Midwest

WWII soldier who died in Japanese POW camp identified 81 years later

Published

2 years ago

April 21, 2024

WWII soldier who died in Japanese POW camp identified 81 years later

Military scientists have identified the remains of an Illinois soldier who died during World War II at a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in the Philippines.

The remains of Army Pfc. Harry Jerele of Berkeley, Illinois, were identified in December, about 81 years after he died of pneumonia at the Cabanatuan POW camp, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced Thursday.

Jerele, who was 26 when he died in December 1942, will be buried on Oct. 6 at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago, the agency said.

REMEMBERING THE WARSAW GHETTO UPRISING, 81 YEARS LATER

His niece, Rosemary Dillon of Chicago, said she was a young child when Jerele left for his military service but she remembers him as a quiet man who liked to sing and play guitar. She said it’s “a miracle” his remains have finally been identified.

An Army soldier and Illinois native who died in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in 1942 has been identified. (Fox News)

“I only wish my mother and grandmother were here to witness his homecoming,” Dillon said in a news release from the Illinois National Guard.

Jerele was a member of the U.S. Army’s 192nd Tank Battalion when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands. He and thousands of other U.S. and Filipino service members were captured by the Japanese and interned at POW camps after U.S. forces in Bataan surrendered in April 1942.

According to historical records, Jerele died on Dec. 28, 1942, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in a common grave at the Cabanatuan POW camp.

Remains from that grave were exhumed in 2020 and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis. Jerele’s remains were identified using anthropological analysis, circumstantial evidence and DNA analysis.

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Missouri

See how much new unemployment claims in Missouri fell last week

Published

18 minutes ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

See how much new unemployment claims in Missouri fell last week

Staff reports
| USA TODAY Network

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Missouri dropped last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.

New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 2,182 in the week ending February 21, down from 2,462 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims rose to 212,000 last week, up 4,000 claims from 208,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Rhode Island saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 132.0%. Michigan, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 49.9%.

USA TODAY Co. is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment insurance claims report.

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Nebraska

Nebraska State Patrol troopers find 242 pounds of cocaine during commercial truck inspection

Published

30 minutes ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska State Patrol troopers find 242 pounds of cocaine during commercial truck inspection

LEXINGTON, Neb. (KOLN) – Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested one person after finding more than 240 pounds of cocaine during a commercial vehicle inspection.

On Tuesday afternoon, an NSP Carrier Enforcement trooper conducted a commercial vehicle inspection on a semi tractor/trailer driven by Arwinderjit Singh, 30, of California, near mile marker 254 on Interstate 80.

Arwinderjit Singh mugshot(Dawson County Jail)

During the inspection, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity. An NSP K-9 detected the odor of a controlled substance inside the cab of the semi, troopers said.

After searching the cab, troopers located 242 pounds of cocaine concealed underneath the sleeper bed, NSP said.

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested one person after finding more than 240 pounds... — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested one person after finding more than 240 pounds of cocaine during a commercial vehicle inspection.(Nebraska State Patrol)

Singh was arrested on suspicion of possession of cocaine, possession with intent to deliver, possession of an open alcohol container, no drug tax stamp and displaying a fictitious license plate.

Singh was lodged in Dawson County Jail, and his bond was set at 10% of $2 million. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 12.

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North Dakota

Morton County did not violate North Dakota’s open records law when the County Auditor, within a reasonable time, informed the requester that the requested records were not in the County’s possession.. – North Dakota Attorney General

Published

1 hour ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

27 Feb Morton County did not violate North Dakota’s open records law when the County Auditor, within a reasonable time, informed the requester that the requested records were not in the County’s possession..

Posted at 11:02h
in Opinions
by Scott Reisenauer

News Pub

WWII soldier who died in Japanese POW camp identified 81 years later

Midwest

WWII soldier who died in Japanese POW camp identified 81 years later