Sergeant George Raymond “Bud” Reeser, United States Marine Corps, was killed in action on November 22, 1943 in battle at Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands at age 25. He was accounted for on March 27, 2020 and will be returned home on September 24, 2020. 

Records showed that he and 33 other Marines were buried in Row D of the East Division Cemetery, later named Cemetery 33. But in 1949, as repatriation efforts were concluding, his remains were officially declared non-recoverable. 

In 2019, History Flight, Inc. discovered a burial site at Betio Island and it was identified as Row D of Cemetery 33. Sgt. Reeser’s remains were then formally identified by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. 

Members of the public wishing to pay their respects to Sgt. Reeser may do so from 4-6:00pm Friday, September 25, 2020 at Deiters Funeral Home and Crematory in Washington. A graveside service will be held at 10:00am at Mt. Zion Cemetery in rural Deer Creek. Reinterment with full military honors rendered by the United States Marine Corps will follow. 

Services are subject to change should his flight home be scheduled differently than anticipated