On Friday, more than 75 years after his death, a US Marine from Massachusetts finally got his wish to be buried on American soil.

The remains of Private First Class Francis E. Drake Jr., who was killed during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II, were recently returned to his family so he could be buried with full military honors near his hometown of Springfield.

On Friday, flags across the state were lowered to half-staff in memory of Drake. A memorial service was held at 11 a.m. at St. Michael’s Cathedral in Springfield, followed by a burial at the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Agawam.

Drake was just 20 years old when he died in combat in the South Pacific on Oct. 9, 1942. According to the Department of Defense, Drake died during the Battle of Guadalcanal, one of the first major campaigns by the Allies against Japan. His body was believed to be buried atop a hill alongside two other Marines from his battalion.

But the exact location of the burial site wasn’t found until 2011, when a resident of a Guadalcanal discovered the site and notified authorities. A team of Royal Solomon Islands Police Force investigators excavated the site and the remains were later turned over to the US government for identification.

Scientists from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as historical and material evidence, to identify Drake’s remains and last October, more than seven decades after his death, the Department of Defense announced that Drake had been accounted for.

Born in Framingham in 1922, Drake grew up in Springfield. According to his obituary, he was the first Marine from Springfield killed in World War II, and received the Purple Heart and Silver Star. His remains were “transported home to be laid to rest in his home state of Massachusetts fulfilling his wish to be buried on American soil.’’

The state’s veterans services secretary, Francisco A. Ureña, posted several tributes to Drake on social media.

“The news of the identification and return of Marine PFC. Francis E. Drake Jr.’s remains this week offers hope to the families of the over 82,000 Missing US Service members since WWII who have not received closure,’’ he tweeted. “~2,923 of them are from cities and towns across Massachusetts.’’

Emily Sweeney can be reached at esweeney@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @emilysweeney.