Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-08-18
LEGION SEEKING
LIGHT ON MYSTERY
Definite Information Regarding
Thousands Being Sought
Thruout Country

more than 1000 individual death
and disappearance mysteries
among soldiers and sailors of the
American Expeditionary Forces.
These are cases where official ae-
ton has run its course and ter
minated with the always brief
and sometimes conflicting reports
of missing in action, KILLED in
Ebattle,' or presumed to be dead"
In each case it is claimed that
Idefinite or detailed information
has not been received by the fam
lily of the soldier or sailor in
question.
How many more than 1000
lsuch cases there may be is not
! known, but the American. Legion
! Weekly has received 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 received of
their fate. There are cases by
the score of men reported
wounded" or Slightly wounded"
and no other word, until, months
later, perhaps. Cases are re-
ported OF men reported dead, then
wounded, later missing, later ere
turned to duty" But the men
have not come home. There are
cases where men have been re-
ported dead on a certain date,
but members of their families re-
ceived letter written by their sol
der kin's own hand at a later
date. There are cases where fam
lilies have received unofficial re-
port that their soldier kin were
seen alive after the date of his Of
fetal demise.
By far the largest class of let
tiers, however, are those from
gold-star mothers seeking word
from comrade who was with
her son when he fell. The War
]Department-which, considering
everything, has been remarkably
accurate in accounting for cas-
ualties-has reported the date
and place. Mother desires sim
ply such details as will enable her
to reconstruct in her nind-so
4 many write-the scene in which
her boy made the great sacrifice.
The "Rolr Calf department. OF
1 the American Legion Weekly
! where these communications are
published, is the most poignant
/ personal column in the world. Ev-
cry item carries its burden of hui
man sorrow or breathes a hope
that will not die. 1t is a column
which, in bold brevity. sums up
the heroism of the manhood of
bAmerica and the trials of those
Ewho stayed behind and day by
weary day carry on the search
II for those who did not come back.
The greatest human interest stor-
les in the world are told in scant
paragraphs such as these:
oath AERO SQUADRoN-Homer Key
box 116, Holdenville. Okla. would like
to hear from some one who knew Lit
II Raymond j. Saunders. and who could
give details relative to his death in
France and where he was buried. last
seen in combat with - enemy planes
over Breullis. about Is miles no.fhw~s st
of Verdun. Oct. %. 1918.
h JOHN w. HCTz, formerly 36th Co.,
III l52nd Depot Brigade, Camp Upton. N
1 Y. Who knows whether he went to
II France and was killed or pulled thru
Address Miss Gertrude Hotz, 435 Sec
ond ST. Brooklyn, N. Y.
MISSING IN ACTION-Private Icon
ard Delbert Philo. -95th Co. Sixth Mar
ines. Reported wounded in Spi.ss ons
drive, July 10. 1913 In September. 1919
mother received notice that "Philo
LEONARD had died and was buried in
France. She does believe it is hei
L boy. Comrades are reported to have
seen him alive and well the fall OF
1918. Address his sister. Mrs. II. W
n Johns. 107 Glenwood ave-, Battle Creek
| Michigan.
i'll 3o9th INF. Co. Nit. Duncan Camr
/ bell. wounded Nov. 1, 1915 died Nov
4; no news after leaving first PRESSING
station. Information wanted nv wife
u
City.
iii 10th or 194th F. A, BAIT. FL
| the parents of Joe H. Johnston WI
/ communicate with I. NJ. Adams. - Ia.s
Verona avenue, Pleasantville. N. J.
they may receive Testament ant
three snap shots belonging to Joh.1
ston, which were found on the battle
field in France.
35Sth INF, Co. M.-Will the soldie
who was with Sergeant John w
Smalley when he charged a mac1fo'
gun nest and was killed near Vilcey
France. Sept IL. 1918, write Florence
E. Berney. 404 Walnut ST.. Alexandria
Indiana.
126th INF, Co. I.-Will the Sergean
Iwho was saved by Private Homo
lWhisler. on Oct. 3. 1913 at Romang lie
write to Whisler's mother. Mrs. Mar
lE. Whistler. Hillsboro. o.. r. ID. IL. IN
formation concerning her sons deatl
wanted nv Mrs Whistler.