Marine Corps PFC Louis Wiesehan, Jr, 20, killed in World War II, was finally returned to his family and, on September 19, 2020, laid to rest - in American soil - with full military honors.
Born February 16, 1923, in Richmond, Indiana, Louis was the eldest son and 2nd of three children blessed to the union of Louis Fred and Marie (nee Macke) Wiesehan.
On February 9, 1942, two months after the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harobor and just 7 days shy of Junior's 19th birthday, the 70-1/2", 153lbs, blue-eyed brunette left the comfort of his family's 308 North 21st Street home and took a trip to Indianapolis to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. Proud of their Richmond High School graduate now serving his country, the Wiesehans shared his progress with their neighbors. The April 3, 1942 issue of The Palladium Item hit the community's newstands sharing that Private Wiesehan was stationed at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Virginia and Marine Barracks, Naval Air Station, Elizabeth City, North Carolina within that year before he shipped out into the Pacific Theater.
Later promoted to Private First Class, Wiesehan and his buddies enjoyed the sights, sounds and scenes of Wellington and awaited orders for their first mission. His time in New Zealand wasn't all smiles and milkbars though. In October, Junior received a devastating cable from his mother - Mr Wiesehan had been killed in a car crash.
Private First Class Wiesehan was with his brothers in Foxtrot Company, 2nd Battalion of the 8th Marines (F-2/8) when they landed on Betio as part of Operation: GALVANIC. Their mission 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 21, 1943 (D+1 for the "Battle of Tarawa"), when young Louis - just 20 years old - perished. He was reportedly buried in Marine Division 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.
Christmas Eve, The Palladium Item, solemnly shared "Marine Killed Before Getting Details of His Father's Death."
For his service and sacrifice, Junior's mother accepted his awards and decorations, including:
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Also left to mourn his passing were siblings, Joan Rose (Mrs Leslie Manlief) and Richard Omer "Dick" Wiesehan.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
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 PFC Wiesehan, and on October 11, 1949, a Board of Review declared Junior "non-recoverable."
In April of 2013, Jennifer Morrison, Chair of the Rolling Thunder Indiana Chapter 1 FRS Committee, found the family of PFC Wiesehan and put them in contact with the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. This (re)established lines of communication with Junior's family regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered David Manlief the opportunity to provide the Family Reference DNA Sample ultimately necessary for his Uncle Junior's identification. (Junior's great-niece, Kim Gardner later found out about the effort and coordinated her aunt Patricia Wisehart's FRS as well.)
In 2014, History Flight located Cemetery 27. Excavations of the site uncovered multiple sets of remains, which were turned over to Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in 2015 for analysis.
On September 23, 2019, the DPAA officially identified PFC Wiesehan, and his family soon received "The Call" from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news. To identify his remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched his niece and nephew; laboratory analysis, including dental and anthropological analysis, which matched Junior's records, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Junior will finally be returned to his family and, on September 19, 2020, laid to rest near his mother at Goshen Cemetery, in his hometown, with full military honors.
MEMORIAL EVENTS
Homecoming - SEP 17, 2020
04:00 PM
Indianapolis International Airport
Indiana Patriot Guard Riders and Richmond Police Department will escort him to Doan & Mills Funeral Home in Richmond
Celebration of Life - SEP 18, 2020
04:00 - 06:00 PM
Doan & Mills Funeral Home
Service - SEP 18, 2020
06:00 PM
Doan & Mills Funeral Home
Graveside service - SEP 19, 2020
01:00 PM
Goshen Cemetery
ARRANGEMENTS
Doan & Mills Funeral Home
790 National Road West, Richmond, IN 47374
(765) 966-0596
Marine Corps Private First Class Louis Wiesehan, Jr is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has now been recovered and identied, PFC Wiesehan's name shall remain permanently inscribed on Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate that Junior has finally been found (56135343, a cenotaph).
SOURCES
DPAA Personnel Profile
American Battle Monuments Commission
DPAA Release No: 19-195 (Oct. 1, 2019)
Jennifer Morrison, Chair - RTIN1 FRS Committee
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from the memorial maintainer:
I am grateful to Chuck Williams & Hattie Johnson (USMC POW/MIA Section), History Flight and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. "It takes a village!"
