Marine Corps Reserve PVT Fred Evert Freet, 18, killed in World War II, was finally returned to his family and, on April 18, 2019, laid to rest - in American soil - with full military honors.
Born June 14, 1925, in Gary, Indiana, Fred was the middle of three sons blessed to the union of Carl Edward and Lucille Belle (nee Hale) Freet.
On the 12th of September, 1942, this 17-year old great-great-grandson of Tac-A-Qua-Zah & Kim-Qua-Tah (aka CPT Charles Dixon & Hannah Thorpe) of the Miami left his family to serve our great Nation as part of the United States Marine Corps. All three of the Freet boys were in the American Armed Forces at that time; SGT Ray Waldron Freet was with the United States Army and S2 William Edward Freet, Sr with the United States Navy.
Private Freet 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. 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 Fred - just 18 years old - perished. He was reportedly soon buried 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.
For his service and sacrifice, Fred’s family accepted the following awards and decorations:
- Purple Heart medal for his wounds received in action resulting in his death
- Combat Action Ribbon for his service during WWII
- Presidential Unit Citation for serving in the 2nd Marine Division on Tarawa
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one Bronze Campaign Star
- WWII Victory Medal
- Rifle Marksman Badge
Also left to mourn his passing were brothers, Raymond Waldron Freeet and William Edward Freet.
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, including Cemetery #27. The 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio between 1946 and 1947, but PVT Freet’s remains were not identified. All of the remains found on Tarawa were sent to the Schofield Barracks Central Identification Laboratory for identification in 1947. By 1949, the remains that had not been identified were interred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP, also known as "The Punchbowl") in Honolulu.
His family had a memorial marker placed in the Marion National Cemetery, in Marion, Indiana, in hopes that one day Fred would be found and returned home. His little brother, Bill, would later be laid to rest within direct site of the marker.
On May 11, 2013, Jennifer Morrison, an independent volunteer forensic genealogist, found the family of PVT Freet and put them in contact with the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. This contact with Fred's distant cousin, Shirley Hale, eventually (re)established lines of communication with Fred’s closer relatives regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered Bill Freet and Billy Jo Bridenthal the opportunity to provide a Family Reference DNA Sample, should it be necessary for Fred's identification.
On October 29, 2018, the DPAA identified the remains of Private Fred Evert Freet and his family received “The Call” from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news.
To identify his remains, scientists from Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency used dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Fred was finally returned to his family and, on April 18, 2019, laid to rest at Marion National Cemetery, in Marion, Indiana, following a sacred Miami ceremony and with full military honors. (8161175).
Marine Corps Private Fred Evert Freet is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has now been recovered and identified, PVT Freet’s name shall remain permanently inscribed within Court 2 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette has been placed next to his name to verify that Fred is no longer missing.
SOURCE
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Personnel Profile
DPAA Release No: 18-267 (Dec. 17, 2018)
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) and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. “It takes a village!”
Born June 14, 1925, in Gary, Indiana, Fred was the middle of three sons blessed to the union of Carl Edward and Lucille Belle (nee Hale) Freet.
On the 12th of September, 1942, this 17-year old great-great-grandson of Tac-A-Qua-Zah & Kim-Qua-Tah (aka CPT Charles Dixon & Hannah Thorpe) of the Miami left his family to serve our great Nation as part of the United States Marine Corps. All three of the Freet boys were in the American Armed Forces at that time; SGT Ray Waldron Freet was with the United States Army and S2 William Edward Freet, Sr with the United States Navy.
Private Freet 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. 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 Fred - just 18 years old - perished. He was reportedly soon buried 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.
For his service and sacrifice, Fred’s family accepted the following awards and decorations:
- Purple Heart medal for his wounds received in action resulting in his death
- Combat Action Ribbon for his service during WWII
- Presidential Unit Citation for serving in the 2nd Marine Division on Tarawa
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one Bronze Campaign Star
- WWII Victory Medal
- Rifle Marksman Badge
Also left to mourn his passing were brothers, Raymond Waldron Freeet and William Edward Freet.
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, including Cemetery #27. The 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio between 1946 and 1947, but PVT Freet’s remains were not identified. All of the remains found on Tarawa were sent to the Schofield Barracks Central Identification Laboratory for identification in 1947. By 1949, the remains that had not been identified were interred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP, also known as "The Punchbowl") in Honolulu.
His family had a memorial marker placed in the Marion National Cemetery, in Marion, Indiana, in hopes that one day Fred would be found and returned home. His little brother, Bill, would later be laid to rest within direct site of the marker.
On May 11, 2013, Jennifer Morrison, an independent volunteer forensic genealogist, found the family of PVT Freet and put them in contact with the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. This contact with Fred's distant cousin, Shirley Hale, eventually (re)established lines of communication with Fred’s closer relatives regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered Bill Freet and Billy Jo Bridenthal the opportunity to provide a Family Reference DNA Sample, should it be necessary for Fred's identification.
On October 29, 2018, the DPAA identified the remains of Private Fred Evert Freet and his family received “The Call” from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news.
To identify his remains, scientists from Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency used dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Fred was finally returned to his family and, on April 18, 2019, laid to rest at Marion National Cemetery, in Marion, Indiana, following a sacred Miami ceremony and with full military honors. (8161175).
Marine Corps Private Fred Evert Freet is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has now been recovered and identified, PVT Freet’s name shall remain permanently inscribed within Court 2 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette has been placed next to his name to verify that Fred is no longer missing.
SOURCE
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Personnel Profile
DPAA Release No: 18-267 (Dec. 17, 2018)
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) and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. “It takes a village!”
