On February 10, 2020, Marine Corps PFC Edward Augustine Nalazek, 27, killed in World War II, was finally laid to rest - in American soil - with full military honors.
Born March 26, 1916, in Chicago, Illinois, Edward was the eldest of four children blessed to the union of proud Polish immigrants, Francis Sr and Katarzyna Isabella (nee Huk) Nalazek.
Edward matriculated at Saint Louis University, in St Louis, Missouri - a Catholic, Jesuit institution - earning a cum laude Bachelor of Arts and a seat with the class of '38. For three years, Edward then lived in Prince George's County, Maryland while he studied for the priesthood. A former St Louis University student himself, Reverend Francis Kieda was leading the Resurrection Scholasticate in West Hyattsville. Eddie eventually realized that ordination wasn't his calling though, and discerned out of seminary.
On March 18, 1942, the 5'10", 168 lbs, blue-eyed brunette left the warmth and comfort of his family's 2147 N Campbell Avenue home, walked into a local Marine Corps recruiting station and enlisted. He soon took a long train ride west from Chicago to complete training.
On September 18, 1942, the 18th Marine Regiment, a composite engineer regiment of the United States Marine Corps, was activated under Colonel Elmer Hall. Eddie was assigned to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion before shipping out into the Pacific Theater.
His unit eventually made it to Wellington, where Eddie and his buddies enjoyed the sights, scenes and hospitality of New Zealand while awaiting orders. LTCOL Chester Salazar would be his unit's Commanding Officer.
Private First Class Nalazek was with his brothers in Delta Company, 2nd Battalion of the 18th Marines (D-2/18) 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 21, 1943 (D+1 for the "Battle of Tarawa") when young Edward - just 27 years old - perished. He was reportedly buried in the Central Division Cemetery 8th Marines #2 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 the Nalazeks, a Marine knocked on their front door on New Year's Day, 1944.
For his service and sacrifice, Frank and Catherine accepted their oldest son's awards and decorations, including:
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Marksmanship Badge
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Also left to mourn his passing were sisters Josephine Monica (Mrs Edward McNicholas) and Ms Albina Nalazek, and their baby brother Francis Alexander "Frank" Nalazek, Jr.
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 Nalazek, and on October 10, 1949, a Board of Review declared Edward "non-recoverable."
In June 1967, construction at the site of the Marine/Customs office block at the Betio Wharf uncovered multiple sets of remains, as well as American equipment. The remains were sent to the U.S. Army Mortuary at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, and accessioned as Unknown XJ-1323. A number of remains were identified as Japanese. However, XJ-1323A-G were determined to be American. The remains could not be identified, and were subsequently buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP, known as "the Punchbowl"), in Honolulu. In 2015, History Flight excavated a site near the wharf on Betio Island, later identified as Cemetery 27. Remains recovered were accessioned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's laboratory for analysis.
On October 11, 2015, at the request of the United States Marine Corps, Jennifer Morrison, an independent volunteer forensic genealogist, found the family of PFC Nalazek and provided their contact information to the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. Eddie's family was already aware of History Flight's efforts and had been in contact with Founder, Mark Noah; however, this (re)established lines of communication between the Marine Corps and Edward's family, and offered Kathleen McNicholas and her brother Edward the opportunity to provide the Family Reference DNA Samples ultimately necessary for their Uncle Eddie's identification.
On November 21, 2016, the Department of Veterans Affairs disinterred Tarawa Unknowns from XJ-1323 from the Punchbowl, and associated portions of XJ-1323B with portions recovered by History Flight in 2015.
On August 27, 2019, the DPAA identified the remains of PFC Nalazek, and his family received "The Call" from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news. To identify his remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
Eddie was finally returned to his family and, on February 10, 2020, laid at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
His nephew, Edward McNicholas, accepted his flag on behalf of a grateful Nation.
Marine Corps Private First Class Edward Augustine Nalazek is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has now been recovered and identified, PFC Nalazek's name shall remain permanently inscribed within Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette was placed on the monument next to his name to verify that Eddie has finally been found (56126673).
SOURCES
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Release No: 19-234 (Nov. 21, 2019)
American Battle Monuments Commission
Jennifer Morrison, independent volunteer forensic genealogist
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from the memorial maintainer:
I am grateful to Chuck Williams & Hattie Johnson (USMC POW/MIA Section), the Armed Forces DNA Identification Lab, History Flight, the DVA and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. "It takes a village!"
