Last Known WWII Merrill's Marauder, Russell Hamler, Dies at 99

Hamler, a decorated veteran, was part of the renowned unit that fought behind enemy lines in Japanese-occupied Burma.

Russell Hamler, the last known living member of the WWII Merrill's Marauders jungle-fighting unit, has passed away at the age of 99.
The Merrill's Marauders, known for their grueling mission behind enemy lines in Japanese-occupied Burma, were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2022.
Hamler, who was born in 1924 and enlisted in the Army at 18, was living in the Pittsburgh area at the time of his death.
The Marauders, often outnumbered, successfully fought Japanese troops in five major engagements and 30 minor ones between February and August 1944.
After the war, Hamler worked as an aircraft mechanic for Trans World Airlines and retired in 1985.