Marine Corps Reserve PVT Fred Evert Freet, 18, killed in World War II, was finally returned to his family and, on April 18, 2019, laid to rest - in American soil - with full military honors.
Born June 14, 1925, in Gary, Indiana, Fred was the middle of three sons blessed to the union of Carl Edward and Lucille Belle (nee Hale) Freet.
On the 12th of September, 1942, this 17-year old great-great-grandson of Tac-A-Qua-Zah & Kim-Qua-Tah (aka CPT Charles Dixon & Hannah Thorpe) of the Miami left his family to serve our great Nation as part of the United States Marine Corps. All three of the Freet boys were in the American Armed Forces at that time; SGT Ray Waldron Freet was with the United States Army and S2 William Edward Freet, Sr with the United States Navy.
Private Freet 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. 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 Fred - just 18 years old - perished. He was reportedly soon buried 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.
For his service and sacrifice, Fred’s family accepted the following awards and decorations:
- Purple Heart medal for his wounds received in action resulting in his death
- Combat Action Ribbon for his service during WWII
- Presidential Unit Citation for serving in the 2nd Marine Division on Tarawa
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one Bronze Campaign Star
- WWII Victory Medal
- Rifle Marksman Badge
Also left to mourn his passing were brothers, Raymond Waldron Freeet and William Edward Freet.
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, including Cemetery #27. The 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio between 1946 and 1947, but PVT Freet’s remains were not identified. All of the remains found on Tarawa were sent to the Schofield Barracks Central Identification Laboratory for identification in 1947. By 1949, the remains that had not been identified were interred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP, also known as "The Punchbowl") in Honolulu.
His family had a memorial marker placed in the Marion National Cemetery, in Marion, Indiana, in hopes that one day Fred would be found and returned home. His little brother, Bill, would later be laid to rest within direct site of the marker.
On May 11, 2013, Jennifer Morrison, an independent volunteer forensic genealogist, found the family of PVT Freet and put them in contact with the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. This contact with Fred's distant cousin, Shirley Hale, eventually (re)established lines of communication with Fred’s closer relatives regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered Bill Freet and Billy Jo Bridenthal the opportunity to provide a Family Reference DNA Sample, should it be necessary for Fred's identification.
On October 29, 2018, the DPAA identified the remains of Private Fred Evert Freet and his family received “The Call” from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news.
To identify his remains, scientists from Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency used dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Fred was finally returned to his family and, on April 18, 2019, laid to rest at Marion National Cemetery, in Marion, Indiana, following a sacred Miami ceremony and with full military honors. (8161175).
Marine Corps Private Fred Evert Freet is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has now been recovered and identified, PVT Freet’s name shall remain permanently inscribed within Court 2 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette has been placed next to his name to verify that Fred is no longer missing.
SOURCE
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Personnel Profile
DPAA Release No: 18-267 (Dec. 17, 2018)
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) and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. “It takes a village!”
Born June 14, 1925, in Gary, Indiana, Fred was the middle of three sons blessed to the union of Carl Edward and Lucille Belle (nee Hale) Freet.
On the 12th of September, 1942, this 17-year old great-great-grandson of Tac-A-Qua-Zah & Kim-Qua-Tah (aka CPT Charles Dixon & Hannah Thorpe) of the Miami left his family to serve our great Nation as part of the United States Marine Corps. All three of the Freet boys were in the American Armed Forces at that time; SGT Ray Waldron Freet was with the United States Army and S2 William Edward Freet, Sr with the United States Navy.
Private Freet 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. 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 Fred - just 18 years old - perished. He was reportedly soon buried 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.
For his service and sacrifice, Fred’s family accepted the following awards and decorations:
- Purple Heart medal for his wounds received in action resulting in his death
- Combat Action Ribbon for his service during WWII
- Presidential Unit Citation for serving in the 2nd Marine Division on Tarawa
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one Bronze Campaign Star
- WWII Victory Medal
- Rifle Marksman Badge
Also left to mourn his passing were brothers, Raymond Waldron Freeet and William Edward Freet.
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, including Cemetery #27. The 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio between 1946 and 1947, but PVT Freet’s remains were not identified. All of the remains found on Tarawa were sent to the Schofield Barracks Central Identification Laboratory for identification in 1947. By 1949, the remains that had not been identified were interred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP, also known as "The Punchbowl") in Honolulu.
His family had a memorial marker placed in the Marion National Cemetery, in Marion, Indiana, in hopes that one day Fred would be found and returned home. His little brother, Bill, would later be laid to rest within direct site of the marker.
On May 11, 2013, Jennifer Morrison, an independent volunteer forensic genealogist, found the family of PVT Freet and put them in contact with the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section. This contact with Fred's distant cousin, Shirley Hale, eventually (re)established lines of communication with Fred’s closer relatives regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered Bill Freet and Billy Jo Bridenthal the opportunity to provide a Family Reference DNA Sample, should it be necessary for Fred's identification.
On October 29, 2018, the DPAA identified the remains of Private Fred Evert Freet and his family received “The Call” from the Marine Corps POW/MIA Section with the good news.
To identify his remains, scientists from Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency used dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
Fred was finally returned to his family and, on April 18, 2019, laid to rest at Marion National Cemetery, in Marion, Indiana, following a sacred Miami ceremony and with full military honors. (8161175).
Marine Corps Private Fred Evert Freet is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has now been recovered and identified, PVT Freet’s name shall remain permanently inscribed within Court 2 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette has been placed next to his name to verify that Fred is no longer missing.
SOURCE
Marine Corps POW/MIA Section
DPAA Personnel Profile
DPAA Release No: 18-267 (Dec. 17, 2018)
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) and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. “It takes a village!”
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FREET FRED EVERT
PRIVATE • USMC • INDIANA
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