Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-10-15
LIST BROUGHT HOME BY GEN.
ERAL PE7SHING HAS BEEN
REVISED MANY TIMES.
THE DEATHS NUMBER 77,476
Nearly All Those Who Gave Up Their
Lives Are Buried in France-SpIen-
did Showing Made by the Medical
Branch.
BY JAMES p. HoRNADAY.

| JOIll j.
brought home with him from France
casualty totals which represent the
final researches of the thousands of
men employed in the work of investi-
eating the casualty lists. Additional
casualty lists will be made public from
| time to time as long as there are
American soldiers in Europe or In
Asia, and until peace is formally de-
clared they will be credited to the
| great war. The totals that are now
available may be regarded as final,
SO far as actual participation of the
| American troops in the war are con-
cerned.
According to the figures which Gen
eral Pershing brought back with him
77,476 soldiers of the United States
have been buried in foreign lands since
the United States entered the war.
More than 10000 of these men are bur-
led in France. The others have found
resting places in Siberia, in England,
In Italy and in Germany.
Of the 77,476 men of the expedition
airy forces who have not returned "a
SIS were killed in action, 1887 died
from wounds received in action, 23,655
died of disease, and $3.50 died from
accident. 1t has been the history of
nearly all wars that the toll of dis
ease was greater than the toll of bat
tie, but it will be observed that so
far as the eXpeditionary forces were
concerned the number killed in battle
| exceeded by nearly 1000 the number
who died from disease. If the number
killed in action be consolidated with
the number who died from wounds,
the toll of disease.
Credit to the Medical Branch.
In this connection it may be re-
marked that General Pershing since he
returned to this country has given I'M
stinted credit to the medical branch
of the army for the work it did
throughout the war. The American
expeditionary forces, official cOmpari-
sons show, were the healthiest army
that ever went forth to represent
country. 1t is a notable fact, too, so
army officers say, that the health of
the eXpeditionary forces improved as
time went on. If the forces had not
suffered from the epidemic which pre-
vailed year ago the record for health
fitness would have been even more
remarkable that it is, assert officers.
The longest casualty list that has
been placed on file in the war depart
ment for preservation for all time con-
tains the names of the men who were
wounded in action, but who survived
those wounds On this list as it stands
Soday are 214,421 names. This brings
the total casualties of the expedition
ary forces up to 291, 1877. The official
reports show that nearly Sc per cent
of the men wounded in action returned
to duty.
During the period the cxpeditionary
forces were actually engaged in hos
tilities the daily casualty lists con-
tanned the names of many men who
were reported as missing in action. Dur
ing some periods OF the war this list
of names reached up into the thou
sands. The bureau Of searchers or
ganized by General Pershing did its
! work so effectively that at this time
there are on the rolls of the war de-
partment. out of the millions of men
who entered the army for the emer-
gency, the names of only two men who
| were listed as missing in action. The
department has hope that even yet it
may ascertain the fate of these men.
Bodies May Be Left There.
With the return of General Pershing
| L;c efo ef RI tho TTnito6 Ctotoc ha
uuestion as to what the government
will ultimately do about the bodies of
the 77.476 men who were buried abroad
! attracts more attention. 1t is not pos
| sible at this time to foreshadow the
| plan that will eventually be followed.
| About the time the armistice was
signed the war department announced
| that bodies would not be brought
home unless relatives insisted on H.
Later on that announcement was modi-
| fed slightly by statement that the
department hoped everybody concerned
| would be willing TO acqE;esce in plan
TO leave the bodies of the heroes over
there. SO far as the war department
is concerned the matter rests about
there. Congress has from time to time
indicated that it might legislate an
the subject, that it might order the
bodies brought home on request of
relatives.
In the meantime the graves commits
sion which General Pershing created
has. according to the testimony of
many Americans who have been over
che ground, done splendid work in as
sembling the bodies of the soldiers
into central cemeteries In France and
che marking of graves.
Federal Employees Union.
During recent weeks a con-
adorable number of congressman
have taken the position in public
ad,oecoc +bat tI,n ovuDIovpoS of tba