The Latest: WWII remains returned, brothers pay last respect

PHILADELPHIA – The Latest on the return of a Marine whose remains were returned Monday after 70 years (all times local):

3 p.m.

The remains of a Marine lost since the early days of World War II have been identified and returned to his family in Philadelphia more than 70 years after he was killed.

Dominic and Victor Ragucci, along with other family members, stood on the tarmac Monday to meet their brother, Emil, as his body was returned from the Central Pacific atoll of Tarawa.

Emil was 19 when he was killed during a bloody three-day battle. Less than 90 days later his brother Nicholas was killed in Italy. And while the family was able to bury Nicholas, they thought they might never be able to bring Emil home.

A funeral will be held in Philadelphia Tuesday to lay Emil to rest with his parents and his brother Nicholas.

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11:45 a.m.

Dominic Ragucci had thought for nearly 70 years that the remains of his older brother, Emil, were swept out to sea during a World War II battle on a Pacific atoll.

On Monday, the 86-year-old plans to stand on the tarmac in Philadelphia with his 91-year-old brother Victor and greet Emil’s remains as he finally makes it home.

They are the last surviving members of an 11-sibling family.

Five brothers fought in the war, and two died less than 90 days apart. Nicholas, killed in Italy in January 1944, was brought home right after the war.

Recent efforts by a non-profit group brought dozens of sets of remains from Tarawa back to the U.S., and new DNA technology made it possible to identify the men, including Emil.

His funeral will be Tuesday.