Born March 26, 1916, in Chicago, Illinois, Edward was the eldest of four children blessed to the union of proud Polish immigrants, Francis Sr and Katarzyna Isabella (nee Huk) Nalazek.
Edward matriculated at Saint Louis University, in St Louis, Missouri - a Catholic, Jesuit institution - earning a cum laude Bachelor of Arts and a seat with the class of '38. For three years, Edward then lived in Prince George's County, Maryland while he studied for the priesthood. A former St Louis University student himself, Reverend Francis Kieda was leading the Resurrection Scholasticate in West Hyattsville. Eddie eventually realized that ordination wasn't his calling though, and discerned out of seminary.
On March 18, 1942, the 5'10", 168 lbs, blue-eyed brunette left the warmth and comfort of his family's 2147 N Campbell Avenue home, walked into a local Marine Corps recruiting station and enlisted. He soon took a long train ride west from Chicago to complete training.
On September 18, 1942, the 18th Marine Regiment, a composite engineer regiment of the United States Marine Corps, was activated under Colonel Elmer Hall. Eddie was assigned to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion before shipping out into the Pacific Theater.
His unit eventually made it to Wellington, where Eddie and his buddies enjoyed the sights, scenes and hospitality of New Zealand while awaiting orders. LTCOL Chester Salazar would be his unit's Commanding Officer.
Private First Class Nalazek was with his brothers in Delta Company, 2nd Battalion of the 18th Marines (D-2/18) 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 21, 1943 (D+1 for the "Battle of Tarawa") when young Edward - just 27 years old - perished. He was reportedly buried in the Central Division Cemetery 8th Marines #2 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 the Nalazeks, a Marine knocked on their front door on New Year's Day, 1944.
For his service and sacrifice, Frank and Catherine accepted their oldest son's awards and decorations, including:
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Marksmanship Badge
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Also left to mourn his passing were sisters Josephine Monica (Mrs Edward McNicholas) and Ms Albina Nalazek, and their baby brother Francis Alexander "Frank" Nalazek, Jr.
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 Nalazek, and on October 10, 1949, a Board of Review declared Edward "non-recoverable."
In June 1967, construction at the site of the Marine/Customs office block at the Betio Wharf uncovered multiple sets of remains, as well as American equipment. The remains were sent to the U.S. Army Mortuary at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, and accessioned as Unknown XJ-1323. A number of remains were identified as Japanese. However, XJ-1323A-G were determined to be American. The remains could not be identified, and were subsequently buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP, known as "the Punchbowl"), in Honolulu. In 2015, History Flight excavated a site near the wharf on Betio Island, later identified as Cemetery 27. Remains recovered were accessioned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's laboratory for analysis.
On October 11, 2015, at the request of the United States Marine Corps, Jennifer Morrison, an independent volunteer forensic genealogist, found the family of PFC Nalazek and provided their contact information to the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. Eddie's family was already aware of History Flight's efforts and had been in contact with Founder, Mark Noah; however, this (re)established lines of communication between the Marine Corps and Edward's family, and offered Kathleen McNicholas and her brother Edward the opportunity to provide the Family Reference DNA Samples ultimately necessary for their Uncle Eddie's identification.
On November 21, 2016, the Department of Veterans Affairs disinterred Tarawa Unknowns from XJ-1323 from the Punchbowl, and associated portions of XJ-1323B with portions recovered by History Flight in 2015.
On August 27, 2019, the DPAA identified the remains of PFC Nalazek, and his family received "The Call" from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news. To identify his remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
Eddie was finally returned to his family and, on February 10, 2020, laid at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
His nephew, Edward McNicholas, accepted his flag on behalf of a grateful Nation.
Marine Corps Private First Class Edward Augustine Nalazek is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has now been recovered and identified, PFC Nalazek's name shall remain permanently inscribed within Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette was placed on the monument next to his name to verify that Eddie has finally been found (56126673).
SOURCES
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Release No: 19-234 (Nov. 21, 2019)
American Battle Monuments Commission
Jennifer Morrison, independent volunteer forensic genealogist
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from the memorial maintainer:
I am grateful to Chuck Williams & Hattie Johnson (USMC POW/MIA Section), the Armed Forces DNA Identification Lab, History Flight, the DVA and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. "It takes a village!"
On February 10, 2020, Marine Corps PFC Edward Augustine Nalazek, 27, killed in World War II, was finally laid to rest - in American soil - with full military honors.
