The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-03-28

All of the $500 names have been re- ported as missing in casualty lists already published. the report said. Re- interments of bodies from isolated graves in the centralized cemeteries is furnishing additional Identification In a number of cases and for this reason the records of the grave registration service are being carefully studied.
 Re-examination of grave registration reports and also of hospital records, re- ferred to by General Pershing. was said by officials at the war department to explain dthe killed in action" an wounded in action" casualties still ap- bearing if the daily casualty lists sent out by the department
 The British war office. General Per shing's report said, had adopted the policy of considering 26 weeks in the case of an officer and 30 weeks for an enlisted man as the length of time after the man had been recorded as missing before his death is presumed. In the French army. he said, no definite period had been fixed.
 ACCURATE ESTIMATE
 No accurate estimate of unreported
 
 shings report There are, however approximately $500 missing to be ac- counted for, all of whom have been re- ported to Washington as missing.
 Reintermentof bodies removed from isolated graves to centralized ceme- taries is furnishing additional identi- fication of deaths hitherto reported as missing. This is especially true of re- burials of bodies originally buried by ...- were attached, identification being either incomplete or imperfectly regis tered at interrnent.
 Deaths of American soldiers n French hospitals. of which only meager and often incorrect records filed ara likewise disclosed by reburial of these bodies resulting in complete identifi- cation. Access to sites of prison camps In Germany and to territory formerly within enemys lines is leading to dis covery of many American graves and identification of casualties previously reported as missing.
 Each company or other unit of the American sexpeditionary force have been furnished q complete list of officers and men carried as missing mp 10 February l. All units are required to display such list in places accessible to members of com
  ualty information from every possible source. This expedient is resulting in locating hitherto unknown graves and Identification showing present status and whereabouts of many battle cas- ualties.
 Consideration should be given to the fact that method of warfare as well as the extent of terrain fought over lent exceptional difficulties to discovery and burial of dead. Burial parties fre- quently completed their mission under heavy fire and often could only be done under cover of darknes, thus making Identification difficult and often im- possible. Reburials are now furnishing means of Identification in q great ma jority of such cases. For this reason grave registration and chaplain reports are being again investigated A small percentage of such reports investigated are proving to be cases of American dead previously unreported IS such. As rapidly as Identification can be com pletcd from information originally filed or subsequently, obtained from every possible source, correct present status of each case is being reported by cable"