The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-08-27
LEGION SEARCHES
FOR MISSING" MEN
Many Soldiers Were "Lost in Battle
and Families Know Not Where.

The American Legion is carrying
on the search for solutions to more
than 1000 individual death and dis
appearance mysteries among soldiers
and sailors of the American Expedi-
tionary Forces. These are cases where
official action has run its course and
terminated with the always brief and
sometimes conflicting reports of
missing in action" killed in battle
or presumed to be dead" In each case
it is claimed that definite or detailed
information has not been received by
the family of the soldier or sailor in
question.
How many more than 1000 such
cases there may be,is not known, but
the American Legion Weekly has re-
ceived that number of letters from the
kin and friends of missing men. There
are instances where it appears that
men sailed for France and straightway
disappeared from the face of the earth.
No conclusive word has ever been re-
ceived of their fate. There are eases
by the score of men reported wound
ed or Slightly wounded" and no other
word until, months later, perhaps, the
curt Official announcement of "presum-
ed to be dead" Cases are reported of
men reported dead, then wounded,
later missing, later returned to
duty" But the men have not come
home. There are cases where men
have been reported dead on a certain
date, but members of their families
received letters written by their SOL
der kin's own hand at a later date.
There are cases where families have
received unofficial report that their
soldier kin was seen alive after the
date of his official demne
By far the largest class of letters,
however. are those from gold star
mothers seeking word from a com
rade who was with her son when he
fell The war department, which, con-
sidering everything, has been remark
ably accurate when accounting for
casualties, has reported the date and
place. Mother desires simply such de-
tails as will enable her to rec instruct
In her mind-so many write-the scene
IN which her boy made the great sacri-
flee.
The Roll Calf department in the
American Legion Weekly where these
communications are published is the
most poignant personal column in the
world. Every item carries its burden
of human sorrow or bre1thes a hope
that will not die. 1t is column which.
IN bald breVity, sums I'D the heroiem
of the manhood of America and the
trials of those who stayed behind and
day by weary day carry on the scare =
for those who did no come back. The
greatest human interest stories in the
world are told in scant paragraphs
scuch as these:
oath Aero SquadrGn-Homer Key,
Box lie, Holdenvil.-. Okla would
like to hear from someone who knew
Lieut.. Raymond j. Saunders, ana who
could give details relative to his death
in France and where he was buried.
Last seen in combat with twelve enc
my planes over iBreullis, abont Is
miles northwest of Verdun, Oct, %
1918.
5 John w. Hotz. formerly seth Co.
152d Depot Brigade, Camp Upton. N,
Y. Who knows whether he went to
france and was killed or pulled
through? Address Miss Gertrude Hotz
4S5 Second street, Brooklyn, N. Y"
Missing in Action.-Priyate Leon
ard Delbert Philo. 95th Co. Sixth
Marines. Reported wounded in Sois-
sons drive, July 10, 1918. In September
1919, mother received notice that rPbiIo
LEONARD had died and was buried in
France. She does not believe If is her
boy. Comrades are reported to have
seen him alive and well in the fall of
1918. Address his sister, Mrs. IT w
Johns, 1O7 Glenwood Ave, Battle
Greek, Mich
a.