The New York herald., 1922-04-03
West Virginia Boys Body in
Brooklyn Represents As, 5,479
U. S. War Dead.
HARDING SENDS WREATH
NOtables of Official. Life and
Gold Star Mothers at I'M
pressive Services.

Honors for the last OF the soldier
dead brought from France back to
their home land were paid yesterday,
and with the payment went the last
official tributes Of a national charac-
ter. the last sounding OF taps" before
a great multitude. the last public out
pouring Of TIE tears of many, many
mothers for one son, the last solemn
formal recognition by a nation of its
debt to an individual soldier in the
great war.
The individual soldier was Charley
Graves of Raleigh county, West Vir-
ginia. private, first class. Fate
chose him to be the representative In
this impressive memorial service for
the 45,479 men wEo died overseas and
whose bodies have been brought back
in the course Of the long transatlantic
funeral procession to be buried in the
country in which they had lived and
for which they had died.
To Gravess,as representative. fully
10000 persons did honor yesterday
afternoon at the United States Army
base in Brooklyn. On his coffin was
laid beautiful wreath sent by the
President or the United States, and in
paying their tribute of tears to him
hundreds OF gold star mothers who
lad never even heard his name doubt
less found solace
Ceremonies Are Impressive.
The memorial, as 1t was called, was
among the most impressive Of the cere-
monies of this sort that have been held
in and about New York. resembling, IN
many ways the funeral Of the Unknown
Soldier in Washington. While the high
est dignitarics of churches officiated.
while officers of the highest rank in all
branches OF the Government service took
part while men OF prominence In this
and other communities attended, the
services. for such they really should Do
called. were OF the simplest character,
actually brief. even somewhat informal.
The setting was the water front side
OF the army base. with the high unloveiy
concrete wall of one OF the warehouses
as a background. A chill wind swept in
off ehe bay, over the shoulders and
heads OF the crowd of men. women and
some children. with all ranks or HE
and many occupations represented.
Against the warehouse wall a platform
had been erected. and before the plat
form a cleared space had been prepared
for the reception OF the coffin. Here
n,rt OF the crowd waited nearly two
hours. while the funeral procession was
moving through that section or Brooks
lyn adjacent 10 the army base.
Clouds obscured the sun the greater
,,art OF the time the crowd was clearly
,tneomfortable When. about 3 80 the
sounds of the music OF the marching
bands was heard in the distance quiet
8. tiled on the throng and period OF
waiting began. Soon round the corner
Of the warehouse. to the south. APP
feared the caisson drawn by six horses
and on which the coffin was carried iii
,Le narade. Then another wait ensued.
Gold star Mothers In Front.
The front rows OF seats had been re-
served for the gold star mothers. and
many we're there. Just at the corner
az che press table was little, bent aged
woman. evidently an Italian, and evil
aently poor. She began sobbing softly
Continued on Page Four.