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American Morning

Remains Of U.S. Marines Brought Back To Arlington

Aired August 17, 2001 - 10:25   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: They are finally home. The remains of 13 U.S. Marines killed 59 years ago are being reburied with honors today at Arlington National Cemetery.

CNN's Jeanne Meserve is covering the posthumous honors at Arlington. Good morning Jeanne.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kyra. Marine officials expect more than 1,000 people to turn out for this unusually large and unusually poignant internment.

These men went into battle exactly 59 years ago on Makin Island, a small island in the South Pacific where here was a small Japanese force. It was one of the first engagements by a newly-formed unit called Carlson's Commandos. Its intention was to divert Japanese attention from Guata Canal, where U.S. Forces were mounting -- or were gathering to mount a large offensive.

The rest of the story now from the people who know it best.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Although I'm convinced that the Japanese knew we were coming, they just didn't know when. Of course, we never really knew how many were there. But from the best intelligence estimates I think we were told they were between 80 and 100, and there were 200 of us. So we had a 2 for 1 advantage, plus the fact we thought we'd have a total surprise. It turned out we didn't.

We all sort of landed together. Unfortunately, our security was breached by an accidental firing of a bounty automatic rifle, which indicated were on shore. My worst memory is -- is -- well, Bill Gallagher, I was right next to Gallagher when he was killed. We came under fire and hit the deck, and I heard a noise and turned and there was Bill.

And in Colonel Carlson after action report, as he said, that it's an axiom of warfare that no mater how bad your situation is, the enemies may be worse. There's was much worse than ours.

Evans Fedash Carlson is absolutely the bravest man I've ever seen. Sometimes we felt he was sort of brave to the point of foolhardiness. But he set an example for all of us. KAREN CARLSON, GRANDDAUGHTER: There were 18 men who had been killed in action, 12 men reported missing in action. One of the last things that my grandfather did was pay a local native $50 to bury his men. He promised to bring them home some day, and unfortunately he was wounded in Saipan and eventually died, and was unable to fulfill that promise.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And they finally found them and brought them first to Pearl Harbor and then back here. And I can't tell you how pleased we all are that they are home. Thank God they're home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: Only in 1999 were the bodies of 19 slain marines found, and only then with the help of an islander who had helped bury them. Six of them were interred by their family, 13 will be buried here at Arlington today. Leon, back to you.

HARRIS: All right, thank you very much. Jeanne Meserve reporting for us from Arlington National Cemetery, in Virginia.

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