Marine Corps Reserve 2nd Lt Elwood R Bailey

Marine Corps Reserve 2nd Lt. Elwood R. Bailey, 22, of Parma, Michigan, accounted for Sept. 5, 2017, will be buried October 13 in his hometown. On August 24, 1942, Bailey was a member of Marine Fighting Squadron 223 (VMF-223), Marine Aircraft Group 23, (MAG-23). Bailey was piloting a F4F-4 Wildcat in aerial combat with Japanese Military Air Forces over Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, when he was reported missing in action after being shot down.

In October 1948, a Board of Review declared Bailey’s remains to be non-recoverable.

In April 2015, Clay Chualu, a resident of the Solomon Islands, turned over human remains and material evidence to DPAA. The remains had been reportedly recovered from a crash site of an F4F-4 aircraft located southwest of Mbarana Village. The remains were subsequently sent to DPAA for analysis.

To identify Bailey’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, which matched his records; as well as historical and material evidence.

DPAA is grateful to Mr. Clay Chualu for his assistance in this recovery.

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