Compatriots,
Sharing the details for the repatriation of the remains of WWII Lt. James H. Marrah.
On Saturday, May 25th, 2024 there will be services for Lt. Marrah:
The Funeral service will be at 12:30 PM at (visitation starts at 11:30AM):
Rader Lynch-Dodds Funeral Home
124 E. High St.
London, OH 43140
The graveside Cemetery service will be at 1:30PM at:
Kirkwood Cemetery
1600 US-42, London, OH 43140
GPS: 39.873153, -83.483622
SAR – Call to Action
The National Society and the Ohio Society have requested that local chapters support this event.
All Cincinnati Chapter members are encouraged to attend and to help the SAR in honoring this WWII hero, who was shot down over Romania and killed in action in 1943. The burial will be at his family’s hometown cemetery in London, Ohio.
This is a very special event where Lt. Marrah’s remains will finally be brought home.
A SAR flyer is attached with more information:
Background:
In the summer of 1943, Lt. James H. Marrah served with the 415th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator aircraft on which Marrah was serving as a co-pilot, crashed as a result of enemy anti-aircraft fire during Operation TIDAL WAVE.
For those history buffs, Operation TIDAL WAVE was the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. The goal of the mission was strategic and intended to cripple German oil supplies fueling their war efforts.
Marrah’s remains were not identified following the war. The remains of serviceman that could not be identified were buried as “Unknowns” in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.
The article below shares the story of the identification of his remains:
This is one of two currently scheduled WWII MIA re-interments that will take place within an hour or so of our CCSAR’s area this year.
Color Guard – It is yet to be determined if this will be an OHSSAR Color Guard event and if it is, whether we will have a formal role in the ceremonies. Any further Color Guard information will come from Commander Bob Hill. We will update this page and the CCSAR Calendar when updates are available.
