KYBRECKI-L Archives

Archiver > KYBRECKI > 2007-07 > 1184640976


From: <>
Subject: [KYBRECKI] Overseas Cemetery help for those from Breck. Co.
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:56:16 -0400


Hey all.....

I didn't know if anyone would have need of this, but I couldn't not say something... knowing how many didn't come back from WWI, WWII, and the Korean War.

The American Battle Monuments Commission in Arlington, Virginia (established by Congress in 1923) has a service they provide for individuals trying to find a military family member's burial situation. You have to provide information to a degree, but if enough info is present... they can pretty much help you with the rest of it and provide something really nice.

My dad's brother died when dad was only 6 years old. Uncle Billy served with the Army in WWII at Anzio Beach in Italy, and one of the few things I knew about him was that my grandparents had his flag, his purple heart, and their memories. He wasn't able to be brought back for burial in the family cemetery, so he was buried over "there"... as I recall being told. The "over there" is the Florence-American Cemetery in Florence, Italy.

The ABMC offers a service in which they will list what company he was with, what division (all at the time of his death), and verify he is buried in the plot/row/grave listed in their database. Then they go a step further and provide a black and white picture of my uncle's grave site, mounted on a color lithograph of the cemetery.... along with a booklet describing the cemetery in detail. All this is done for free.

See as we had many Breck. Co. folk who died in the war but didn't come back home... I didn't know if this service will be of any help to anyone who is on the mailing list. I figured if I said something and no one needed/used it, no loss. But if I didn't say something and someone could use/need it... I would forever be kicking myself for not saying something.

Dana




This thread: