Evening star., 1944-05-04
Dead in Italy Buried
By Mechanical But
Gentle Grave Detail
BY KENNETH L. DIXON,

Associated Press war Correspondent.
WITH THE AEF IN ITALY, April
III Delayed We try to keep the
boys from getting hardened the
lieutenant said, but it isn't easy.
You can see that"
A weapons carrier had just brought
"a new load of dead soldiers up to
the little shack which serves as
graves registration headquarters for
the cemetery.
| Wooden-faced, the sergeant and
his three helpers unloaded the re-
mains of six men. Occasionally they
looked up without interest. Their
faces were as blank and expression
less as night shift workers home
ward bound on dawn streetcar.
They laid the bodies and pieces OF
bodies in row on the grass in front
of the shack. Each was accom-
panied by triangular wooden stick
with the mans identity written on
it. his temporary marker until the
white cross is prepared.
Only Half Body.
The italian grave diggers who had
stopped to watch resumed their
digging. The four men returned
for the last body. They all had been
badly mangled, but this was the
worst. 1t was only half a body, the
upper half.
One of the privates started to
reach for it, stiffened and turned
away. The sergeant and one Of the
others stepped up, brushed by him
The sergeant picked up the head
and shoulders, the other private the
torn torso. They all wore gloves
They laid the half a body carefully
beside the others, their movements
mechanical but not ungentle.
1--WE watch to see that nobody
ever starts tossing the bodies
around" the lieutenant said, There
isn't much need to, but once in a
while you get boy who has to do
something rough to keep from going
nuts. But otherwise they're always
careful"
The private who had turned away
from the last body was bringing out
the mattress covers or bed sacks in
which soldiers are buried. The
others were down on their knees,
methodically making the last of
several searches Of the bodies. They
found few papers, few personal
items.
Belongings Go to Family.
"Those things that don't have
blood on them or aren't torn up will
be sent to the families with the
other personal belongings" the lieu
tenant said, "but some of the other
men will handle them. When you're
doing the work these boys do you
have to think of bodies just as
bodies, and you can't do that when
you start checking over letters and
snapshots and rings. and draft cards
and drivers licenses"
One by one the men drew the
sacking up over the bodies. The
faces were the last to be covered.
Part Of one head had been shot
away, but the others were whole.
some of their features were COM
posed, some distorted in wild
grimaces. All were jelled in the
pallid. spongy inmobility Of death.
Services at Each Grave.
The sacks were tied. laid side by
side, their Identification stakes on
top. The sack containing the half |
body had been doubled up and
folded underneath. It looked
grotesquely untitled, as though death |
had been given half measure.
The chaplain will be out later and |
there will be individual services at |
each grave" said the lieutenant. "I
hope the sun keeps shining"
The sergeant and his three helpers
stepped over to the shack, took OF |
their gloves and laid them on the
ground.
They walked around to the sunny
side of the building, sprawled on the |
grass and lit cigarettes. They
started talking in a moment, and
their faces came alive, began to show |
expression for the first time, like
poker players letting down their
guard when the game Is over.