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Sonoma County Marine Killed In WWII Makes Final Journey Home

SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (CBS SF) -- A Sonoma County Marine killed in action fighting against the Japanese in World War II has finally returned home.

The remains of Pfc. John Saini arrived at San Francisco International Airport Friday morning. His flag-draped casket was received by his family on the tarmac along with a Marine staff sergeant and honor guard who saluted as the casket was removed from the plane.

Saini was just two years out of Healdsburg High School when he was assigned to Company H, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division. His unit fought the Japanese on the small islet of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands.

The Battle of Tarawa was one of the deadliest battles of the Pacific Theater and Saini was killed on November 20, 1943.

Pfc John Saini
U.S. Marine Pfc. John Saini of Healdsburg, killed in action in 1942 in the Battle of Tarawa.

He was buried along with more than 1,000 other Marines and sailors in battlefield graves. In subsequent years, recovery operations had failed to locate his grave.

Last year, an archeological crew from History Flight, an organization dedicated to repatriating Americans lost to war found a battlefield grave on Betio with the remains of 35 Marines, one confirmed to be of Pfc. Saini.

Saini's remains were escorted to a Santa Rosa funeral home by a motorcade and he was to be buried with full military honors in Healdsburg Saturday morning.

Pfc. John Saini
A Marine Corps honor guard salutes as the casket of Pfc. John Saini is removed from a plane at San Francisco International Airport, June 10, 2016. (USO)
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