On June 24, 2019 the DPAA officially identified PVT Rambo, and his family received "The Call" from the Marines with the good news. Scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis on Mr Kossow's donation to identify his remains. Additionally, scientists from the DPAA scientists used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Billy was finally returned to his family and, on April 4, 2022, laid to rest with full military honors.
Marine Corps Reserve Private William Edward Rambo is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has been recovered and identified, PVT Rambo's name shall remain permanently inscribed in Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate Billy has finally been found (56119853, a cenotaph).
SOURCE:
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Release No: 19-121 (July 16, 2019)
Jennifer Morrison, independent volunteer forensic genealogist
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from the memorial maintainer:
I am grateful to Chuck Williams & Hattie Johnson (USMC POW/MIA Section), the AFDIL and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. "It takes a village!"
Marine Corps Reserve PVT William Edward Rambo, 20, killed in World War II, was finally returned to his family and, on April 4, 2022, laid to rest - in American soil - with full military honors.
Born June 9, 1923, in Hanna, Indiana, Billy was the youngest of three children blessed to the union of Hoosier natives, Paul and Frieda Ophelia (nee Toyne) Rambo.
Mr and Mrs Rambo were devout in their faith and Lloyd George, Phyllis Jean and little Billy were baptized at Bethany Lutheran Church in LaPorte; Billy's taking place on May 6, 1935 at 11 years old. While attending LaPorte High School, this natural athlete would was active in the Axe Club, Varsity and Reserve Football, Freshman and Intramural Basketball, Track and the Purdue Round-Up.
The June following his graduation with the Class of '42, 19-year-old Rambo registered for the draft. At the time, the 5' 11", 203 pound, fair skinned, blue eyed, brunette was working at Allis Chalmers. In an odd twist of fate, Billy would leave the safety of his family's home at 205 F Street on November 20, 1942 and travel to Chicago to enlist in the Marine Corps Reserves. Soon after he took a long train ride west to complete training in San Diego before shipping out into the Pacific Theater – Destination: Wellington, New Zealand – where Private Rambo's unit would await orders on what would be Billy's first and only battle.
Private Rambo was with his brothers in Hotel Company, 2nd Battalion of the 8th Marines (H-2/8) when they landed on Betio as part of Operation: GALVANIC. The mission of the 2nd Marine Division was to secure the island in order to control the Japanese airstrip in the Tarawa Atoll; thereby preventing the Japanese Imperial forces from getting closer to the United States, and enabling US forces to get closer to mainland Japan. It would become one of the bloodiest battles in the Corps history.
It was November 20, 1943 (D-Day of the "Battle of Tarawa" and one year exactly from the day he became a Marine) when young Billy – just 20 years old – perished. He was reportedly buried in Cemetery 27 on Betio Island - a temporary location chosen by his fellow Marines, the survivors of the battle, until the Fallen could be recovered and returned to their families.
Having a loved one away from home during the holidays is always trying; however, having a son off fighting in the war left the whole family on edge. The fact that this battle took place just before Thanksgiving meant that most of the families, who had unknowingly earned their Gold Star, would receive their heart-wrenching telegrams on Christmas Eve – some Christmas Day or even New Years Day.
For his service and sacrifice, Paul and Freda accepted their son's awards and decorations, including:
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Also left to mourn his passing was sister, Phyllis Jean (Mrs Frank Griffith). Billy was just 4 years old when Lloyd George Rambo passed at the age of eight.
In 1946, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company (604th GRC) centralized all of the American remains found on Tarawa to Lone Palm Cemetery for later repatriation; however, almost half of the known casualties were never found. No recovered remains could be associated with PVT Rambo, and on October 24, 1949, a military review board declared Billy "non-recoverable."
Billy's family placed a memorial marker at Union Mills Cemetery, in Union Mills, Indiana, in hopes that one day he would be found (142783043, a cenotaph).
In early December 2013, Jennifer Morrison, Chair of Rolling Thunder Indiana Chapter 1's FRS Committee, found the family of PVT Rambo and put them in contact with the Marine Corps POW/MIA (Repatriation) Section. This (re)established lines of communication with Billy's family regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered the late Robert Kossow - with the assistance of his nephew's wife, Marilyn Ledbetter-Kossow - the opportunity to provide the Family Reference DNA Sample ultimately necessary for his cousin Billy's identification.
On June 24, 2019 the DPAA officially identified PVT Rambo, and his family received "The Call" from the Marines with the good news. Scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis on Mr Kossow's donation to identify his remains. Additionally, scientists from the DPAA scientists used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Billy was finally returned to his family and, on April 4, 2022, laid to rest with full military honors.
Marine Corps Reserve Private William Edward Rambo is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has been recovered and identified, PVT Rambo's name shall remain permanently inscribed in Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate Billy has finally been found (56119853, a cenotaph).
