Massachusetts WWII Veteran Found: Full Military Honors for Manuel John Pimentel
A memorial service will be held on Monday to pay tribute to Manuel John Pimentel, a World War II veteran from Massachusetts who was previously reported missing. Pimentel enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1939 and tragically lost his life in action on September 24, 1942, during the battle of Guadalcanal.
According to the Department of Defense, Pimentel was believed to have been buried in a marine cemetery on the island. However, efforts to locate his remains were unsuccessful. The website Missing Marines, an independent research project, shared details of Pimentel’s bravery and sacrifice during a crossfire incident with a Japanese military unit that resulted in his death.
Pimentel’s body was left where he fell following the firefight, and attempts to locate his remains in post-war expeditions in 1947 and 1949 proved futile. He was memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines until a recent excavation in Medford uncovered his remains. Pimentel will now be laid to rest with full military honors at the Cambridge Cemetery.
Flags have been lowered to half-staff on the day of the funeral as a tribute to Pimentel’s service and sacrifice. The funeral service is scheduled for 11 am at Saint Joseph’s Church followed by a funeral procession to the cemetery in Cambridge. This final tribute honors Pimentel’s memory and service to his country.
