https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/184020552/harold-patrick-hannon

On January 13, 2018, Marine Corps PFC Harold Patrick Hannon, 28, killed in World War II, was finally laid to rest - in American soil - with full military honors.

Born October 19, 1915, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Harold Patrick Hannon - affectionately known as "Tidley" for his prowess at the childhood game Tiddlywinks - was the 4th of nine children blessed to the union of Albert Leo & Catherine Cecelia (nee Kerrigan) Hannon.

Before formally enlisting in the Marines on June 3, 1942, in Philadelphia, Tidley attended Scranton schools then worked for the Scranton Coal Co. and later as a tool setter at Remington Arms in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Private First Class Hannon was with his brothers in Easy Company, 2nd Battalion of the 8th Marines (E-2/8) when they landed on Betio as part of Operation: GALVANIC. The mission of the 2nd Marine Division was to secure the island in order to control the Japanese airstrip in the Tarawa Atoll; thereby preventing the Japanese Imperial forces from getting closer to the United States, and enabling US forces to get closer to mainland Japan. It would become one of the bloodiest battles in Corps history.

It was November 20, 1943 (D-Day for the "Battle of Tarawa"), when young Harold - just 28 years old - perished. He was reportedly soon buried on Betio Island - a temporary location chosen by his fellow Marines, the survivors of the battle, until the Fallen could be recovered and returned to their families.

Having a loved one away from home during the holidays is always trying; however, having a son or husband off fighting in the war left the whole family on edge. The fact that this battle took place just before Thanksgiving meant that most of the families, who had unknowingly earned their Gold Star, would receive their heart-wrenching telegrams on Christmas Eve – some Christmas Day or even New Years Day.

For his bravery and valor, Tidley's parents accepted his awards and decorations, including:

- Purple Heart

- Combat Action Ribbon

- World War II Victory Medal

- American Campaign Medal

- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation

- Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal

- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal

- Pistol Marksman Badge and

- Gold Star Lapel Button.

Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.

In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio, but PFC Hannon’s remains were not recovered. On October 4, 1949, a military review board declared Harold “non-recoverable”.

In 2014, Jennifer Morrison, an independent volunteer forensic genealogist, found the family of PFC Hannon and them in contact with the Marine Corps POW/MIA (Repatriation) Section. This (re)established lines of communication with Harold’s family regarding the ongoing recovery and repatriation efforts, and offered put Elaine Hannon the opportunity to coordinate a Family Reference DNA Sample, should it be necessary for her Uncle Tidley's identification.

In July 2017, through a partnership with History Flight, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency used various advanced investigative techniques and found the remains of men known to have been buried on Tarawa. The remains were accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for identification.

On October 4, 2017, the DPAA officially accounted-for PFC Hannon and soon after Tidley's family received "The Call" from the Marines. To identify his remains, DPAA scientists used dental and anthropological analysis, which matched his records, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

Previously surviving siblings, now deceased, are Romayne and husband, Chester Cooke; Albert Leo; Joseph Jerome and wife, Mary; William Anthony and wife, Florence; Eileen and husband, Fred Flesch; Richard and wife, Joan; Regina Marie "Jean"and husband, Edward Unger; Kathleen Patricia "Catherine" and husband, Ed Barrett.

He is survived by nieces, Patricia (Hannon) Petillo, Catherine (Hannon) Cali, Florence (Hannon) Talerico and Elaine Hannon; and nephews, William Hannon, Brian Hannon and Dr. Dennis Hannon.

Calling hours were held Friday, November 12th from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Neil W. Regan Funeral Home Inc., 1900 Pittston Ave., Scranton, PA 18505. The Marine Corps League of Scranton performed a service at 5:15 during the calling hours.

The funeral was held Saturday, November 13 with Mass at 11 a.m. in Nativity of Our Lord Church at St. John Neumann Parish, 633 Orchard St., celebrated by the Rev. Michael Bryant, pastor, followed by interment at Cathedral Cemetery.

Marine Corps Private First Class Harold Patrick Hannon is memorialized among the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific's Honolulu Memorial. Although he has now been recovered and identified, PFC Hannon's name shall remain permanently inscribed among Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing". A rosette has been placed next to his name to verify that Tidley has finally been found (55923330, a cenotaph).

SOURCES

Marine Corps POW/MIA Section

DPAA Release No: 18-003 (Jan. 5, 2018)

American Battle Monuments Commission

Jennifer Morrison, independent volunteer forensic genealogist

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Note from the memorial maintainer:

I am grateful to Chuck Williams & Hattie Johnson (USMC POW/MIA Section), the Armed Forces DNA Identification Lab, History Flight and the DPAA for their efforts in bringing my Marine home. “It takes a village!”

Hannon, Harold Patrick