“Handpicked infantrymen,” continued Muir. “Tough. They were the very best we had. In the summer of 1942, the Pacific campaign was in doubt. When our Marines landed at Guadalcanal on August 7th, the Raiders struck just across the channel at Tulagi, preventing Japanese reinforcements. A few days later Colonel Carlson loaded 221 of his best troops into two submarines, the Nautilus and the Argonaut, and headed out for the Makin Atoll, many hundreds of miles away. You also remember Makin, Brandon?”

“Tarawa,” said Condley instantly. “But the main battle at Tarawa wasn’t for another year.”

“Exactly. But at midnight on August 17th, 1942, the submarines surfaced off the Makin Atoll, dropping the Marines in landing boats over the side. And just before dawn, Carlson landed his men on Butaritari Island and surprised the Japanese Army garrison by attacking them on their own turf. The raid was an act of strategic deception, designed to discourage massive reinforcements on Guadalcanal. Strategically, for the good of the country, it made sense. But can you imagine what that was like for these two hundred men? Vastly outnumbered. Attacking the Japanese when they were hundreds of miles from any other American forces. No reliable maps that showed where the Japanese positions were on the island. No supporting arms other than a couple of six-inch guns mounted on the submarines themselves. They fought the Japanese through the day and into the darkness. By all accounts it was a vicious, confusing mess. They took casualties throughout the day, and then when they were pulling out, several of their boats were lost in the surf as they were returning to the submarines. In all, twenty-one Marines were left behind. Their remains were never recovered. Until now, that is.”

Muir moved forward to the nearest gurney, looking down at the bones as if peering at a living Marine, one whom he in his competence was going to heal. “We always imagined that our casualties had been cremated, although the locals on the island have been telling us for decades that the Japanese buried the Marines in a mass grave at the edge of the island. We tried several times but never were able to find them. And finally, a few months ago, we did. Our people performed an archaeological dig, as if we were attempting to uncover some ancient city. We staked out the possible site, laid azimuths through it, and dug deep into the sand at various spots until finally we found a set of remains. After that, it was easy. And now comes the hard part, although I don’t need to tell you it will be the most rewarding. We are going to identify every set of remains, Brandon. We are going to return these Marines to their loved ones.”