Remains of long-lost WWII soldier buried as 'Unknown' is identified as Illinois man who died in Japanese POW camp 80 years ago

The remains of a long-lost World War II soldier have been identified after the man died in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp more than 80 years ago.

US Army Private 1st Class Harry Jerele, Illinois, died of pneumonia at the age of 26 in the Philippines and was buried with other deceased prisoners in a mass grave.

Remains from that grave were exhumed in 2020 and analyzed by forensic scientists who used anthropological analysis, circumstantial evidence and DNA analysis to determine the remains were Jerele.

After 81 years, the fallen soldier is set to be buried in his homeland this October.

US Army Private 1st Class Harry Jerele, Illinois , died of pneumonia at the age of 26 in the Philippines and was buried with other deceased prisoners in a mass grave

His niece, Rosemary Dillion, is his only surviving relative. 'It's a great feeling to finally accomplish this identification,' Dillon said. 'I only wish my mother and grandmother were here to witness his homecoming'

'This is a miracle,' said Rosemary Dillon, Jerele's niece, about the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's (DPAA) accounting for Jerele's remains.

'We've been trying for about 10 years to positively identify his remains. It's been a long time coming. What a joyous occasion it will be when he is finally laid to rest in his home country.'

Dillon of Chicago said she was a young child when Jerele left for his military service, but remembers him as a quiet man who liked to sing and play guitar. She said it's 'a miracle' his remains have finally been identified.

'It's a great feeling to finally accomplish this identification,' Dillon said. 'I only wish my mother and grandmother were here to witness his homecoming.'

Jerele is from the small town of Berkeley, currently home to about 5,300 people, and was one of seven children born to Leopold Jerle and Mary Flori-Jerele on February 1, 1916.

Jerele is from the small town of Berkeley, currently home to about 5,300 people, and was one of seven children born to Leopold Jerle and Mary Flori-Jerele on February 1, 1916

He joined the military in September 1940 and served with Company B, 192nd Tank Battalion in the Philippines during the war, but was captured following the American surrender of the Bataan Peninsula on April 9, 1942.

On that day, US Gen Edward P King surrendered to Japanese Gen Masahrau Homma who took about 75,000 prisoners - 12,000 Americans and 63,000 Filipinos - on the 65-mile Death March to the prison camp in Cabanatuan.

The details concerning the circumstances under which US prisoners held at Cabanatuan lived and died were complicated, as were the attempts to disinter and identify their remains after the war's end.

More than 2,500 prisoners of war (POW) died in the camp during the war.

Following the war, American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel exhumed those buried at the Cabanatuan cemetery and relocated the remains to a temporary U.S. military mausoleum near Manila.

In 1947, the AGRS examined the remains to identify them.

Two sets of remains from Common Grave 804 were identified, but the remaining two were declared unidentifiable, including those of Jerele.

The unidentified remains were buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM) as Unknowns.

It was not until 2020 that forensic scientists got involved to help identify the remains and return them to the men's families.

And announced on April 18 that one set belonged to Jerele.

Jerele and his fellow soldiers of the 192nd Tank Battalion were the longest-serving US POWs in World War II.

Company B, 192nd Tank Battalion, included 104 Soldiers from Illinois.

The unit experienced 43 casualties during World War II, including 28 who died from diseases, illnesses, and wounds. Seven were killed when aboard various Japanese POW ships, called 'Hell ships' by U.S. troops, which sank. Eight were killed in action, and five were declared missing in action.

The details concerning the circumstances under which US prisoners held at Cabanatuan (pictured) lived and died were complicated, as were the attempts to disinter and identify their remains after the war's end.

After 81 years, the fallen soldier is set to be buried in his homeland this October

Headquarters Company, 192nd Tank Battalion, included 31 Soldiers from the Illinois Army National Guard, of which 19 died due to diseases, illness, and wounds, one died aboard a Japanese ship, and one was killed in action.

'The men of Company B, 192nd Tank Battalion, many from Maywood, were mostly kids from the same high school,' the Illinois National Guard said in a statement.

'In 1940, a federal draft act had passed, and they knew that it was just a matter of time before they would be drafted into the Army.' 

'Having heard that the federal government was going to federalize National Guard units for a period of one year of military service, these men decided to join the National Guard to fulfill their military obligation.' 

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said: 'On behalf of the State of Illinois, I want to thank all those involved in bringing Harry Jerele home to his family in Illinois.

'The epic tale of Maywood’s B Company, 192nd Tank Battalion lives on thanks to many who have never forgotten what these Illinois Soldiers sacrificed for their nation.'