The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-10-18

oS the person opening the familiar yellow envelope.
 Tho regulations further provide that all casualty messages must he delivered by messenger an dnot by
 telephone, The only exception Co this Is made in the case of persons who are not at homo when the messenger calls and for whom a note is left advising them to call Western
 Union. If the person to whom the message is addressed insists, when calling western Union, that the message be relayed by telephone, Western Union Is permitted to com- ply,
 Under no circumstances are are arrangements permitted whereby civic, veterans, church, Red Gross or other organizations representative may accompany the messenger delivering Q casualty telegram.
 Messengers are instructed to "aet natural" and not to divulge the na- ture of the message to the emergen- cy aodressee. They are cautioned always to b on the alert to the re- action of the recipient of the bad news. If the adressee shows signs ot fainting or becoming hysterical, the messenger should tactfully inquire whether there is anything he can do--suoh as calling Q friend or enighbor to assist the bereaved per- son. Even though mothers and wives steel themselves against the pos- slble receipt of bad news when they know their loved ones are in coIia- bat zone, the receipt of . casualty message is, nevertheless, In all cases q severe shock to the emergency ad- dressee, For this reason, Western Union messengers are instructed to deliver casualty messages to male members of the. family whenever possible.
 Western Union Is frequently con. fronted with the dlfncult task of locating the proper person for whom the telegram is intended. EIn- ergency addresses who have moved to new locations and have failed to notify The Adjutant General of their new address make the task of delivering the telegram douhly difn- cult for the telegraph company.
 Telephone and city directories are searched, or assistance may be sought from the local post offices which have rendered excellent serv- Ice in connection with locating cas- ualty message addresses. It may be necessary to call neighbors in an at. tempt to learn where the addressee has gone. Draft boards and school authorities assist In locating ad- dressees who have moved. Some times 1t Is necessary to check the records of public utilities, such as gas and electric companies.
 Emergency addresses who move should notify The Adjutant General, War Department, Washington 25, D. C., of changes of address which occur following the departure of the soldier for an overseas destination.
 Not oil casualty messages contain bad news. Frequently Q man who has been reported as missing in ac. ton later returns to his unit. Tn fast mobile warfare large numbers of men are reported temporarily missing from their units but later reJoin their organizations. Tn every case their emergency addresses are promptly notified. Tn the case of the Air Pores, q high percentage of men originally listed aS missing in action later are reported to be prisoners of war.
 In delivering all types of casualty messages, however, good or bad, no effort is spared by the War Depart ment and Western Union to see that these vital messages concerning the welfare of our troops are delivered to the properly designated persons with speed, accuracy and human understanding,