LINTHICUM, Md. — A U.S. Marine killed nearly 78 years ago during World War II has finally been laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.
The remains of Private First Class Harold Hayden, of Ohio, first arrived Tuesday afternoon at BWI Marshall Airport.
Several state and federal agencies joined family members in holding a dignified transfer ceremony to welcome back the fallen soldier.
At just 19-years-old, Hayden was one of approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors killed in the Pacific during the Battle of Tarawa in November of 1943.
Over half the casualties were never found. Hayden's remains weren't recovered until 2019, when the non-profit History Flight, Inc. discovered a burial site on Tarawa.
Hayden’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific along with the others still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
