Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1919-05-24

l. AAt4A9s- > 0Cll- sew
enty thousand in all-are
being well cared for here
- in Europe by section Of
the American expeditlonary
force detailed to collect the bodies and
place them in military cemeteries.
Don't imagine for one minute that
this big undertaking is a task that was
neglected while the war was in prog
ress; that the Americans who fell
in battle were not inferred on the
battlefields. Some few cases have
been noted where bodies were found
unburied weeks after the fighting
stopped but these cases are so few
that they cannot be taken int con-
sideration.
What is being done by the American
expeditionary force now in the way
Of caring for the dead is the second
chapter. The bodies are being dis
Inferred from battlefield graves and
carried to military cemeteries where
the mounds are arranged row on row
IN even ranks, that in death they may
be as they were in llfe-shoulder to
shoulder. Above each grave a cross
is placed. On the cross is nailed a
zinc Identification tag, giving the name
and regiment. Around each cemetery
q substantial fence is erected. Above
each mound is a small replica Of the
Stars and Stripes.
What chapter three Of the story win
be remains to be seen. Congress will
probably authorize the return Of all
bodies requested by the mans family.
Yet even If such ruling is put into
eject, thousands of American graves
win remain in Europe for the reason
that many families will prefer-as did
the Roosevelt family-to allow their
dead to remain here for their final
sleep.
IA Seven Countries.
And they are resting in peace today
In seven European countries: England,
Scotland, ireland, Germany, Russia,
Italy. Luxembourg, but mainly in
France near the sectors where the
American boys did their valiant and
telling work in finishing up the Ger
man army.
England has two American GENE
teries: one at Liverpool with 624
graves. and the other at Magdalen
Hill winchester, with 500 graves.
In Scotland there are 600 graves
mainly Of victims Of the Tuscania dis
aster.
ireland has 80 graves. and there are
graves in Italy, Russia, Luxembourg,
and a small American cemetery at
Coblenz where a large detachment OF
the American army Of occupation is
stationed in Germany proper.
It is the "Graves Registration
Service that has charge Of CLASSIFIED.
tion Of the American dead in Europe
More than 1000 soldiers were assigned
to duty in this service, which is a
branch Of the quartermaster's corps
They not only take up the dead in The
battle zones, but have searched all Of
France to find the few bodies that es
capped notice and were left unbliriet
during the days Of actual wQrfare
From frozen dugouts. from ruined
houses shattered by shell Gre, ant
thousands Of isolated spots the bodle,
were recovered. France. Ii the wal
zone, was literally cOmbed and combet
gigin if egder that none be left.
Through tn Argonne< forest, for ex
ample. the ssfghtang Of the fna
weeks Of war took place in thickets
Every square lIilometerin the Argonnl
has been covered by the searching
parties.
France as a whole has been divides
into u areas througp which tn
aGraves Registration Service works
There are three ADVANCED sections AM
nine other areas, wbfeh include bas
md intermediate sec Hons and the dis
frict Of Paris