Born February 16, 1923, in Richmond, Indiana, Louis was the eldest son and 2nd of three children blessed to the union of Louis Fred and Marie (nee Macke) Wiesehan.
On February 9, 1942, two months after the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harobor and just 7 days shy of Junior's 19th birthday, the 70-1/2", 153lbs, blue-eyed brunette left the comfort of his family's 308 North 21st Street home and took a trip to Indianapolis to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. Proud of their Richmond High School graduate now serving his country, the Wiesehans shared his progress with their neighbors. The April 3, 1942 issue of The Palladium Item hit the community's newstands sharing that Private Wiesehan was stationed at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Virginia and Marine Barracks, Naval Air Station, Elizabeth City, North Carolina within that year before he shipped out into the Pacific Theater.
Later promoted to Private First Class, Wiesehan and his buddies enjoyed the sights, sounds and scenes of Wellington and awaited orders for their first mission. His time in New Zealand wasn't all smiles and milkbars though. In October, Junior received a devastating cable from his mother - Mr Wiesehan had been killed in a car crash.
Private First Class Wiesehan was with his brothers in Foxtrot Company, 2nd Battalion of the 8th Marines (F-2/8) when they landed on Betio as part of Operation: GALVANIC. Their mission 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 21, 1943 (D+1 for the "Battle of Tarawa"), when young Louis - just 20 years old - perished. He was reportedly buried in Marine Division 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.
Christmas Eve, The Palladium Item, solemnly shared "Marine Killed Before Getting Details of His Father's Death."
For his service and sacrifice, Junior's mother accepted his awards and decorations, including:
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Also left to mourn his passing were siblings, Joan Rose (Mrs Leslie Manlief) and Richard Omer "Dick" Wiesehan.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
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 PFC Wiesehan, and on October 11, 1949, a Board of Review declared Junior "non-recoverable."
In April of 2013, Jennifer Morrison, Chair of the Rolling Thunder Indiana Chapter 1 FRS Committee, found the family of PFC Wiesehan and put them in contact with the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. This (re)established lines of communication with Junior's family regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered David Manlief the opportunity to provide the Family Reference DNA Sample ultimately necessary for his Uncle Junior's identification. (Junior's great-niece, Kim Gardner later found out about the effort and coordinated her aunt Patricia Wisehart's FRS as well.)
In 2014, History Flight located Cemetery 27. Excavations of the site uncovered multiple sets of remains, which were turned over to Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in 2015 for analysis.
On September 23, 2019, the DPAA officially identified PFC Wiesehan, and his family soon received "The Call" from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news. To identify his remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched his niece and nephew; laboratory analysis, including dental and anthropological analysis, which matched Junior's records, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Junior will finally be returned to his family and, on September 19, 2020, laid to rest near his mother at Goshen Cemetery, in his hometown, with full military honors.
MEMORIAL EVENTS
Homecoming - SEP 17, 2020
04:00 PM
Indianapolis International Airport
Indiana Patriot Guard Riders and Richmond Police Department will escort him to Doan & Mills Funeral Home in Richmond
Celebration of Life - SEP 18, 2020
04:00 - 06:00 PM
Doan & Mills Funeral Home
Service - SEP 18, 2020
06:00 PM
Doan & Mills Funeral Home
Graveside service - SEP 19, 2020
01:00 PM
Goshen Cemetery
ARRANGEMENTS
Doan & Mills Funeral Home
790 National Road West, Richmond, IN 47374
(765) 966-0596
Marine Corps Private First Class Louis Wiesehan, Jr is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has now been recovered and identied, PFC Wiesehan's name shall remain permanently inscribed on Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate that Junior has finally been found (56135343, a cenotaph).
SOURCES
DPAA Personnel Profile
American Battle Monuments Commission
DPAA Release No: 19-195 (Oct. 1, 2019)
Jennifer Morrison, Chair - RTIN1 FRS Committee
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from the memorial maintainer:
I am grateful to Chuck Williams & Hattie Johnson (USMC POW/MIA Section), History Flight and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. "It takes a village!"
Marine Corps PFC Louis Wiesehan, Jr, 20, killed in World War II, was finally returned to his family and, on September 19, 2020, laid to rest - in American soil - with full military honors.
