The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-06-08
RETURN OF AMERICAN
DEAD FROM EUROPE
THE WORK OF REMOVING $4,000
SOLDIERS IN FRANCE WILL
BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER.

removal W tIlS OilAICu ONooSo Va
the bodies OF American soldiers and
marines, now buried in the battle
area known as the French zone of
the armies, will begin by September
10, according to Col. Charles Pierce,
chief of the cemeterial division of
the war department. The bodies of
about 500 American dead, which had
been buried in England, already have
been returned to this country. The
graves of about $4,000 of the 3d.
900 American soldiers and marines
buried in France are in the area, but
until now the United States has been
prohibited by the French govern
ment from removing the bodies. An
commission has now
given authority for the .exhuming OF
the bodies and their transfer to the
United States.
Accordin to the war department
the number of unidentified American
dead in France has been reduced to
two per cent. The work of exhun-
ing bodies in England, where South
ampton is being used as shipping
point. and in France outside the bat
tie area, is already under way.
It is expected that the work OF
transferring the soldier dead to
American soil will take more than a
years time. The bodies of Ameri-
cans buried in Germany, Luxembourg,
North Russia and all other hostile
countries will be returned to the
United States, whether such return
is requested by relatives of the dead
soldiers or not. In France. however,
only those American dead will be
returned whose families request such
action. 1t is expected that the faml-
lies of about two-thirds of the Amer
lean dead will request the return or
the bodies.
Officers of the cemeterial division
of the army estimate that about
$4,000 American soldiers who died
in the war are now buried in France,
in addition to about 5000 American
marines. There are Ill bodies yet
remaining in North Russia, and it is
probable that nothing can be done
toward their removal for at least
one year, or until conditions in Rus
STA become normal.
10000 Bodies Left in France.
/ 1t is estimated that between 25,-
600 and 10000 bodies will be left in
France, where they will be placed in
various permanent American cen1e-
teries. One of these permanent
cemeteries will be located at Sure
mes, just on the outskirts of Paris,
and will cotain the graves of 1000
Americans who died in service. When
these permanent American ceme-
teries are established all of the
American expeditionary force ceme-
i teries will be abolished.
/ The cemeterial division of the war
department estimates that the aver
age cost for the removal of each
American body from France to its
home in the United States will be
about $500. 1t estimates that the
burial expenses of each American
body which will remain in one of the
permanent American cemeteries in
France will be between 5000 and
$3.50.
During the heat of battle and the
rapid movement of contending ar
mics many bodies were necessarily
buried il isolated locations and in
sections where future maintenance
was impossible. The graves registra-
ton service of the United States
army took the initiative in attempt
ing salvage of bodies. Altogether,
about 10000 bodies have been trans-
ferred, some 10000 isolated graves
having been removed in one battle
area alone.
In Italy all bodies have been con-
centrated in one place, and the mat
ter CT their transfer to the United
States will be easily effected.
1900 Caskets Purchased.
Seventeen thousand caskets have
already been purchased, but the
shortage of materials for manufac-
ture has caused considerable delay.
The caskets are being sent overseas
at the rate of about 5000 month.
In order to relieve railroad con-
gestion in France many of the
bodies are being transported to con-
icentration points or American ceme-
teries by motor trucks. In some
cases it has been found necessary to
use the canals for transporting the
bodies of Americans.