09.15.20

Hoeven Marks Return of North Dakota WWII Servicemember Albert Renner, Lost During Attack on Pearl Harbor

MANDAN, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement regarding the service of Albert Renner, a North Dakota native who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was lost during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Navy Fireman 2nd Class Renner’s remains are being brought back to Mandan today from Hawaii, where he had previously been interred as an unidentified servicemember. Renner’s family will hold a memorial service on Friday, with internment to follow at the State Veterans Cemetery.

“Albert Renner is part of our nation’s greatest generation and their legacy of service and sacrifice will never be forgotten,” said Hoeven. “We are grateful for the work of the DPAA in identifying and bringing Albert home to North Dakota. Today we join with his family, his fellow veterans and our state’s residents in honoring his sacrifice aboard the U.S.S. West Virginia.”

Renner was accounted for using DNA and historical evidence gathered by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). Hoeven helped advance legislation in 2014 that created the DPAA, and since that time, he has worked to support the agency as it seeks to locate and bring home the remains of missing service personnel and has sought to ensure the resulting information is communicated to families.

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