▁S gt . ▁Thom ason ▁that ▁he ▁selected ▁him ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁advance ▁element ▁against ▁the ▁Japanese ▁g arrison ▁at ▁But ar it ari . ▁It ▁was ▁there ▁that ▁S gt . ▁Thom ason ' s ▁gall antry ▁in ▁action ▁earned ▁him ▁the ▁Medal ▁of ▁Honor . ▁ ▁S gt . ▁Thom ason ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁ 3 0 ▁Mar ines ▁who ▁did ▁not ▁return ▁from ▁the ▁Mak in ▁Island ▁ra id . ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁research ers ▁discovered ▁a ▁mass ▁grave ▁on ▁Mak in ▁Island ▁that ▁contained ▁human ▁remains , ▁equipment , ▁and ▁dog ▁tags ▁belonging ▁to ▁Marine ▁Ra iders . ▁S gt . ▁Thom ason ' s ▁remains ▁were ▁among ▁those ▁identified . ▁His ▁remains ▁were ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁were ▁inter red ▁at ▁Ar ling ton ▁National ▁C emetery . ▁ ▁Post hum ous ▁hon ors ▁ ▁The ▁Medal ▁of ▁Honor ▁was ▁con ferred ▁post hum ously ▁and ▁was ▁presented ▁to ▁his ▁ste pm other ▁by ▁Under - Secret ary ▁of ▁the ▁Navy , ▁James ▁For rest al , ▁at ▁cer emon ies ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁in ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁Following ▁his ▁death , ▁the ▁people ▁of ▁Georgia ▁bought ▁a ▁sufficient ▁number ▁of ▁War ▁B onds ▁to ▁purchase ▁for ▁the ▁Navy ▁a ▁cru iser , ▁the ▁. ▁ ▁The ▁b onds ▁were ▁o vers ub scri bed ▁and ▁there ▁was ▁money ▁enough ▁to ▁pay ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁two ▁destroy er ▁esc ort s , ▁one ▁of