BOUNTIFUL, Utah — A World War II Marine who remained unidentified for decades was laid to rest Saturday alongside his family in the Bountiful Cemetery.
Pfc. Robert James Hatch was killed on just the third day of the Battle of Karawa in 1943. After months of hearing nothing on the home front, his family started to worry.
Seventy-six years later, they were informed that Hatch's body had been recovered.
"They didn’t think that he would ever be recovered. It had been years and years and years, and they just thought he was unrecoverable," said Hatch's great-niece, Jenny.
Hatch's remains were flown from Honolulu to Salt Lake City this past Wednesday. He was reunited with his family and returned to his final resting spot in Bountiful.
"I'm so proud of him," said Jane Bryant, Hatch's first cousin. "I'm so glad that he's back home again."
