On June 17, 2016, Marine Corps Reserve PFC John Frederick Prince, 19, killed in World War II, was finally laid to rest - in American soil - with full military honors.
Born September 13, 1924, in New York, New York, John Frederick Prince was the younger of 2 sons blessed to the union of Queens residents, Frederick Jay & Margaret (nee McCoy) Prince.
"Jack" attended Public School 33 and later graduated from Jamaica High School. On November 21, 1942, the 71", 165 lbs, blue-eyed brunette walked into a New York City Marine Corps recruiting station and enlisted in the Reserves. He went overseas the following June and the guys enjoyed the sights, scenes and hospitality of New Zealand. The Big City kid joined his buddies in their local Wellington adventures as they awaited orders for their first campaign.
Private First Class Prince was with his brothers in Fox Company, 2nd Battalion of the 8th Marines (F-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 for the "Battle of Tarawa"), when young Jack - just 19 years old - perished. He was reportedly soon buried in Division Cemetery 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 or husband 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.
Jack was cited by his Commanding Officer for outstanding performance under combat against Japanese forces in Tarawa. For his service and sacrifice, Jack's parents 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 was his brother, USAAF Sergeant Richard Prince, who was serving overseas as well as the time of Jack's death.
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 the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio, but PFC Prince’s remains were not recovered. On October 24, 1949, a military review board declared Jack "non-recoverable".
PFC Prince was the first from Bellerose to give his life for his country in World War II. Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post #6478 was later named in his honor.
In June 2015, History Flight notified the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency that they had discovered a burial site on Betio Island and recovered the remains of what they believed were 35 U.S. Marines who fought during the battle in November 1943. The remains were turned over to DPAA in July 2015 for analysis.
On October 11, 2015, Jennifer Morrison, an independent volunteer forensic genealogist, found the family of PFC Prince and provided their contact information to the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. This (re)established lines of communication with Jack’s family regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered them the opportunity to provide a Family Reference DNA Sample, should it be necessary for their Uncle Jack's identification.
On April 2, 2016, the DPAA identified the remains of PFC Prince, and the family soon received “The Call” from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news.
To identify his remains, scientists from DPAA used laboratory analysis, including dental comparison, which matched Jack's Marine Corps medical records, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Jack was finally returned to his family and, on June 17, 2016, laid to rest at Calverton National Cemetery, in Calverton, New York, with full military honors (160606014). Richard had lovingly been placed there just two short years prior.
Marine Corps Reserve Private First Class John Frederick Prince is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although PFC Prince has now been recovered and identified, his name shall remain permanently inscribed with Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette has been placed next to his name to verify that Jack has finally been found.
SOURCE
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Release No: 16-039 (June 10, 2016)
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), History Flight and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. “It takes a village!”
Born September 13, 1924, in New York, New York, John Frederick Prince was the younger of 2 sons blessed to the union of Queens residents, Frederick Jay & Margaret (nee McCoy) Prince.
"Jack" attended Public School 33 and later graduated from Jamaica High School. On November 21, 1942, the 71", 165 lbs, blue-eyed brunette walked into a New York City Marine Corps recruiting station and enlisted in the Reserves. He went overseas the following June and the guys enjoyed the sights, scenes and hospitality of New Zealand. The Big City kid joined his buddies in their local Wellington adventures as they awaited orders for their first campaign.
Private First Class Prince was with his brothers in Fox Company, 2nd Battalion of the 8th Marines (F-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 for the "Battle of Tarawa"), when young Jack - just 19 years old - perished. He was reportedly soon buried in Division Cemetery 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 or husband 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.
Jack was cited by his Commanding Officer for outstanding performance under combat against Japanese forces in Tarawa. For his service and sacrifice, Jack's parents 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 was his brother, USAAF Sergeant Richard Prince, who was serving overseas as well as the time of Jack's death.
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 the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio, but PFC Prince’s remains were not recovered. On October 24, 1949, a military review board declared Jack "non-recoverable".
PFC Prince was the first from Bellerose to give his life for his country in World War II. Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post #6478 was later named in his honor.
In June 2015, History Flight notified the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency that they had discovered a burial site on Betio Island and recovered the remains of what they believed were 35 U.S. Marines who fought during the battle in November 1943. The remains were turned over to DPAA in July 2015 for analysis.
On October 11, 2015, Jennifer Morrison, an independent volunteer forensic genealogist, found the family of PFC Prince and provided their contact information to the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. This (re)established lines of communication with Jack’s family regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered them the opportunity to provide a Family Reference DNA Sample, should it be necessary for their Uncle Jack's identification.
On April 2, 2016, the DPAA identified the remains of PFC Prince, and the family soon received “The Call” from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news.
To identify his remains, scientists from DPAA used laboratory analysis, including dental comparison, which matched Jack's Marine Corps medical records, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Jack was finally returned to his family and, on June 17, 2016, laid to rest at Calverton National Cemetery, in Calverton, New York, with full military honors (160606014). Richard had lovingly been placed there just two short years prior.
Marine Corps Reserve Private First Class John Frederick Prince is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although PFC Prince has now been recovered and identified, his name shall remain permanently inscribed with Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette has been placed next to his name to verify that Jack has finally been found.
SOURCE
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Release No: 16-039 (June 10, 2016)
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), History Flight and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. “It takes a village!”
