The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-08-20
SEARCHING FOR MISSING
AMERICAN LEGION ENGAGED
IN GREAT TASK
All People Should Lend Hand to
Aid In This Worthy
Undertaking

appearance mysteries among soldiers
and sailors of the American Expedi-
uonary Forces. These are cases
whore official action has run Its
course and terminated with the al
ways brief and sometimes conflicting
reports Of missing in action" killed
in battle" or presumed TO be dead.
in each case it is claimed that def
mite 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 received that number of letters
from the kin and friends of missing
men. There are instances where II
appears that men sailed for France
and straightway disappeared from the
face Of the earth. No conclusive
word ever has been received OF their
fate. there are cases by the score
Of men reported "wounded'or Slight
ly wounded" and no other word, un-
official announcement of presumed
to be dead" Cases are reported of
men reported dead, then wounded, la.
ter 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 re-
ceived 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
date Of his official demise.
Word From Gold-Star Mothers.
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,
considering everything, has been re-
markedly accurate In accounting for
casualties-has reported the date and
place. Mother desires simply such
details as wiz enable her to re- con
the scene IN which her boy made the
great sacrifice.
The roll call" department in the
American Legion Weekly where these
communications are published Is the
most poignant personal column In the
world. Every item carries It's bur
den Of human sorrow or breathes a
hope that will not die. 1t IL o column
which, in bald brevity, sums up the
heroism of the manhood of America
and the trials Of those who stayed
y
on the search for those who did not
comeback. The greatest human In
terest stories in the world are told
in scant paragraphs such as these:
These Tell the Story.
Ninety fourth Aero Squadron: Ho-
mer Key, Box 116, Holdenvflle, Okla,
would like to hear from someone
who knew Lieut.. Raymond J, Saund-
ers, and who could give details rela.
tive to his death in France and where
he was buried. Last seen in combat
lis, about fifteen miles northwest OF
Verdun, October q, 1915.
John w. Hoz: formerly thirty :
Camp Upton, 4. 7, Who knows
whether he went TO France and was
killed or pulled throYgh. address,
Miss Gertrude Hotz. 4s5 Second st.,
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Missing In Action: Prfvste Loon
ard Delbert Philo, ninety nth com /:
pany, Sixth Marines; Reported
1913. In September 1919 mother re-
ceiyed notice thst Pinto LEONARD
had died sid was buried In France.
She does Ect believe u II her boy
Consoles are reported to have seen
him alive aud well In Che fen OF 1913,
Address his sister. Mrs. II. w. Johns,
1OT Glenwood Ave, Battle Greek
Mich.
,.s sssh ,n6s..ry sass r. o hss
after leaving Ssst dressing station
Inforuatioa wep4ed by wife, Mrs
canpbsii. 10 W. 9th st. New Yori
i0ith or 18Th b. A.. Battery B:
II the parents Of Joe IL Johnston Will
communists With ! d. Adams. IL
. East Vsryna Ave, Pieasartviiie d. j,
they may receive o Testament apd
three snapshots belonging 70 yohns
ton. which were found On batte-
SSsth infantry, Company n: VIII
the soldier who was With Sergeant
John Smalley when he charged ma
chine gun nest end was killed neal
vncey, France, September IL. 1915
write Florence E. Berney, 4o4 Wal
nat St, Alexandrta, Inde
10th Infantry COMPANY J.: VII
the sergeant who was saHed By Pvt
Homer Whistler on Octobsr q 1913 o,
Romagne write TO WhfsieffB mother
Mrs. Mary y. Whisier,. Hiiiseoso. o.
her sons death wanted by Hrs. Wits.
Ter.
Fifty-fifh Nurses Unit. Rutt
G. Morgan; Last heard OF on way *
France August 1918. Information ol
her fate desired by e. B. Baanzn
Box 364, F7sningsburg. KY.
Missing In Action: Prfyats
Arthur HIN, 381st Infantry, w0unde<
in October IN AYgonns and seer
walking on the field. A buddy san
hin, in hospital in Franco. Since
then nothing has been heard OF him
Family fears he is q r1and case II
some hospital and has heard ruinors
that he Il under tfeatlnsrt In thu
United States. ADDRESS cousin, w
r. Cawthra, 10 Clay street, Wor'
cester, Mass.
1O9th INFANTRY, Company B.: Pd.
yate Charles lanes Hunt, wounded
gasssd, captured and reported died
Of wo.aHds. Mother woe,id be CRATE
full fer any particulars Of the engage.
ment IA whfGh her son was wounded
and taken. She also wants to know
what kind of gas It was and how !
affects men. Write Mrs. John J.
Y Hunt. Route Box 20. Mount Union
Pa
Fafty~ninth Infantry, M. G. Com,
pany: Private Raymond M. Schmidt
reported wounded October or
1918 and died October at Fourth