A U.S. Marine who sent a heartbreaking letter home before he was killed during World War II has now been identified after more than 80 years. Sergeant Robert F. Van Heck, 25, from Chicago, was part of a group of Marines fighting on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll in November 1943. This battle, which was one of the deadliest in the Pacific during the war, led to the deaths of about 1,000 U.S. Marines and sailors. Van Heck was killed on the first day of fighting, Nov. 20, 1943.
Before heading into the battle, Van Heck sent a letter to his family with a sad warning: “Don’t count on me coming home this spring as we had planned.” Sadly, the letter turned out to be prophetic. Just moments after his family read the letter, they received the news that he had been killed in action.
After the battle, the remains of U.S. soldiers found on the island were sent to Hawaii for identification. Van Heck’s remains, however, could not be identified at the time and were buried as “unknown” at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.
In 2017, scientists began reexamining remains that had been labeled as “unknown.” They were able to identify Van Heck’s remains through DNA testing and other analysis. Finally, on April 13, 2023, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) confirmed his identity. His family was notified, and he will be buried on January 7, 2025, in Hillside, Illinois.
Van Heck’s bravery and sacrifice were recognized posthumously, as he was awarded several military honors, including a Purple Heart. While nearly 1,700 other U.S. soldiers from World War II have been identified, over 70,000 are still unaccounted for. About 350 soldiers who died in the Battle of Tarawa remain missing, but ongoing efforts to recover their remains continue, as some have been uncovered due to storms and construction work on the island.
This discovery brings closure to the family of a fallen hero after decades of uncertainty, and it highlights the continued efforts to identify and honor those who sacrificed their lives during the war.
