Pearl Harbor Hero Returns Home After 75 Years in an Unknown Grave | National Geographic

After nearly 75 years in an "unknown" grave, a Pearl Harbor hero is returned to his family.
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Unknown soldiers of WWII are getting the burials they never had. For nearly 75 years, hundreds who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor remained buried in graves marked "Unknown." Many of their parents, spouses, and children have passed away without the closure of burying them at home.
Among the casualties was United States Navy Ensign John Charles England, who served aboard the U.S.S. Oklahoma, one of the first ships attacked. After surviving the first strike, Ensign England led three men to safety. The fourth time he returned to the capsizing ship, he never resurfaced. His last letter home a few weeks before the attack talked of his newborn daughter and how much he was looking forward to meeting her. England never had the chance to meet his daughter and died a week before his 21st birthday. But his granddaughter, Bethany Glenn, became interested in his story decades later. 429 men died on the U.S.S. Oklahoma, second in casualties to the U.S.S. Arizona; 388 of those men on the U.S.S. Oklahoma were "unaccounted for."
Glenn learned that her grandfather's remains, along with those of 27 other men, were partially identified in the 1940s. She became part of a group of families, led by Pearl Harbor survivor Ray Emory and Bob Valley, advocating for their return. In 2015, the Department of Defense's POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) began disinterring unknowns from the U.S.S. Oklahoma, using DNA and other records to begin positive identification. Remains are now being flown to burials arranged by the men's surviving families. John England's remains were among the first to return home and were buried with full military honors. There are more than 83,000 U.S. service members currently classified as missing in action or prisoners of war. While the DPAA states less than half are likely to be resolved, it has set a five-year goal for the identification of all of the U.S.S. Oklahoma unknowns. Those currently in military service now give DNA samples when they enlist, aiding in making the unknown soldier a pain of the past.
For more information, read "Hero Lost at Pearl Harbor Comes Home After Years in an Unknown Grave" : news.nationalge...
PRODUCER/CAMERA/EDIT: Gabriella Garcia-Pardo
COLORIST: Raul Marrero
GRAPHICS: Hai-Lam Phan
PRODUCTION ASSITANCE: Amber Seyler
ADDITIONAL FOOTAGE: Defense Video Imagery Distribution System
MUSIC: Cool Cat Music, Anthony Brown, Sergei Stern, Chris Haigh, Benjamin Steele
Pearl Harbor Hero Returns Home After 75 Years in an Unknown Grave | National Geographic
• Pearl Harbor Hero Retu...
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[@rick4037]

The man went back below deck four times to rescue his shipmates he should get the medal of honour, bravery and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty

[@riograndedosulball248]

Can the congressional medal of honor being given post-death? Because he really deserved it in live

[@fireline4765]

@@riograndedosulball248 Yes, the Medal of Honor can, and has been given posthumously. President Barack Obama awarded an officer who died in the Civil War the Medal of Honor.

[@historicalmistakes8732]

@@riograndedosulball248 Half of all Medal of Honors are given posthumously

[@ianchandley]

@@riograndedosulball248 yup. My Great Uncle was awarded the MoH posthumously.

[@Oleg19948]

@@historicalmistakes8732 since the Korean war more then 90% of CMOH recipients were awarded posthumously.

[@stuna91]

Its nice to see these forgotten heroes truly appreciated for their sacrifice.

[@strom6592]

What does that have to do with anything

[@CapysGardenShop]

LilRando ...someday you might find you are starving and eat all of the words you just said.

[@stuna91]

BadBandana So you dont care about soldiers who died for your rights?

[@stuna91]

BadBandana Any nation had to have people to die in the name of that country.

[@zboy.05]

Stun Gun Stunna well they had to sacrifice there life's world was at war

[@SirIsaacNewtonOfficial]

damn.. I did funeral detail in the army for 3 years and this shit hit me right in the feels.... RIP brother. Your in a better place now.

[@AnnetteLynnG]

My Infantryman Son also served in the Honor Guard. Every burial, every family member, still live in his heart!

[@Tyler380]

I was in the Honor Guard.. Not for those guys, its was later on..

[@taocampbell1831]

Cody Nicholson thx for serving

[@trentonnicholson4743]

Cody Nicholson thanks for your service

[@D09uin]

A better place with a name instead of being branded like an SCP.

[@jinxiesmith13]

What kind of individual would "dislike" this? If this doesn't bring tears, nothing will. A piece of America's greatest generation....what a wonderful story.

[@jamesarronmartinmartin7262]

They also might not be happy about his body being removed from the side of his fellow brothers in arms

[@Michael-gh1tj]

The Japanese

[@santhisel]

A closure for the family and a ship name after him. What a great way to remember him. Rest in peace sir 🇺🇸

[@johnyates670]

The Greatest Generation Respect and Honor Rest In Peace brave warrior Now you are with your brothers You will never be forgotten 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@Octopat]

You may have been lost. But you have never. Ever been forgotten

[@shep9231]

Amen!

