James C. Mondati

After being missing in action for decades, James Caesar Mondati, SGT, United States Army Air Forces, is finally coming home. He will never be forgotten for his sacrifice and service for our country. A visitation will be held at Kerntz Funeral Home in Ely on Friday, Oct. 9 from 5 to 7 p.m. James be buried with full Military Honors next to his parents on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 11 a.m. at the Ely Cemetery. A reception and lunch will be held at Veterans on the Lake Resort. Arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely and members of the Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations.
James was born in Ely on May 3, 1920, to Eugenio Mondati and Rosa Magagnini Mondati. He graduated from Ely High School in 1937 and worked for Cy Fortier, the Ely Theater and CC Camps before joining the U.S. Army Air Forces. He died on July 4, 1942, at the age of 22 on the Bataan Peninsula. He was listed as missing in action until the prisoners of war were liberated by the U.S. Military Forces in 1945. It was then that the family learned of his death. His remains were not immediately recovered or identified, as the remains of over 2,700 POWs had been buried in common graves. James’s remains were found at Common Grave 409 at Camp 1 of Camp Cabanatuan, sent home for forensic study, and identified in March 2026 utilizing the DNA provided by surviving family members, one niece providing a full DNA profile to match.
The family wishes to extend their deepest gratitude to the United States Military, the DPAA (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency), Veterans on the Lake Resort, and the generous community members supporting this incredible journey home.