Sunday, February 3, 2019

10,000 Names of Missing Soldiers May Be Added to Killed List, Feb. 2, 1919

From the Omaha Daily Bee, Feb. 2, 1919

Washington, Feb. 1—Official tables of the major battle casualties of the American forces in France made public today by General March, chief of staff, show that approximately 10,000 men remain wholly unaccounted for, nearly three months after the ending of hostilities. The deaths, missing and known prisoners are tabulated up to January 10 for each of the 30 combatant divisions of General Pershing’s army. The total of 56,592, of whom 17,434 are classified as missing or captured. An appended statement shows that only 29 American military prisoners were believed to still be in Germany January 8, and that 4,800 prisoners had been checked up as returned and 118 died in captivity.

Some portion of the great body of missing men may be located as the return of army thins out the American force in France. Indications are, l however, that the majority of the 10,000 finally will be added to the roll of honor shown in the tables of those killed or died of wounds, now recorded as 39,158 men. To that figure, also, must be added 1,551 men of the marine brigade, figures for which not carried in the tables were obtained from official sources. This brings the grand aggregate of deaths from battle up to 40,709 on returns estimated officially to be 95 per cent complete. As figures on missing and prisoners of the marines are lacking, the number of unaccounted for which finally will be added to the roll of the dead cannot be accurately estimated.


No comments:

Post a Comment