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Recent House Resolution Introduced by Rep Lepinski a SEC. 563. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING THE RECOVERY OF THE REMAINS OF MEMBERS OF THE
ARMED FORCES WHO WERE KILLED DURING WORLD WAR II IN THE BATTLE OF TARAWA ATOLL. (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following
findings: (1) On November 20, 1943, units of the United States
Marine Corps, supported by units of the United States Army and warships and aircraft of the United States Navy, conducted
an amphibious landing on the Island of Betio, Tarawa Atoll, in the Gilbert Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
(2) The United States military forces faced an entrenched force of 5,000 Japanese
soldiers. (3) The Tarawa landing was the first American amphibious
assault on a fortified beachhead in World War II. (4) Just 76 hours later, the American flag
was raised at Tarawa. (5) More than 1,100 Marines and other members of
the Armed Forces were killed during the battle. (6) Most
of the Marines, soldiers, and sailors who were killed during the battle were buried in hastily dug graves and cemeteries on
Tarawa. (7) Between 1943 and 1946, the remains of some
of the Marines and other members of the Armed Forces were disinterred and reinterred in temporary graves by the Navy.
(8) After World War II, the remains of some of these Marines and other members of
the Armed Forces were recovered and returned to the United States for burial. (9) Due to mistakes in reinterment, poor records, as well as other causes, the remains of 564 Marines and other members
of the Armed Forces killed in the battle of Tarawa are in unmarked, unknown graves. (10) Since 1980, the Department of Defense has recovered remains from some unmarked graves that have been found through
construction or other activity on Tarawa. (11) The
remains of members of the Armed Forces on Tarawa continue to be threatened by construction or other land disturbing activity.
(12) Recent research has shed new light on the locations of unmarked and lost graves
of members of the Armed Forces on Tarawa. (13) It
is the responsibility of the Federal Government to return to the United States for proper burial and respect all members of
the Armed Forces killed at Tarawa who lie in unmarked and lost graves. - Sense of Congress.--In light of these findings, Congress-- (1) reaffirms its support for the recovery and return to the United States of the remains of members of the Armed
Forces killed in battle, and for the efforts by the Joint POW-MIA Accounting Command to recover the remains of members of
the Armed Forces from all wars; (2) recognizes the courage and sacrifice of the
members of the Armed Forces who fought on Tarawa; (3) acknowledges the dedicated research and efforts by persons to identify, locate, and advocate for the recovery
of remains from Tarawa; and (4) encourages the Department of Defense to review this research
and, as appropriate, pursue new efforts to conduct field studies, new research, and undertake all feasible efforts to recover,
identify, and return remains of members of the Armed Forces from Tarawa. A
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