On June 17, 2016, Marine Corps Reserve PFC John Frederick Prince, 19, killed in World War II, was finally laid to rest - in American soil - with full military honors.
Born September 13, 1924, in New York, New York, John Frederick Prince was the younger of 2 sons blessed to the union of Queens residents, Frederick Jay & Margaret (nee McCoy) Prince.
"Jack" attended Public School 33 and later graduated from Jamaica High School. On November 21, 1942, the 71", 165 lbs, blue-eyed brunette walked into a New York City Marine Corps recruiting station and enlisted in the Reserves. He went overseas the following June and the guys enjoyed the sights, scenes and hospitality of New Zealand. The Big City kid joined his buddies in their local Wellington adventures as they awaited orders for their first campaign.
Private First Class Prince was with his brothers in Fox Company, 2nd Battalion of the 8th Marines (F-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 for the "Battle of Tarawa"), when young Jack - just 19 years old - perished. He was reportedly soon buried in Division Cemetery 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 or husband 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.
Jack was cited by his Commanding Officer for outstanding performance under combat against Japanese forces in Tarawa. For his service and sacrifice, Jack's parents 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 was his brother, USAAF Sergeant Richard Prince, who was serving overseas as well as the time of Jack's death.
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 the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio, but PFC Prince’s remains were not recovered. On October 24, 1949, a military review board declared Jack "non-recoverable".
PFC Prince was the first from Bellerose to give his life for his country in World War II. Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post #6478 was later named in his honor.
In June 2015, History Flight notified the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency that they had discovered a burial site on Betio Island and recovered the remains of what they believed were 35 U.S. Marines who fought during the battle in November 1943. The remains were turned over to DPAA in July 2015 for analysis.
On October 11, 2015, Jennifer Morrison, an independent volunteer forensic genealogist, found the family of PFC Prince and provided their contact information to the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. This (re)established lines of communication with Jack’s family regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered them the opportunity to provide a Family Reference DNA Sample, should it be necessary for their Uncle Jack's identification.
On April 2, 2016, the DPAA identified the remains of PFC Prince, and the family soon received “The Call” from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news.
To identify his remains, scientists from DPAA used laboratory analysis, including dental comparison, which matched Jack's Marine Corps medical records, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Jack was finally returned to his family and, on June 17, 2016, laid to rest at Calverton National Cemetery, in Calverton, New York, with full military honors (160606014). Richard had lovingly been placed there just two short years prior.
Marine Corps Reserve Private First Class John Frederick Prince is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although PFC Prince has now been recovered and identified, his name shall remain permanently inscribed with Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette has been placed next to his name to verify that Jack has finally been found.
SOURCE
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Release No: 16-039 (June 10, 2016)
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), History Flight and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. “It takes a village!”
Born September 13, 1924, in New York, New York, John Frederick Prince was the younger of 2 sons blessed to the union of Queens residents, Frederick Jay & Margaret (nee McCoy) Prince.
"Jack" attended Public School 33 and later graduated from Jamaica High School. On November 21, 1942, the 71", 165 lbs, blue-eyed brunette walked into a New York City Marine Corps recruiting station and enlisted in the Reserves. He went overseas the following June and the guys enjoyed the sights, scenes and hospitality of New Zealand. The Big City kid joined his buddies in their local Wellington adventures as they awaited orders for their first campaign.
Private First Class Prince was with his brothers in Fox Company, 2nd Battalion of the 8th Marines (F-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 for the "Battle of Tarawa"), when young Jack - just 19 years old - perished. He was reportedly soon buried in Division Cemetery 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 or husband 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.
Jack was cited by his Commanding Officer for outstanding performance under combat against Japanese forces in Tarawa. For his service and sacrifice, Jack's parents 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 was his brother, USAAF Sergeant Richard Prince, who was serving overseas as well as the time of Jack's death.
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 the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio, but PFC Prince’s remains were not recovered. On October 24, 1949, a military review board declared Jack "non-recoverable".
PFC Prince was the first from Bellerose to give his life for his country in World War II. Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post #6478 was later named in his honor.
In June 2015, History Flight notified the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency that they had discovered a burial site on Betio Island and recovered the remains of what they believed were 35 U.S. Marines who fought during the battle in November 1943. The remains were turned over to DPAA in July 2015 for analysis.
On October 11, 2015, Jennifer Morrison, an independent volunteer forensic genealogist, found the family of PFC Prince and provided their contact information to the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. This (re)established lines of communication with Jack’s family regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered them the opportunity to provide a Family Reference DNA Sample, should it be necessary for their Uncle Jack's identification.
On April 2, 2016, the DPAA identified the remains of PFC Prince, and the family soon received “The Call” from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news.
To identify his remains, scientists from DPAA used laboratory analysis, including dental comparison, which matched Jack's Marine Corps medical records, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Jack was finally returned to his family and, on June 17, 2016, laid to rest at Calverton National Cemetery, in Calverton, New York, with full military honors (160606014). Richard had lovingly been placed there just two short years prior.
Marine Corps Reserve Private First Class John Frederick Prince is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although PFC Prince has now been recovered and identified, his name shall remain permanently inscribed with Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette has been placed next to his name to verify that Jack has finally been found.
SOURCE
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Release No: 16-039 (June 10, 2016)
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), History Flight and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. “It takes a village!”
Inscription
PRINCE JOHN F
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS • USMC • NEW YORK
Gravesite Details
Jack's rosette signifies that he has finally been found.
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