[@edpenaserada407]

I salute to you AMERICA...and The American poeple..on how you valued the life of your fellow American HEROS.GOD BLESS AMERICA.

[@pullerdogpullerdog6866]

May he rest in eternal peace and may his devotion to the Nation be ever remembered.

[@haukepowers8491]

Let us hope and pray no more conflicts of this magnitude ever occur...Bless all who gave..

[@Tyler380]

Our country and the men that served in this war suffered for years after it was over.. I encourage everyone especially the young to read the history of this war...

[@AnnetteLynnG]

+LilRando It is his Vountry. It is my Country. I was born here. No man, no woman, no people, own this planet. Your bitter rantings will never change that. If that bothers you and offends you, then you should stay off of the "non-native" invented internet.

[@Tyler380]

Annette.. Ignore the clones and trolls. We know what we did.. They are showing their ignorance.. That's how we know who they are.. Smile Baby.. Life is short..

[@jdexposure]

Got news for ya, indigenous Indian tribes were NOT a bunch of choir boys. Read your history then, get back to me.

[@bad74maverick1]

so that would be almost every country but Israel, who purchased their land from the late 19th to early 20th century as it was seen as wasteland. then they formed a sovereign state and later a country and the arabs got pissed about it......

[@scottni1]

Well we suffered so did Japan So did the Jews..... All innocents tbh Pearl harbor did not kill nearly as much innocents as EITHER of those

[@NJSportsGirl2]

Wow this is just heartbreaking but at the same time it is just insane that after 75 years this was now happening to this family. What a remarkable story. 😭💕

[@Cblount21]

I can relate to this story. My Grand Uncle died on the USS California that day. Haven't been able to visit his grave at Honolulu. His brother who was my grandfather never got to visit his grave because of the cost traveling. RIP PFC John Andrew Blount, Jr.

[@808bboarder]

Lord Moriarty007 I'm sorry to hear that. I'm from Hawaii and I'll make sure if I ever visit the graves soon again I'll look for your Grand Uncle and pay my respects sir. I know any flights connected to Hawaii are ridiculously priced which is unfortunate especially when it comes to things like this. To all your family members who served thank you. Aloha 🌺

[@afellowhuman8944]

It really unfair for this things to happen, but at least your Grand Uncle is in a better place now right

[@elizabethlinsay9193]

808bboarder: I'm overwhelmed by your genuine loving kindness. You are an inspiration to the world at large.

[@elizabethlinsay9193]

Lord Moriarty007: if I had known about your Grandfather when he was alive, I'd have figured out a way to get him to Hawaii. I'm so glad this ended as it has. This is the most moving video I have ever seen. God bless all of you forever.

[@cashjones1440]

Make a go fund me please so we can help

[@sesquashtwo]

Tears were just squirting out of my eyes...especially when an un-seen daughter was laying in the 'arms' of her father...to rest together forever....wow...!

[@raem.6512]

No more unknown soldiers, sailors, marines, Airmen or coast guardsmen. So glad to know that families won’t have to wonder so much. There are still so very many Missing in Action and unfortunately that may never be totally solved due to the nature of some of the ways people die such as explosions where nothing at all is left or nations who refuse to return POWs or the bodies of the KIAs. But this is a big step forward. Glad this family were able to have something to bury and that this Sailor received the funeral and honors he deserved.

[@raffaeleirlanda6966]

Rae Parmeter Infortunato that is notizie easy as You may Imagine. If a soldier died of wounds we can still retrieve DNA samples, but if a person died burning, the DNA got destroyed by heat.

[@jackmarlow1758]

My great uncle died in ww1 ( April 1918 ) his grave is in France and has no name as my family couldn’t afford it at the time. No ones ever been to see him and we’ve only just found his grave. We plan to visit soon. RIP to all these brave men.

[@maggiesalas4633]

What a beautiful gift to have closure. Your story, like many others is just heartbreaking. On December 2022, my family went to Honolulu and visited Pearl Harbor. We were overwhelmed with the heartbreak of all the families that lost a loved one. I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to go to Pearl Harbor and say a prayer for the families of those lost on the Arizona (the memorial), and all the other ships. Thank you for your service 🇺🇸

[@peterblazeby4783]

Never forgotten,RIP sir, your job is done 💓

[@combatghost8016]

Thank you for your service 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 legends are not forgotten

[@wafflesupplyer]

Thank you for serving our country and protecting your loved ones.

[@nicovargas7776]

Heartbreaking. God bless you and yours. Your grandfather is a hero to us all.

[@peteronister1488]

Such a beautiful story, my condolences and also my thanks and respect to all of you, all of the amazing veterans and soldiers still in duty that pour out your hearts for this country, God bless you.

