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KIA Corporal Robert Pearson, USMC Raider Makin


robinb
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My best Purple Heart is one that I got directly from the family back in 1988. At the time his sister told me that he was KIA on Makin, but that didn't mean anything to me at the time. Soon after getting home with it I discovered just what that meant! He was on the 1942 Makin Raid, and after some research (pre internet days) I found that he was killed during the raid; not one of the 9 who were left behind to be later executed by the Japanese.

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The Scarlet Pimpernel

THAT is an historic medal! Do you know if his body was recovered or lost when burial locations were bulldozed into the ocean post war?

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The Scarlet Pimpernel
Just now, The Scarlet Pimpernel said:

Looks like his mother lived in California. 

Screenshot_2022-12-01-23-10-17-11_40deb401b9ffe8e1df2f1cc5ba480b12.jpg

So he is still listed as MIA. Most likely lost in the surf or was buried on the island. The location was later bulldozed to enlarge the airfield and facilities. 

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The Scarlet Pimpernel

Interesting. You know how it's been said that things happen in threes. 

 

1. There was a Makin Raider group sold off eBay several weeks ago.

 

2 . There was another Makin Raider group sold recently.

 

3. From what I've been told by a well connected person I know, there is a very significant MIA/KIA grouping coming out very soon. 

 

Better break into your piggy banks, get a second mortgage or rob a bank, as it will be pretty big dough!

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Kurt Barickman

That is a great USMC Heart! Very historic and desirable and probably one of the most sought after of all USMC WWII KIA Purple Hearts!

 

Congrats,

 

Kurt

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...
CharlieGreer

He was recovered in 1999 among 18 other raiders on Makin. Only 2 raiders that were killed during the raid remain missing (aside from the nine POWs captured on the island after the raid), Pearson is buried at Arlington NatCem alongside 12 other raiders.

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Very nice medal, so rare to have him identified so many years later. It’s so great that people still give their time to do that very important task. 

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