WASHINGTON –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced today that U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Norton V. Retzsch, 25, of Cincinnati, killed during World War II, was accounted for April 1, 2025.
Retzsch's family recently received their full briefing on his identification, therefore, additional details on his identification can be shared.
In the summer of 1943, Retzsch was a member of Company C, 1st Marine Raider Battalion, 1st Marine Raider Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Amphibious Corps. He was reported missing on July 9 during the battle of Enogai on New Georgia in the Solomon Islands. He was declared non-recoverable in 1949.
Following the war, the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps’ American Graves Registration Service was charged with recovery and identification of fallen U.S. service personnel in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. From November to December 1947, units from the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company searched for Retzsch, but, after conducting a search of the Bairoko Harbor and Enogai Inlet with no results, it was recommended that the case be closed.
In December 1943, remains that had been interred at the Enogai Cemetery on New Georgia were exhumed to be moved. Two sets of Unknown remains were first reburied in the New Georgia Cemetery and then in 1945 were transferred to Finschhafen Cemetery #3 in Papua New Guinea where they were designated X-182 and X-183 Finschhafen #3. After multiple failed attempts to positively identify both Unknowns, X-182 was buried at what is now the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines and X-183 was buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu in 1950.
After researching losses on New Georgia, DPAA recommended disinterment of several Unknowns potentially associated with losses in the Bairoko-Enogai area. X-182 was disinterred in January 2019 and X-183 was disinterred in October 2020. Both were accessioned into the DPAA Laboratory for analysis.
To identify Retzsch’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA analysis and mitochondrial genome sequencing data.
Retzsch’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette has been placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Retzsch will be buried April 13, 2026, in Marana, Arizona.
For family and funeral information, contact the Marine Corps Casualty office at 866-210-3421, option 1.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission for their partnership in this mission.
For additional information on the War Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or https://www.linkedin.com/company/defense-pow-mia-accounting-agency, www.instagram.com/dodpaa/, or https://x.com/dodpaa.
Retzsch’s personnel profile can be viewed at https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000XdpoEAC.