The remains of Maj. Gen. Harry Kleinbeck Pickett, an American general who fought in World War I and World War II, have been returned to the United States almost 60 years after his death in India. Pickett’s family and government officials from both countries coordinated to bring his remains back to the U.S. after a lengthy process of locating the grave, obtaining permits, and securing government approvals in India. Pickett, a recipient of the Legion of Merit award for his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor, will be reinterred at Arlington National Cemetery.
Key points:
- Maj. Gen. Harry Kleinbeck Pickett, a Marine Corps officer, fought in both World War I and World War II, receiving the Legion of Merit award for his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
- After Pickett’s death in 1965, his remains were buried in India. It took nearly 60 years and the efforts of his family, helpers, and government officials from the U.S. and India to bring his remains back to the United States.
- Bob Mebane, a retired Army Nurse Corps officer, played a crucial role in helping Pickett’s family locate the grave and navigate the bureaucratic process. Mebane connected with Pickett’s granddaughter and, with the help of a U.S. Embassy attaché in New Delhi, facilitated the recovery of the remains.
- Pickett’s remains were recovered in February and sent to the United States following a sendoff ceremony at the embassy. They will be reinterred at Arlington National Cemetery.
- Pickett’s military career spanned 33 years, and he served in various deployments in the U.S., the Caribbean, and Guam. He was the commanding officer at the Marine barracks in Pearl Harbor during the 1941 attack, where he displayed heroism and was awarded the Legion of Merit.
- Maj. Gen. Harry Kleinbeck Pickett passed away from a heart attack while on vacation in West Bengal, India, in 1965.
