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Blackshear Today
By the People, for the People
Remains of WWII Airman from Georgia Returned to Family for Burial
Private Bennett H. Waters, killed in action in 1942, will be laid to rest in his hometown after his remains were identified.
Mar. 29, 2026 at 1:48pm
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The long-awaited return of a fallen WWII soldier's remains brings a somber, reflective mood to his Georgia hometown.Blackshear TodayThe remains of U.S. Army Pvt. Bennett H. Waters, a 26-year-old airman from Blackshear, Georgia who was killed in action during World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial. Waters was captured by the Empire of Japan in 1942 while serving on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines and died as a prisoner of war in 1945 when the ship transporting him was attacked and sank.
Why it matters
The return of Pvt. Waters' remains to his hometown of Blackshear, Georgia after over 80 years provides closure for his family and honors the sacrifice of American service members who lost their lives during World War II. It also highlights the ongoing efforts by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency to identify and repatriate the remains of missing personnel from past conflicts.
The details
According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), Pvt. Waters was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Squadron, 27th Bombardment Group when he was captured by Japanese forces in April 1942 during combat on the Bataan Peninsula. He was held as a prisoner of war until December 1944, when the ship transporting him, the Oryoku Maru, was attacked and sank in Subic Bay. Waters was then taken aboard another Japanese ship, the Enoura Maru, but died on January 9, 1945 when that vessel was also attacked and sank. After the war, 312 bodies were recovered from a mass grave and taken to Honolulu for burial at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. DPAA staff later disinterred the remains and identified Waters' through DNA analysis.
- Pvt. Waters was captured by Japanese forces in April 1942.
- He was held as a POW until December 1944, when the ship transporting him, the Oryoku Maru, was attacked and sank.
- Waters was then taken aboard another Japanese ship, the Enoura Maru, but died on January 9, 1945 when that vessel was also attacked and sank.
- After the war, 312 bodies were recovered and taken to Honolulu for burial.
- DPAA staff disinterred the remains and identified Waters' through DNA analysis as of June 18, 2025.
The players
Pvt. Bennett H. Waters
A 26-year-old U.S. Army airman from Blackshear, Georgia who was killed in action during World War II while serving on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines.
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
The U.S. government agency responsible for recovering and identifying the remains of missing American personnel from past conflicts.
What’s next
Pvt. Waters will be returned to his hometown of Blackshear, Georgia for burial, with the burial date yet to be determined.
The takeaway
The return of Pvt. Waters' remains to his family after over 80 years is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by American service members during World War II, and the ongoing efforts to honor their memory and provide closure to their loved ones.
