SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – A decorated U.S. Marine killed during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II has finally been laid to rest in his home state of Massachusetts.
Masslive.com reports a memorial service for Pfc. Francis E. Drake Jr. was held Friday at St. Michael's Cathedral in Springfield. His remains were buried with military honors at the Massachusetts Veterans' Memorial Cemetery in Agawam.
It fulfilled a long-ago promise made by Drake's mother that if killed in action her son would be buried on U.S. soil.
The 20-year-old was killed during fighting on the South Pacific island in October 1942 and received a field burial.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency confirmed that remains found several years ago by a man while digging on his land belonged to Drake.
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