Post by jack Hayes, New Zealand on Oct 12, 2017 1:09:58 GMT
My late mother (Hettie Sexton) was engaged in 1942 to a young US Marine Corpsman called Jim Bratten.
The family know very little else about this man apart from her younger sisters saying he was a snappy dresser and very polite. He bought chocolates and flowers for her mother and was a frequent visitor to their house in central Wellington.
As part of her estate clearance, we have a photo with a cryptic note on the back that Jim went 'missing in action in Tarawa'. We have searched as best we can from this side of the world to find his name in the casualties but so far without success.
My Mum truly loved this man and she was heart broken for a long time but eventually married my father Jim Hayes a New Zealand serviceman who was in Greece, Crete and North Africa before coming back to New Zealand in late 1943.
We would love to now more about this man - we are happy to link up with any Bratten family members and exchange information. Contact me by email at" jack.hayes@nzdf.mil.nz
I am a veteran myself of the Vietnam War and now am a Defence Civilian based in Wellington.