Born March 26, 1916, in Chicago, Illinois, Edward was the eldest of four children blessed to the union of proud Polish immigrants, Francis Sr and Katarzyna Isabella (nee Huk) Nalazek.
Edward matriculated at Saint Louis University, in St Louis, Missouri - a Catholic, Jesuit institution - earning a cum laude Bachelor of Arts and a seat with the class of '38. For three years, Edward then lived in Prince George's County, Maryland while he studied for the priesthood. A former St Louis University student himself, Reverend Francis Kieda was leading the Resurrection Scholasticate in West Hyattsville. Eddie eventually realized that ordination wasn't his calling though, and discerned out of seminary.
On March 18, 1942, the 5'10", 168 lbs, blue-eyed brunette left the warmth and comfort of his family's 2147 N Campbell Avenue home, walked into a local Marine Corps recruiting station and enlisted. He soon took a long train ride west from Chicago to complete training.
On September 18, 1942, the 18th Marine Regiment, a composite engineer regiment of the United States Marine Corps, was activated under Colonel Elmer Hall. Eddie was assigned to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion before shipping out into the Pacific Theater.
His unit eventually made it to Wellington, where Eddie and his buddies enjoyed the sights, scenes and hospitality of New Zealand while awaiting orders. LTCOL Chester Salazar would be his unit's Commanding Officer.
Private First Class Nalazek was with his brothers in Delta Company, 2nd Battalion of the 18th Marines (D-2/18) 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 21, 1943 (D+1 for the "Battle of Tarawa") when young Edward - just 27 years old - perished. He was reportedly buried in the Central Division Cemetery 8th Marines #2 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 the Nalazeks, a Marine knocked on their front door on New Year's Day, 1944.
For his service and sacrifice, Frank and Catherine accepted their oldest son's awards and decorations, including:
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Marksmanship Badge
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Also left to mourn his passing were sisters Josephine Monica (Mrs Edward McNicholas) and Ms Albina Nalazek, and their baby brother Francis Alexander "Frank" Nalazek, Jr.
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 Nalazek, and on October 10, 1949, a Board of Review declared Edward "non-recoverable."
In June 1967, construction at the site of the Marine/Customs office block at the Betio Wharf uncovered multiple sets of remains, as well as American equipment. The remains were sent to the U.S. Army Mortuary at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, and accessioned as Unknown XJ-1323. A number of remains were identified as Japanese. However, XJ-1323A-G were determined to be American. The remains could not be identified, and were subsequently buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP, known as "the Punchbowl"), in Honolulu. In 2015, History Flight excavated a site near the wharf on Betio Island, later identified as Cemetery 27. Remains recovered were accessioned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's laboratory for analysis.
On October 11, 2015, at the request of the United States Marine Corps, Jennifer Morrison, an independent volunteer forensic genealogist, found the family of PFC Nalazek and provided their contact information to the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. Eddie's family was already aware of History Flight's efforts and had been in contact with Founder, Mark Noah; however, this (re)established lines of communication between the Marine Corps and Edward's family, and offered Kathleen McNicholas and her brother Edward the opportunity to provide the Family Reference DNA Samples ultimately necessary for their Uncle Eddie's identification.
On November 21, 2016, the Department of Veterans Affairs disinterred Tarawa Unknowns from XJ-1323 from the Punchbowl, and associated portions of XJ-1323B with portions recovered by History Flight in 2015.
On August 27, 2019, the DPAA identified the remains of PFC Nalazek, and his family received "The Call" from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news. To identify his remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
Eddie was finally returned to his family and, on February 10, 2020, laid at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
His nephew, Edward McNicholas, accepted his flag on behalf of a grateful Nation.
Marine Corps Private First Class Edward Augustine Nalazek is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has now been recovered and identified, PFC Nalazek's name shall remain permanently inscribed within Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette was placed on the monument next to his name to verify that Eddie has finally been found (56126673).
SOURCES
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Release No: 19-234 (Nov. 21, 2019)
American Battle Monuments Commission
Jennifer Morrison, independent volunteer forensic genealogist
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from the memorial maintainer:
I am grateful to Chuck Williams & Hattie Johnson (USMC POW/MIA Section), the Armed Forces DNA Identification Lab, History Flight, the DVA and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. "It takes a village!"
