Marine Corps Reserve PFC John R. Bayens
Frankfort, Ky. (Dec. 13, 2019) – Gov. Andy Beshear has directed flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff on Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in honor of a Kentucky Marine killed in action during World War II, but whose remains were only recently identified.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Marine Corps Reserve PFC John R. Bayens, 20, of Louisville, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Sept. 23, 2019.
In November 1943, Bayens was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa atoll of the Gilbert Islands in an attempt to secure the island.
Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and sailors were killed and more than 2,000 wounded. The Japanese were virtually annihilated. Bayens was killed on the third day of the battle, Nov. 22, 1943. His remains were reportedly buried in Cemetery 33 on Betio Island.
In 1946, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company centralized all of the American remains found on Tarawa at Lone Palm Cemetery for later repatriation, but about half of the known casualties were never found. No recovered remains could be associated with Bayens. In October 1949, he was declared “non-recoverable.”
In 2014, History Flight, Inc., a nonprofit organization, identified Cemetery 33. Excavations of the site uncovered multiple sets of remains, which were turned over to DPAA in 2015.
To identify Bayens’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological, and chest radiograph comparison analysis, as well as material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the Marine Corps for their assistance in this mission. Additionally, DPAA is appreciative of History Flight, Inc., for their partnership.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently, there are 72,638 service members still unaccounted for with approximately 30,000 assessed as possibly recoverable.
Bayens’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP) in Honolulu, along with the others killed or lost in WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Bayens will be interred on Monday, Dec. 16, in his hometown of Louisville.
All individuals, businesses, organizations, and government agencies are encouraged to join in this tribute of lowering the flag to honor Bayens.
Flag status information is available at https://governor.ky.gov/pages/Flag-Status.aspx.
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