Coast Guardsmen carrying a flag-shrouded native corpse on a stretcher, Marshall Islands

Gift of the Scanlan Family
Description: 

Photograph. Five Coast Guardsmen carrying an American flag-shrouded native corpse on a stretcher through a cemetery in a grove of palm trees. Official caption on reverse: "3309. From: Public Relations Division / U.S. Coast Guard / Washington, D.C. / Credit Line Must Read 'Official Coast Guard Photo.' American Flag Covers South Sea Native for Burial Rites. Funeral services for a Marshall Island native killed during the invasion battle are conducted by Army Chaplain William S. Gardner of Richmond, Virginia. With Coast Guardsmen and troops in the throng of mourners, the native was covered with an American Flag and carried to a burial plot near the cemetery where American fighting men, killed in the attack, lie beneath the palms." Stamped in blue type: "In rewriting captions please mention 'Coast Guard.'" Marshall Islands. No date

Image Information

Donor: 
Mrs. Kathleen M. Scanlan
Accession Number: 
2015.063.019
Date: 
1943
1945
Location: 
Hometown: 
Branch: 
Theater of Service: 
Unit: 
Campaign / Event: 
POW / KIA: 
Topical Subjects: 
World War, 1939-1945--Casualties--Marshallese--Marshall Islands
Death & burial--Marshall Islands
Collection Level: 
Items from the service of John J. Scanlan Jr., who served in the United States Coast Guard. Born in Quincy, Massachusetts, Scanlan worked for a newspaper prior to joining the Coast Guard. During the war, he acquired photographs published by the Public Relations Division of the United States Coast Guard. The collection consists of photographs from most of the theaters of operations and depict life in the field and aboard a ship for Coast Guardsmen and Marines. Also included is a satirical piece of military correspondence. See collection 2012.321 for more items from the collection subject.
Geography: 
Marshall Islands
Latitude: 
11.000
Longitude: 
168.000
Thesaurus for Graphic Materials: 
World War, 1939-1945--Casualties--Marshallese--Marshall Islands
Death & burial--Marshall Islands