Born February 16, 1923, in Richmond, Indiana, Louis was the eldest son and 2nd of three children blessed to the union of Louis Fred and Marie (nee Macke) Wiesehan.
On February 9, 1942, two months after the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harobor and just 7 days shy of Junior's 19th birthday, the 70-1/2", 153lbs, blue-eyed brunette left the comfort of his family's 308 North 21st Street home and took a trip to Indianapolis to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. Proud of their Richmond High School graduate now serving his country, the Wiesehans shared his progress with their neighbors. The April 3, 1942 issue of The Palladium Item hit the community's newstands sharing that Private Wiesehan was stationed at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Virginia and Marine Barracks, Naval Air Station, Elizabeth City, North Carolina within that year before he shipped out into the Pacific Theater.
Later promoted to Private First Class, Wiesehan and his buddies enjoyed the sights, sounds and scenes of Wellington and awaited orders for their first mission. His time in New Zealand wasn't all smiles and milkbars though. In October, Junior received a devastating cable from his mother - Mr Wiesehan had been killed in a car crash.
Private First Class Wiesehan was with his brothers in Foxtrot Company, 2nd Battalion of the 8th Marines (F-2/8) when they landed on Betio as part of Operation: GALVANIC. Their mission 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 21, 1943 (D+1 for the "Battle of Tarawa"), when young Louis - just 20 years old - perished. He was reportedly buried in Marine Division 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.
Christmas Eve, The Palladium Item, solemnly shared "Marine Killed Before Getting Details of His Father's Death."
For his service and sacrifice, Junior's mother accepted his awards and decorations, including:
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Also left to mourn his passing were siblings, Joan Rose (Mrs Leslie Manlief) and Richard Omer "Dick" Wiesehan.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
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 PFC Wiesehan, and on October 11, 1949, a Board of Review declared Junior "non-recoverable."
In April of 2013, Jennifer Morrison, Chair of the Rolling Thunder Indiana Chapter 1 FRS Committee, found the family of PFC Wiesehan and put them in contact with the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. This (re)established lines of communication with Junior's family regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered David Manlief the opportunity to provide the Family Reference DNA Sample ultimately necessary for his Uncle Junior's identification. (Junior's great-niece, Kim Gardner later found out about the effort and coordinated her aunt Patricia Wisehart's FRS as well.)
In 2014, History Flight located Cemetery 27. Excavations of the site uncovered multiple sets of remains, which were turned over to Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in 2015 for analysis.
On September 23, 2019, the DPAA officially identified PFC Wiesehan, and his family soon received "The Call" from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news. To identify his remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched his niece and nephew; laboratory analysis, including dental and anthropological analysis, which matched Junior's records, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Junior will finally be returned to his family and, on September 19, 2020, laid to rest near his mother at Goshen Cemetery, in his hometown, with full military honors.
MEMORIAL EVENTS
Homecoming - SEP 17, 2020
04:00 PM
Indianapolis International Airport
Indiana Patriot Guard Riders and Richmond Police Department will escort him to Doan & Mills Funeral Home in Richmond
Celebration of Life - SEP 18, 2020
04:00 - 06:00 PM
Doan & Mills Funeral Home
Service - SEP 18, 2020
06:00 PM
Doan & Mills Funeral Home
Graveside service - SEP 19, 2020
01:00 PM
Goshen Cemetery
ARRANGEMENTS
Doan & Mills Funeral Home
790 National Road West, Richmond, IN 47374
(765) 966-0596
Marine Corps Private First Class Louis Wiesehan, Jr is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has now been recovered and identied, PFC Wiesehan's name shall remain permanently inscribed on Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate that Junior has finally been found (56135343, a cenotaph).
SOURCES
DPAA Personnel Profile
American Battle Monuments Commission
DPAA Release No: 19-195 (Oct. 1, 2019)
Jennifer Morrison, Chair - RTIN1 FRS Committee
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from the memorial maintainer:
I am grateful to Chuck Williams & Hattie Johnson (USMC POW/MIA Section), History Flight and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. "It takes a village!"
