JOURNAL ARTICLE

The Wounds Time Does Not Heal: A Case of Historical Pitfalls and the Present-Day Identification of a U.S. Marine from World War II.

  • Published In: Forensic Anthropology (University of Florida), 2025, v. 8, n. 1. P. 36 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Hawke, Rylan Tegtmeyer; Black, Cullen J. 3 of 3

Abstract

The segregation and subsequent identification of skeletal remains from commingled contexts is a multifaceted and complicated process. Success or failure in this process relies heavily on training and experience, both during archaeological recovery and anthropological analysis. This case study details the identification of a World War II service member associated with the Battle of Tarawa, drawing on multiple lines of evidence. Historical context, recovery, and analysis of the remains resulted in a misidentification of this individual in 1946. Present-day accounting efforts by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), including the use of historical research, anthropological analysis, dental analysis, and DNA, were used to segregate and ultimately associate skeletal material recovered from three different recovery operations on Tarawa, leading to the correct identification of this service member in 2024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Forensic Anthropology (University of Florida). 2025/01, Vol. 8, Issue 1, p36
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Military History and Science
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:2573-5020
  • DOI:10.5744/fa.2024.0011
  • Accession Number:184069362
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Forensic Anthropology (University of Florida) is the property of University of Florida, Board of Trustees and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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