Hamler native account for from World War II, to return for burial

In June 1944, Drewes was a member of Company D, 708th Amphibious Tank Battalion. He was killed June 15 during Operation Forager on the island of Saipan, in the Northern Mariana Islands. Marines ashore on the island were under constant assault from Japanese mortars, which caused heavy casualties and impeded American’s movements. The exact cause of Drewes’ death is unknown, but it is believed his unit was providing armor support to the Marines’ initial landing on the beaches. Drewes’ remains were not known to have been accounted for during or after the war. The War Department declared him non-recoverable in September 1949.

The American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) searched for and disinterred remains throughout the Pacific theater in an effort to identify fallen service members after the end of the war. Remains identified as Unknown X-58 were first reported as buried in the 4th Marine Division Cemetery on Saipan. However, the AGRS was not able to identify X-58, and the remains were buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines in 1950.

After thorough research, DPAA historians concluded X-58 was possibly associated with Drewes. In December 2022, Unknown X-58 was disinterred and sent to the DPAA Laboratory for analysis. To identify Drewes’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as dental and circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA analysis.

Drewes’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Drewes will be buried in Hamler in May.

Drewes entered the U.S. Army from Ohio and served in Company D, 708th Amphibious Tank Battalion, attached to the 4th Marine Division. He was one of approximately 70,000 primary attack troops involved in the World War II battle between U.S. and Japanese forces during the summer of 1944 on the island of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.