NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
No. 757-06 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug 08, 2006 Media Contact: (703)697-5131
Public/Industry(703)428-0711
Missing WWII Marine is Identified
The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today
that a U.S. Marine missing in action from World War II has been identified and
is being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Sgt. John H. Branic, U.S. Marine Corps, of Madera, Pa. He is to be
buried at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.
Branic was a platoon leader for L Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine
Regiment, 1st Marine Division on Aug. 19, 1942, when a Japanese force overran
his defensive position on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. During the attack,
Branic was killed, but the Marines of L Company counterattacked and succeeded
in driving the Japanese back. The location of Branic's remains was not
reported to headquarters, as the L Company executive officer was also killed.
In February 1992, the U.S. Embassy, Solomon Islands, reported to
the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) that remains believed to be those
of an American had been recovered at a construction site on Guadalcanal. JPAC
took possession of those remains the following month, and excavated the site
where they found additional remains. In the same general area, they found
World War II-era ammunition, but no additional remains. In 2004,
an American researcher with the First Marine Division association reported to
JPAC that a Solomon Islander had possession of a ring with the inscription
"JHB" on the inside. The ring was found at the initial burial site.
JPAC scientists and Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory specialists
used mitochondrial DNA as one of the forensic tools to help identify the
remains. Laboratory analysis of dental remains also confirmed the
identification.
No. 757-06 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug 08, 2006 Media Contact: (703)697-5131
Public/Industry(703)428-0711
Missing WWII Marine is Identified
The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today
that a U.S. Marine missing in action from World War II has been identified and
is being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Sgt. John H. Branic, U.S. Marine Corps, of Madera, Pa. He is to be
buried at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.
Branic was a platoon leader for L Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine
Regiment, 1st Marine Division on Aug. 19, 1942, when a Japanese force overran
his defensive position on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. During the attack,
Branic was killed, but the Marines of L Company counterattacked and succeeded
in driving the Japanese back. The location of Branic's remains was not
reported to headquarters, as the L Company executive officer was also killed.
In February 1992, the U.S. Embassy, Solomon Islands, reported to
the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) that remains believed to be those
of an American had been recovered at a construction site on Guadalcanal. JPAC
took possession of those remains the following month, and excavated the site
where they found additional remains. In the same general area, they found
World War II-era ammunition, but no additional remains. In 2004,
an American researcher with the First Marine Division association reported to
JPAC that a Solomon Islander had possession of a ring with the inscription
"JHB" on the inside. The ring was found at the initial burial site.
JPAC scientists and Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory specialists
used mitochondrial DNA as one of the forensic tools to help identify the
remains. Laboratory analysis of dental remains also confirmed the
identification.