The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-11-23

NAlC AAAAAA sAOAA
of the fate OF missing in action
personnel. Hundreds Of them later
are reported by enemy governments
as prisoners of war, some are To-
Gated in Allied hospitals, and still
others rejoin their units from which
they have been separated by the
ever-changing battle line. Lack Of
comprehensive reports from the
enemy concerning the men, particu-
larly the Philippine Scouts missing
in the Philippines, Is also a major
cause for the large proportion OF
missing among the total casualties.
The fact remains that in a great
many cases it has been impossible
to supply the next of kin and the
emergency addressee with any sup
Elemental information relative to
the circumstances or the nature Of
the action in which the soldier dis
appeared. Every effort is being made
by the Casualty Branch of the Ad-
jutant Generals Office, by the the
alter and the organization COM
manders to get this information.
While In many cases 1t has been of
no avail, their efforts are continued.
The reason for this difficulty is
simple. The soldier has disappeared
in or over territory held by the
enemy, and there is no way for the
unit commander to find out just
what happened to him. Consequent
ly, the War Department must rely
almost entirely upon information
which the enemy government is re-
quired to furnish through the In
ternational Red Cross under the
terms of Geneva Convention.
This dependence upon govern
ments with which we are at war for
information on the American dead,
wounded or prisoners falling into
their hands obviously results in
great variations in the length of
time elapsing before the reports are
received by the War Department.
AS soon a word reaches the War
Department that man is listed as
missing in action, the Adjutant
Generals Office of the Army Serv-
ice Forces sends telegram to the
next of kin or emergency addressee
which the soldier previously has
designated. In this telegram the
date he was reported missing, as
we'll as the theater of operations in
which his unit was engaged when he
disappeared, is given.
Shortly afterwards, under pres
ent procedure, letter over the sig
nature of the Adjutant General is
dispatched to the next of kin con-
firming the telegram and explaining
the difficulty in securing informa-
ton, but giving assurance that when
the War Department does receive
any information it will be forward
ed at once. In addition, the letter
points out that recent legislation
makes provision to continue the
pay, allowances and allotmentS of
personnel being carried in this
status"
Starting this week, the Casualty
Branch Of the Adjutant Generals
Office will make report by letter
at three month intervals to the
next of kin and emergency addressee
advising them Of the status Of the
individual case until final determin-
alton Is made. However, should
any information be received throw
ing light on the soldiers fate 1t will
be forwarded Immediately without
waiting for one of the three month
reports.
Some idea Of the size Of the cas-
ualty problem Of the missing in
action which the Army is facing may
be gathered from the fact that 81
percent of the casualties an
nounced fall into missing In action
and prisoners Of war categories. In
other words, together they account
for 46,546 OF the $3.50 casualties.
However, included In the missing
In action, which total 1884, are
5,316 officers and men Of the United
States Army and 1878 Philippine
Scouts lost in the Philippine Is
lands. Some of the officers and
men still are being reported from
time to time as prisoners of war,
but Japan has not furnished this
country with lists of Philippine
Scouts who are prisoners.
During the World War, total OF
$1,000 men had been reported as
missing, but by August l, 1919, this
figure had been reduced to As men.
OF the total, about 1850 were pre-
sumed to be dead after evidence had
been secured sufficient to carry the
number was discovered in hospitals,
while some others returned to duty
after having been lost from their
units.