Army identifies remains of World War II soldier from iconic Merrill’s Marauders
Identification after decades
The U.S. military announced Wednesday that it had identified Gala’s remains, more than 80 years after he disappeared while serving with Merrill’s Marauders. Gala was 21 when he died. The military said he was last seen moving with his battalion toward a heavily fortified Japanese area near Mankrin, though the circumstances of his death were not recorded.
The unit’s final objective
The Army described the mission where Gala was last seen as the unit’s final overseas objective. On May 17, 1944, Merrill’s Marauders captured the Myitkyina airstrip in Burma. The unit defeated a much larger Japanese force across five major battles and 30 minor ones. Former Marauder Sam Wilson told the Army in 2016, “We were expendable.”
Remains moved to Honolulu
Gala’s remains were buried in several U.S. military cemeteries in Burma and India. They were later transferred with other unidentified soldiers’ remains to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Key points
- The military identified Gala’s remains more than 80 years after his disappearance.
- Gala was 21 and last seen advancing toward a Japanese position near Mankrin.
- Merrill’s Marauders captured Burma’s Myitkyina airstrip on May 17, 1944.
- His remains were transferred to Honolulu’s National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.