Remains Of Madison Soldier Killed In WWII ID'd After 77 Years

MADISON, CT — Seventy-seven years ago this July 7, U.S. Army Sgt. John E. Hurlburt, 26, from Madison, was killed in action on Saipan when Japanese forces on the islands launched a final desperate attack against U.S. forces, according to the Department of Defense.

A member of the Headquarters Company, 1st battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division, Sgt. Hulburt's remains were not recovered at the time of his loss, the Defense Department writes in his service record.

After the war, a set of unknown remains were recovered from Saipan that were tentatively associated with Hurlburt as they were recovered with the sergeant's identification tags, his service record reads.

Now, with advances in forensic techniques, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has positively identified the remains as those of Sgt. Hurlburt.

Remains labeled as Unknown X-20 were first reported as buried in the 27th Infantry Division Cemetery. The remains were initially disinterred in March 1948, and officials found Hurlburt’s identification tags in the grave. However, the American Graves Registration Service later concluded that X-20 was not Hurlburt, and the remains were buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines on June 15, 1950.

After thorough research, DPAA historians concluded X-20 was possibly associated one of eight service members, including Hurlburt. On Dec. 6, 2018, Unknown X-20 was disinterred and sent to the DPAA Laboratory at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, for analysis.

To identify Hurlburt’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Hurlburt’s 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.

Hurlburt will be buried Aug. 14, 2021, in New Haven, Connecticut.

Editor's note: Patch has reached out to several people in Madison connected to veteran's groups and agencies, and to potential family members, who may be able to provide more information about Hurlburt so to better honor him. This story will be updated should we hear back.