[@areiaaphrodite]

when they put her ashes in the casket with him...I cried... their mother never ever ever knew what happened to her own father..never even getting to meet him once, and he, never getting to meet her.. it broke my heart...at least they're together now...

[@edbigtruck]

To the Brave Soldiers that have given the Ultimate Sacrifice and to the Families left behind. Bless all of you. And thank you

[@SockyNoob]

This had me in tears. Glad to see he was finally returned to his family.

[@korihoornstra7128]

To all those who have served we salute you.

[@kevinmaltby2346]

My father had a lifetime subscription for Nat Geo Magazine. He was a WW2 B-17 pilot in ferrying the goods in that plane to supply the ships before they went to Normandy. RIP my father ~

[@kimbradley9595]

So many forgotten Heroes so many families should do what they did it was the saddest thing I ever seen from 1940

[@U2Jaime1317]

you may now rest in peace. i appreciate you and thank you for your service.

[@olbear9984]

An Uncle in the Seabees went to Pearl to help recover the men trapped in ships. He is a family Hero, along with a Brother in law Howard Smith that was an 82nd. Airborne paratrooper in the Normandy invasion. Another family Hero. God Bless those that served. 🐻

[@TylerJohnson-jp2sh]

My grandpa goes back every year to see those boys. Sacrificial heroes

[@LizetteGoss]

Rest in paradise, forever a hero.

[@runamoon6329]

No one who fights and dies for there country should be buried unknown im grateful there finding these family’s and giving them and honorable re burial with them identified

[@kevinNagel1776]

This could be the most important Mission in History. RIP Warriors

[@TheRhonda1974]

finally rip. thank you for doing what you do for these families. this made me cry but honored tears of joy. we all are Americans and we feel your pain. thank you for your services JC

[@sheliacarr2512]

So happy you found him...I solute you, thank you sir...USA the land we love ❤️🇺🇸 much respect!

[@allenweisler2nd237]

Thank you so much for sharing, God Bless you and your family.

[@bjyokums]

WOW...Sending much love and gratitude to this family.

[@KCODacey]

Please, let us all give thanks for perseverance of Mr. Emory. If it weren’t for the sense of honor this gentleman possesses there would be no story. I salute you, Sir. CDR, MC, USNR (Ret)

[@lorettawhitt8564]

never forget heros past and present

[@AuralDows80]

Lots of gratitude and love sent to Mr. England's family and those that went above and beyond to get him the recognition he deserved. Thank you for sharing his story.🇺🇸

[@glennbelldc1651]

As a navy veteran I appreciate and thank your grandfather and your family for his service and sacrafice. I thank all of my fellow veterans. I agree today with the technowlagy there should be no unknown service men past or present.

[@Mark59396]

These veterans were deceived by politicians! They manipulated the fate of these heroes with ease! This is mean and hypocritical but true! Japan attacked the US military base Pearl Harbor in Hawaii December 7, 1941 as a result of well-provoked by American politicians, America wanted to adjust everything so that the war began Japan. Roosevelt understood that Hitler was dangerous for the world and for America. And I understood that there is no other way for his destruction, except for the military one. In American society, a completely different position dominated. "Two years there is a war in Europe, Hitler attacked the USSR, and still the US can not enter the war, because public opinion is against .This means it needs to be changed." And the best way to do this would be to attack Japan against the US. America's public opinion will have no other choice. "The US knew about the attack in advance, concealed it and allowed itself to be attacked. Just before the Japanese attack from Pearl Harbor, all three US aircraft carriers of! Having access to secret information from the Japanese naval forces , did not become d It later became the reason for the accusation of Roosevelt and Churchill that, having committed an attack on Pearl Harbor, each in his own way strove to push America to enter the war

[@billjenkins687]

I am crying as I type.

[@TheEpicminecraft70]

I really love that they care of the dead

[@Model1928]

+russian fleet You know that your saying russians dont care if there familys death or death its self....

[@barrymuskus67]

How emotional ❤❤. Glad for his return

[@sgt.grinch3299]

A hero that rests with his brothers. God bless our Vets!

[@williamtay741]

This video make me feel very emotional, after hearing the story of a fallen hero. Every fallen soldier has a life that they left behind, regardless of which side they fought for, they should never be disrespected. As a soldier myself I understand how the families feels and if it was me who was lost without a proper send off, I won't want to be insulted because I fought for a losing side.

[@keanukea-kamehameha3812]

Wow. Dis documentary was amaxing. I loved it ! WW2 Made Men and Heroes. Tyj and may they all RIP

[@misscsaash-leighharlow2681]

A very moving and touching story welcome home Sir and rest in rest MissCSA

[@nicholascareswell8251]

Welcome home brother.