SOURCE:
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Release No: 19-121 (July 16, 2019)
Jennifer Morrison, independent volunteer forensic genealogist
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from the memorial maintainer:
I am grateful to Chuck Williams & Hattie Johnson (USMC POW/MIA Section), the AFDIL and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. "It takes a village!"
Born June 9, 1923, in Hanna, Indiana, Billy was the youngest of three children blessed to the union of Hoosier natives, Paul and Frieda Ophelia (nee Toyne) Rambo.
Mr and Mrs Rambo were devout in their faith and Lloyd George, Phyllis Jean and little Billy were baptized at Bethany Lutheran Church in LaPorte; Billy's taking place on May 6, 1935 at 11 years old. While attending LaPorte High School, this natural athlete would was active in the Axe Club, Varsity and Reserve Football, Freshman and Intramural Basketball, Track and the Purdue Round-Up.
The June following his graduation with the Class of '42, 19-year-old Rambo registered for the draft. At the time, the 5' 11", 203 pound, fair skinned, blue eyed, brunette was working at Allis Chalmers. In an odd twist of fate, Billy would leave the safety of his family's home at 205 F Street on November 20, 1942 and travel to Chicago to enlist in the Marine Corps Reserves. Soon after he took a long train ride west to complete training in San Diego before shipping out into the Pacific Theater – Destination: Wellington, New Zealand – where Private Rambo's unit would await orders on what would be Billy's first and only battle.
Private Rambo was with his brothers in Hotel Company, 2nd Battalion of the 8th Marines (H-2/8) when they landed on Betio as part of Operation: GALVANIC. The mission of the 2nd Marine Division was to secure the island in order to control the Japanese airstrip in the Tarawa Atoll; thereby preventing the Japanese Imperial forces from getting closer to the United States, and enabling US forces to get closer to mainland Japan. It would become one of the bloodiest battles in the Corps history.
It was November 20, 1943 (D-Day of the "Battle of Tarawa" and one year exactly from the day he became a Marine) when young Billy – just 20 years old – perished. He was reportedly buried in Cemetery 27 on Betio Island - a temporary location chosen by his fellow Marines, the survivors of the battle, until the Fallen could be recovered and returned to their families.
Having a loved one away from home during the holidays is always trying; however, having a son off fighting in the war left the whole family on edge. The fact that this battle took place just before Thanksgiving meant that most of the families, who had unknowingly earned their Gold Star, would receive their heart-wrenching telegrams on Christmas Eve – some Christmas Day or even New Years Day.
For his service and sacrifice, Paul and Freda accepted their son's awards and decorations, including:
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Also left to mourn his passing was sister, Phyllis Jean (Mrs Frank Griffith). Billy was just 4 years old when Lloyd George Rambo passed at the age of eight.
In 1946, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company (604th GRC) centralized all of the American remains found on Tarawa to Lone Palm Cemetery for later repatriation; however, almost half of the known casualties were never found. No recovered remains could be associated with PVT Rambo, and on October 24, 1949, a military review board declared Billy "non-recoverable."
Billy's family placed a memorial marker at Union Mills Cemetery, in Union Mills, Indiana, in hopes that one day he would be found (142783043, a cenotaph).
In early December 2013, Jennifer Morrison, Chair of Rolling Thunder Indiana Chapter 1's FRS Committee, found the family of PVT Rambo and put them in contact with the Marine Corps POW/MIA (Repatriation) Section. This (re)established lines of communication with Billy's family regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered the late Robert Kossow - with the assistance of his nephew's wife, Marilyn Ledbetter-Kossow - the opportunity to provide the Family Reference DNA Sample ultimately necessary for his cousin Billy's identification.
On June 24, 2019 the DPAA officially identified PVT Rambo, and his family received "The Call" from the Marines with the good news. Scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis on Mr Kossow's donation to identify his remains. Additionally, scientists from the DPAA scientists used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Billy was finally returned to his family and, on April 4, 2022, laid to rest with full military honors.
Marine Corps Reserve Private William Edward Rambo is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has been recovered and identified, PVT Rambo's name shall remain permanently inscribed in Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate Billy has finally been found (56119853, a cenotaph).
SOURCE:
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Release No: 19-121 (July 16, 2019)
Jennifer Morrison, independent volunteer forensic genealogist
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from the memorial maintainer:
I am grateful to Chuck Williams & Hattie Johnson (USMC POW/MIA Section), the AFDIL and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. "It takes a village!"
Inscription
WILLIAM / EDWARD / RAMBO
PVT / US MARINE CORPS / WORLD WAR II
JUN 9 1923 / NOV 20 1943
PURPLE HEART
