WWII KIA Marine finally returns home

| November 7, 2020

The KoB sent in this tip that Private Howard Elmer Miller of San Mateo, CA has been laid to rest back home after 77 years buried in an unnamed grave on the South Pacific island of Betio. Private Miller died in the fierce and bloody Battle of Tarawa in November 1943. Hondo posted about him when his remains were accounted for back in May.

World War II Veteran Marine Private First Class Howard Miller was finally laid to rest in his hometown of San Mateo on Friday, 77 years after he was killed in battle.

“I just wish my brother and father were here to see it. They wanted so badly to bring him home,” said Miller’s 89-year-old sister, Charmaine Rush. She was just a young girl when her brother joined the Marines and eventually went overseas to fight the Japanese army.

Miller played football at San Mateo High School and got married while still in boot camp.

Miller was killed in 1943 during the brutal battle of Tarawa in the Pacific Theater. He was just 22-years-old.

“I remember the night. My father was in New York. My mother got the news and went screaming out of the house. And I followed her out,” Rush said.

“I know for a fact my grandfather’s heart was broken when this happened. I don’t think there was any repair of that heart, ever,” says Miller’s nephew Barry Rush.

But for decades no one was sure exactly where he was buried.

Last year, a non-profit organization History Flight, found a previously undiscovered burial site.

Then earlier this year, the military’s Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced DNA tests had identified Miller’s remains.

His casket arrived at SFO Wednesday. He is now buried near where he once lived.

For Miller’s sister, finding her brother was a lifetime ordeal.

“I’m so happy to know he was coming home and in a place, he was familiar with. I didn’t want him buried anywhere else,” she says.

Source; Fox KTVU

If you’d like to know more about Private Miller, Missing Marines has a great write up on the once-lost Marine. I’ve tried to find out what happened to Miller’s wife without success.

Category: Guest Link, Marines, No Longer Missing, We Remember

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Sparks

Welcome home Brother. rest in well-deserved peace.

AW1Ed

Welcome home.

ninja

Mason shared:

“I’ve tried to find out what happened to Miller’s wife without success.”

Elizabeth (Betty) passed away in 2013 at the age of 90. She outlived 3 Husbands.

There is a nice picture of her at this link:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/119015813/elizabeth-riegel

“RIEGEL, Elizabeth Kirby age 90, of Washington Twp., passed away on Wednesday, October 16, 2013. Elizabeth was born to the late Clifford S. and Henriette (Ferrick) Bettinger on April 29, 1923 in Buffalo, NY.”

“She was preceded in death by her husbands, Howard Miller (1943), Thomas W. Kirby (1972) and Dr. William Kenneth Riegel (1995); her parents; and brother, Clifford S. Bettinger Jr. Elizabeth is survived by her son, Timothy B. Kirby (Linda); daughters, Susanne Kirby Vulgamore (Larry), Linda Kirby Brown (Russell) and Karen Kirby Rudy; granddaughters, Shannon Kirby Conley (Sean), Courtney Brown (fiance Ryan Sites) and Alison Rudy (fiance Ben Ruffin); great-grandchildren, Lillianna, Georgia and Grantland Conley; caring friend, Roberta Manz; and her loving basset hound, Millie.”

“Family will greet friends at Routsong Funeral Home, 81 N. Main St. Centerville. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Henry’s Catholic Church, 6696 N. Springboro Pike Dayton, OH 45449. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery. In memory of Elizabeth, donations may be made to the Dayton Humane Society, 1661 Nicholas Rd. Dayton, OH 45417.”

“Published in Dayton Daily News on Oct. 20, 2013”

Rest In Peace, PFC Miller and Elizabeth.

Salute. PFC Miller, You Were Never Forgotten.

Bring Them All Home.

A big Thank You to KoB, Hondo and Mason for sharing this story.

5th/77th FA

Welcome Home Marine Warrior. Rest Easy in your Home Soil Good Sir. We, again, Salute your Service and Pay Honors to your Sacrifice.

I was very Blessed to stumble onto this Warriors Homecoming Services. Ran across this the other night, actually while looking for FGS and Dumb Crook News. It was buried in another story that had been tied to a separate news feed. Just meant to be, I guess. Hondo does an excellent job keeping up with the Warriors when they are accounted for, but it’s hard to get follow on info if DARPA doesn’t provide it on the initial release. I was honored to be able to bring this story to my Sisters and Brothers of TAH.

As luck would have it, upon my return from my AM Meeting and a provision run to the K Roger, I sat here playing catchup on the threads. Took me awhile to get to this one because PBS was running a program on TV called “1st to Fight.” I initially thought it was in re of the TAH Friday Open Thread (the fame of which AND THE King of has spread far and wide). No, it was a compilation of original footage and interviews of the Marines in the Battle of Tarawa. An awful lot of original footage and the references to that “Marine meat grinder.”

Thanks to Mason for the posting and the additional linky under Missing Marines. Thanks, also to our very own ninja for the adding of the linky for Betty Jane, his widow. Very pretty Lady.

Valerie

God Bless him and Godspeed PFC Miller.