TARAWA, Republic of Kiribati – Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command members receive remains from local government officials while in Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati on August 11, 2010.
JPAC, which is based out of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii is responsible for recovering remains of missing or fallen military members from past conflicts. There is currently a 13-man team in Tarawa to recover remains of U.S. Marines from the WWII Battle of Tarawa, which took place in November of 1943. The 2nd Marine Division lost 1,113 men during that battle and 1,290 were wounded.
Local officials had remains brought to them by local citizens and the government held onto the remains with the impending arrival of the JPAC team. On Aug. 11, those remains were presented to the ream in an official turnover ceremony. This was the first of such turnovers because in the coming days, the team will receive several other types of remains that have been found on the island.
“This is a great way to start,” said Oscar Team Leader Capt. Ernest Nordman, a U.S. Marine assigned to JPAC. “Receiving remains this early is the way to start a mission,” Captain Nordman added.
“It’s a blessing to get these remains that were missing and return them to our office so we can identify them and give relief to their families,” said Army Staff Sgt. Jordy Anthony, a native of St. Martinville, La.
“These families have been waiting for a long time and hopefully this will bring closure for them,” added Anthony.
For many of the JPAC members; this is more than a job, it’s a passion. Many of the team members chose to be a part of this organization that lives to bring fallen members home.
“We’re off to a great start by receiving remains this early because it will definitely bring closure,” said Anthony. “Every morning we wake up and look forward to doing this and bringing someone home.”