Iowa Marines laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery

The bodies of two Iowa veterans will be laid to rest today in Arlington, Virginia, nearly six decades after they were killed in battle. The Iowans were part of a World War Two commando unit known as the Marine Raiders. 19 U-S soldiers were among those captured and executed after an attack on a Japanese-held island in the South Pacific on today’s date — August 17th of 1942. A native of Makin Atoll said he helped bury the bodies long ago and recently led officials to the site. After a lengthy identification process, they’ve all been accounted for and will be buried today at Arlington National Cemetery. The Marines’ remains include: Corporal Harris Johnson of northwest Iowa’s Little Rock and Private Franklin Nodland of Marshalltown.