[@sarahsmileseriously]

What a powerful story! God bless your family, thank you for sharing.

[@MrLtwilliam]

thank you all for giving so much to keep us free and for war to be no more and our heart's will heal over time with the Lost's of those we love so dearly

[@crazymonkey0518]

The daughters ashes in with the fathers graves got me

[@jesmircan]

Thank you Mr. England.

[@ManduhPandora]

So amazing, and very heartbreaking. So glad they are no longer unknown. Thank you all who has served

[@bkojeman]

that’s great they could finally give the unknown worldwide a proper funeral🙏🏽😢😔🥺

[@haynes1776]

We must honor all our fallen servicemen/servicewomen/servicewomen that have served in our armed forces and must never forget their sacrifice to our country. From the revolution to today. You are not forgotten. 🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@guyjoseph4361]

What service woman, the ones that tripped over to the nail bar!

[@RoadCaptainEntertain]

Tears.

[@TouchoftheBrushModelWeathering]

they need to make a movie based on this

[@briancurran3622]

what an incredible human life story

[@joshuabarnett6916]

It's sad to know that the family won't be able to see their ,loved one ever again

[@DagaraLP]

So emotional.. .

[@evilborg]

Gone but not forgotten......

[@chrisventura1881]

wow that's excellent really. bitter sweet tho. respect and R.I.P

[@anthonykilburn9302]

RIP 🙏❤🇺🇸Thank you for your service.

[@alexfisher_d2128]

Rip to the unknown soldiers

[@c.h.castle6819]

Gosh ray looks good for 96 97

[@Cofresi100]

FINALLY RIP HERO

[@EricBlairMRERICBLAIR]

Welcome home, you served well and rest in pure peace, soldier! ALWAYS REMEMBER AND NEVER FORGET DECEMBER THE 7th 1941 and every day since then to now! ✝🔯✡

[@emersonkelvin2010]

Her voice is amazinng

[@YourPalKindred]

Seeing the empty uniform in the casket hit me hard

[@neongames4462]

Goed bless all the heros out there💓

[@seanpatrick7827]

R,I,P. American Hero!

[@stewartritchey7602]

When you put your name on the line, you put your life on the line.

[@rosalynw.otieno1994]

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@johncitizen3927]

us army, combat vet. i am not a hero. but i did have the honor of walking beside a few....

[@rishilalwani6311]

That one word *unknown* give me tears

[@emmerentiagroenewald3694]

Now they know.....🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@anthonystephenson4180]

Respect

[@marcosnino8425]

The Pearl Harbor veterans mom died the same year and exact day I was born

[@patrickwright2384]

Let him rest with his fallen brothers

[@layingdownreactions9247]

Powerful

[@CapysGardenShop]

WARNING: highly emotional after 6:30 mark. 💙💙💙 Well done video. Gulp.

[@patriciabilinkas3911]

This great guy deserves his own plot of land, where his family can visit, in which to Rest In Peace.🇺🇸👍

[@LeonFernando18]

:23 was honored to be in the firing squad for this Hero. never forgoten

[@tylerpriddy8421]

Fernando Leon your a liar

[@stereotype.6377]

Tyler Priddy Prove it

[@devendavid9575]

May he rest in peace

[@ftapia2007]

God bless this patriot and god bless the United States of America 🇺🇸

[@admstudios7]

fenomenal awesome video

[@rubenscott3972]

That's amazing

[@rubystaging237]

I bet those men were young and handsome in y their day

[@valentinacordova8613]

A captivating and breath-taking story, I imagine her mom being so happy to meet her father again :3

[@The_GenXennial]

😢❤️

[@danfilon3349]

Respect for hero...US navy nice job...

[@scottygravning7841]

My stepdad Earl England was a Pearl harbor survivor it took a toll on him. I have his Cruise album. But he would not talk about Pearl harbor. Or allow anything bad in his Cruise album it was all good stuff

[@h3lld1v3rfilms6]

I believe I lost a family member on the Arizona. We're still trying to find out.

[@rishilalwani6311]

Good luck🙏

[@rosalynw.otieno1994]

Peace.🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@VacivityLove]

Wow..

[@TC6268-Aloha]

Wow! Love to find my Great Uncle Henry Baker Jr. He was shot and died. Now is he is MIA since December 7th 1941. There was 15 Sailors that was MIA and only 1 has been found.

[@yinkoos]

Pearl Harbour should never have happened, it remains one of those painful episodes when America got so badly careless, she paid for this carelessness with the lives of innocent men..

[@elisabethblackwood3921]

❤️

[@milesa.woodard755]

Great Story! @NatGeo, can you please make sure that captions are readable in future videos?

[@ANONYMOUS-hf2qm]

*salutes*

[@diyr791]

How can the rest of the unidentified be resolved? That is a worthy cause, is there a way to donate?