Born March 26, 1916, in Chicago, Illinois, Edward was the eldest of four children blessed to the union of proud Polish immigrants, Francis Sr and Katarzyna Isabella (nee Huk) Nalazek.
Edward matriculated at Saint Louis University, in St Louis, Missouri - a Catholic, Jesuit institution - earning a cum laude Bachelor of Arts and a seat with the class of '38. For three years, Edward then lived in Prince George's County, Maryland while he studied for the priesthood. A former St Louis University student himself, Reverend Francis Kieda was leading the Resurrection Scholasticate in West Hyattsville. Eddie eventually realized that ordination wasn't his calling though, and discerned out of seminary.
On March 18, 1942, the 5'10", 168 lbs, blue-eyed brunette left the warmth and comfort of his family's 2147 N Campbell Avenue home, walked into a local Marine Corps recruiting station and enlisted. He soon took a long train ride west from Chicago to complete training.
On September 18, 1942, the 18th Marine Regiment, a composite engineer regiment of the United States Marine Corps, was activated under Colonel Elmer Hall. Eddie was assigned to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion before shipping out into the Pacific Theater.
His unit eventually made it to Wellington, where Eddie and his buddies enjoyed the sights, scenes and hospitality of New Zealand while awaiting orders. LTCOL Chester Salazar would be his unit's Commanding Officer.
Private First Class Nalazek was with his brothers in Delta Company, 2nd Battalion of the 18th Marines (D-2/18) 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 21, 1943 (D+1 for the "Battle of Tarawa") when young Edward - just 27 years old - perished. He was reportedly buried in the Central Division Cemetery 8th Marines #2 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 the Nalazeks, a Marine knocked on their front door on New Year's Day, 1944.
For his service and sacrifice, Frank and Catherine accepted their oldest son's awards and decorations, including:
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Marksmanship Badge
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Also left to mourn his passing were sisters Josephine Monica (Mrs Edward McNicholas) and Ms Albina Nalazek, and their baby brother Francis Alexander "Frank" Nalazek, Jr.
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 Nalazek, and on October 10, 1949, a Board of Review declared Edward "non-recoverable."
In June 1967, construction at the site of the Marine/Customs office block at the Betio Wharf uncovered multiple sets of remains, as well as American equipment. The remains were sent to the U.S. Army Mortuary at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, and accessioned as Unknown XJ-1323. A number of remains were identified as Japanese. However, XJ-1323A-G were determined to be American. The remains could not be identified, and were subsequently buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP, known as "the Punchbowl"), in Honolulu. In 2015, History Flight excavated a site near the wharf on Betio Island, later identified as Cemetery 27. Remains recovered were accessioned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's laboratory for analysis.
On October 11, 2015, at the request of the United States Marine Corps, Jennifer Morrison, an independent volunteer forensic genealogist, found the family of PFC Nalazek and provided their contact information to the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. Eddie's family was already aware of History Flight's efforts and had been in contact with Founder, Mark Noah; however, this (re)established lines of communication between the Marine Corps and Edward's family, and offered Kathleen McNicholas and her brother Edward the opportunity to provide the Family Reference DNA Samples ultimately necessary for their Uncle Eddie's identification.
On November 21, 2016, the Department of Veterans Affairs disinterred Tarawa Unknowns from XJ-1323 from the Punchbowl, and associated portions of XJ-1323B with portions recovered by History Flight in 2015.
On August 27, 2019, the DPAA identified the remains of PFC Nalazek, and his family received "The Call" from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news. To identify his remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
Eddie was finally returned to his family and, on February 10, 2020, laid at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
His nephew, Edward McNicholas, accepted his flag on behalf of a grateful Nation.
Marine Corps Private First Class Edward Augustine Nalazek is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has now been recovered and identified, PFC Nalazek's name shall remain permanently inscribed within Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette was placed on the monument next to his name to verify that Eddie has finally been found (56126673).
SOURCES
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Release No: 19-234 (Nov. 21, 2019)
American Battle Monuments Commission
Jennifer Morrison, independent volunteer forensic genealogist
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from the memorial maintainer:
I am grateful to Chuck Williams & Hattie Johnson (USMC POW/MIA Section), the Armed Forces DNA Identification Lab, History Flight, the DVA and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. "It takes a village!"
Inscription
EDWARD / AUGUSTINE / NALAZEK
PFC / US MARINE CORPS / WORLD WAR II
MAR 26 1916 / NOV 21 1943
PURPLE HEART
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