- A funeral ceremony was held on Saturday in Healdsburg for PFC John Saini of the 2nd Marine Division. Saini died Nov. 20, 1943 during the Tarawa invasion in the Gilbert Islands. He was a little more than 20 years old. His body and those of many of his comrades were hastily buried on Betio Island in the Tarawa Atoll and remained there for many years. Recently those graves were unearthed and DNA samples from Saini’s siblings allowed a positive identification to be made. Almost 73 years later, Saini, who grew up in the town of Healdsburg and attended high school there, was laid to rest on Saturday morning at Oak Mound Cemetery, not far from the high school he once attended. Remaining family members, their children and grandchildren attended along with many members of the community who came to pay their respects. Saini received full military honors, including a rifle salute. - Photos by Brian Sumpter — Lake County Publishing
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A funeral ceremony was held on Saturday in Healdsburg for PFC John Saini of the 2nd Marine Division. Saini died Nov. 20, 1943 during the Tarawa invasion in the Gilbert Islands. He was a little more than 20 years old. His body and those of many of his comrades were hastily buried on Betio Island in the Tarawa Atoll and remained there for many years. Recently those graves were unearthed and DNA samples from Saini’s siblings allowed a positive identification to be made. Almost 73 years later, Saini, who grew up in the town of Healdsburg and attended high school there, was laid to rest on Saturday morning at Oak Mound Cemetery, not far from the high school he once attended. Remaining family members, their children and grandchildren attended along with many members of the community who came to pay their respects. Saini received full military honors, including a rifle salute. - Photos by Brian Sumpter — Lake County Publishing
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