Born February 16, 1923, in Richmond, Indiana, Louis was the eldest son and 2nd of three children blessed to the union of Louis Fred and Marie (nee Macke) Wiesehan.
On February 9, 1942, two months after the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harobor and just 7 days shy of Junior's 19th birthday, the 70-1/2", 153lbs, blue-eyed brunette left the comfort of his family's 308 North 21st Street home and took a trip to Indianapolis to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. Proud of their Richmond High School graduate now serving his country, the Wiesehans shared his progress with their neighbors. The April 3, 1942 issue of The Palladium Item hit the community's newstands sharing that Private Wiesehan was stationed at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Virginia and Marine Barracks, Naval Air Station, Elizabeth City, North Carolina within that year before he shipped out into the Pacific Theater.
Later promoted to Private First Class, Wiesehan and his buddies enjoyed the sights, sounds and scenes of Wellington and awaited orders for their first mission. His time in New Zealand wasn't all smiles and milkbars though. In October, Junior received a devastating cable from his mother - Mr Wiesehan had been killed in a car crash.
Private First Class Wiesehan was with his brothers in Foxtrot Company, 2nd Battalion of the 8th Marines (F-2/8) when they landed on Betio as part of Operation: GALVANIC. Their mission 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 21, 1943 (D+1 for the "Battle of Tarawa"), when young Louis - just 20 years old - perished. He was reportedly buried in Marine Division 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.
Christmas Eve, The Palladium Item, solemnly shared "Marine Killed Before Getting Details of His Father's Death."
For his service and sacrifice, Junior's mother accepted his awards and decorations, including:
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Also left to mourn his passing were siblings, Joan Rose (Mrs Leslie Manlief) and Richard Omer "Dick" Wiesehan.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
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 PFC Wiesehan, and on October 11, 1949, a Board of Review declared Junior "non-recoverable."
In April of 2013, Jennifer Morrison, Chair of the Rolling Thunder Indiana Chapter 1 FRS Committee, found the family of PFC Wiesehan and put them in contact with the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. This (re)established lines of communication with Junior's family regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered David Manlief the opportunity to provide the Family Reference DNA Sample ultimately necessary for his Uncle Junior's identification. (Junior's great-niece, Kim Gardner later found out about the effort and coordinated her aunt Patricia Wisehart's FRS as well.)
In 2014, History Flight located Cemetery 27. Excavations of the site uncovered multiple sets of remains, which were turned over to Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in 2015 for analysis.
On September 23, 2019, the DPAA officially identified PFC Wiesehan, and his family soon received "The Call" from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news. To identify his remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched his niece and nephew; laboratory analysis, including dental and anthropological analysis, which matched Junior's records, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Junior will finally be returned to his family and, on September 19, 2020, laid to rest near his mother at Goshen Cemetery, in his hometown, with full military honors.
MEMORIAL EVENTS
Homecoming - SEP 17, 2020
04:00 PM
Indianapolis International Airport
Indiana Patriot Guard Riders and Richmond Police Department will escort him to Doan & Mills Funeral Home in Richmond
Celebration of Life - SEP 18, 2020
04:00 - 06:00 PM
Doan & Mills Funeral Home
Service - SEP 18, 2020
06:00 PM
Doan & Mills Funeral Home
Graveside service - SEP 19, 2020
01:00 PM
Goshen Cemetery
ARRANGEMENTS
Doan & Mills Funeral Home
790 National Road West, Richmond, IN 47374
(765) 966-0596
Marine Corps Private First Class Louis Wiesehan, Jr is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has now been recovered and identied, PFC Wiesehan's name shall remain permanently inscribed on Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate that Junior has finally been found (56135343, a cenotaph).
SOURCES
DPAA Personnel Profile
American Battle Monuments Commission
DPAA Release No: 19-195 (Oct. 1, 2019)
Jennifer Morrison, Chair - RTIN1 FRS Committee
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from the memorial maintainer:
I am grateful to Chuck Williams & Hattie Johnson (USMC POW/MIA Section), History Flight and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. "It takes a village!"
Inscription
LOUIS WIESEHAN JR
PFC US MARINE CORPS / WORLD WAR II
FEB 16 1923 NOV 21 1943
PURPLE HEART
FINALLY CAME HOME / SEPT 17 2020
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