The Ypsilanti daily press., 1946-01-22
observations
Bringing Remains
of Gls Home VIII
Prove Costly

AL AAhAbNl u th4AlEA % b+4E " " ~
War II may take his place in AT
lington Cemetery ALONGSIDE the
nameless hero OF the hrst world
conflict
There Is Increasing talk in Con
gress OF bringing home the body OF
an unknown Gl who died in Europe
or the Pacinc. The details are still
TO be worked out
Rep. Edith Nourse Rogers (R)
Of Massachusetts, ranking minority
member OF the House Veteran S
Committee. fayors bringing home
two unknown soldiers. one from
each great theater OF war Others
suggest that representative OF
both the Army and Navy be honor
ed.
The task Of returning to the Unit
ed States the bodies Of America S
Lonored dead will probably get un-
derway this spring Specially
trained Army groups have already
g. been sent 70 Europe 10 carry out
the preliminary work and similar
groups are en- route or will he
sent soon 10 the Paciic.
The House OF Representatives
has authorized the appropriation Of
more than S200000, 900 for the task
and the legislation is pending in the
Senate. where speedy action was
anticipated.
Rep. Robert L. F. Skies Cd OF
Florida, a member OF the House
Military Affairs Committee. declar.
ed that as many as 100000 bodies
may be returned under the legisla-
tion at a cost OF $500 per body.
However, il was not anticipated
that that many dies would actu-
ally be returned 10 this country.
tits estimated that 272,000 Amer
lean soldiers are buried overseas
and the decision on whether their
bodies are to be exhumed and re-
turned 10 the United States is 10 be
left 10 the next Of kin. Many OF
them will rest forever in American
cemeteries overseas, some along
side the honored dead OF World
War
After the World War |. approx
mately 10000 bodies were repa-
triated out OF about 100000 battle
casualties. World War ! fatalities
were largely concentrated in
France and Belgium. whereas the
task this time will prove much
more difficult.
Rowing teams will be sen,
through central and southern
Europe in an effort TO locate the
graves OF United States airmen IN
Germany. Austria, Hungary, Roma
mia. Czechoslovakia, etc.
One Of the most difficult tasks
faced is finding the graves OF the
gallant men of the United States
Army Air Forces who are buried,
many OF them in anonymous graves,
along the route TO Berlin, known 10
American aviators during the war
as FLAX Alley"
Army authorities estimated tina,
upwards OF $4,000 American airnen
were lost on their way TO bomb the
German capital.
The chief task facing the Army
repatriation teams is to locate the
bodies OF all American personnel,
exhume them, and rebury them IN
centralized locations, probably in
France in existing United States
cemeteries, in the case OF Europe.
The problem in the Pacific will
be much more difficult as many
American soldiers lie buried in
steaming. malaria-ridden jungles.
Once the bodies have been RENT
erred abroad, parents or other next
OF kin will be notified and may
then submit to the War Depart.
rnent a request for their return.
All expenses will be borne by the
government.
IF A QUICK SEARCH OF your
pockets shows you aren't the pos.
SCISSOR Of as much as s201.o4-some-
things wrong theoretically, every
person in the United States should
have that amount-s21.03 more
than he had a year ago.
The climb in per capita cash in
the United States las been little
short Of phenomenal-and the in.
crease has been particularly marx.
ed since tie beginning Of World
War H.
In 1879 the per capita lgure was
1852. Bv 1917 II had climbed 70
s40.23 and II reached S53.2l IN
1920.
When World War II began every
have s7956. Within a year the fig.
ure had jumped TO sll0.o7, and the
per capita holding by Nov 30. 1913,
was S,451l. The next year the per
capita figure was s1s021, and the
record high OF s2o1.o4 was reported
as OF Nov. 90, lg45.