He was born in Camp Douglas, Wisconsin. His parents were John and Katherine Mortensen. Siblings included Robert, Lillian, Arnold.
The body of Pfc. Norman W. Mortensen laid in a mass grave in the South Pacific for nearly six decades.
On Saturday, May 12, 2001 Mortensen's body was finally returned to rest in Wisconsin, under a shady tall tree on a family burial plot at Camp Douglas.
Mortensen, 22 was shot by Japanese forces at a seaplane base at Makin Atoll Island in the South Pacific on Aug. 17, 1942. His body was located in December 1999 along with those of 18 other U.S.Marines, after an elderly islander who helped bury them led investigators to the grave.
"He was not lost, but he was not home," said the Rev. Maxine Gray, who officiated at Saturday's military burial.
At the service, Marines joined war veteran's, family, friends, and Mortensen's relatives, including his only surviving sibling, Arleen Meyer, 78, of Milwaukee.
Marine Corps officers presented Meyer with an American Flag, Mortensen's dog tags, and five medals--the Purple Heart, Good Conduct, American Defense Service, Asian-Pacific Campaign with one Bronze Star and World War II Veteran.
The body of Pfc. Norman W. Mortensen laid in a mass grave in the South Pacific for nearly six decades.
On Saturday, May 12, 2001 Mortensen's body was finally returned to rest in Wisconsin, under a shady tall tree on a family burial plot at Camp Douglas.
Mortensen, 22 was shot by Japanese forces at a seaplane base at Makin Atoll Island in the South Pacific on Aug. 17, 1942. His body was located in December 1999 along with those of 18 other U.S.Marines, after an elderly islander who helped bury them led investigators to the grave.
"He was not lost, but he was not home," said the Rev. Maxine Gray, who officiated at Saturday's military burial.
At the service, Marines joined war veteran's, family, friends, and Mortensen's relatives, including his only surviving sibling, Arleen Meyer, 78, of Milwaukee.
Marine Corps officers presented Meyer with an American Flag, Mortensen's dog tags, and five medals--the Purple Heart, Good Conduct, American Defense Service, Asian-Pacific Campaign with one Bronze Star and World War II Veteran.
He was born in Camp Douglas, Wisconsin. His parents were John and Katherine Mortensen. Siblings included Robert, Lillian, Arnold.
The body of Pfc. Norman W. Mortensen laid in a mass grave in the South Pacific for nearly six decades.
On Saturday, May 12, 2001 Mortensen's body was finally returned to rest in Wisconsin, under a shady tall tree on a family burial plot at Camp Douglas.
Mortensen, 22 was shot by Japanese forces at a seaplane base at Makin Atoll Island in the South Pacific on Aug. 17, 1942. His body was located in December 1999 along with those of 18 other U.S.Marines, after an elderly islander who helped bury them led investigators to the grave.
"He was not lost, but he was not home," said the Rev. Maxine Gray, who officiated at Saturday's military burial.
At the service, Marines joined war veteran's, family, friends, and Mortensen's relatives, including his only surviving sibling, Arleen Meyer, 78, of Milwaukee.
Marine Corps officers presented Meyer with an American Flag, Mortensen's dog tags, and five medals--the Purple Heart, Good Conduct, American Defense Service, Asian-Pacific Campaign with one Bronze Star and World War II Veteran.
The body of Pfc. Norman W. Mortensen laid in a mass grave in the South Pacific for nearly six decades.
On Saturday, May 12, 2001 Mortensen's body was finally returned to rest in Wisconsin, under a shady tall tree on a family burial plot at Camp Douglas.
Mortensen, 22 was shot by Japanese forces at a seaplane base at Makin Atoll Island in the South Pacific on Aug. 17, 1942. His body was located in December 1999 along with those of 18 other U.S.Marines, after an elderly islander who helped bury them led investigators to the grave.
"He was not lost, but he was not home," said the Rev. Maxine Gray, who officiated at Saturday's military burial.
At the service, Marines joined war veteran's, family, friends, and Mortensen's relatives, including his only surviving sibling, Arleen Meyer, 78, of Milwaukee.
Marine Corps officers presented Meyer with an American Flag, Mortensen's dog tags, and five medals--the Purple Heart, Good Conduct, American Defense Service, Asian-Pacific Campaign with one Bronze Star and World War II Veteran.
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PFC, 2 RAIDER BN WORLD WAR II
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