RE: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,152997,00.html

I believe that the first Willie Hayes is a veteran, but given the outdated means of records keeping and archiving of the past, there simply was a mixup of records. Often during the Vietnam era there were soldiers with the same or similar names who served in the same unit or battalion, and upon review of the Personnel files it would be discovered that some personally identifying information was incorrect. I truly hope this issue can be resolved quickly, and if the first Willie Hayes is a U.S. Veteran then he will yet need to be be honored as such. I feel empathy for the current Willie Hayes' family and for the disappointment they must be experiencing at this time, it is a travesty.

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He was buried on Christmas Eve 2003 in the Long Island cemetery, two months after dying in a Bronx nursing home. No one came forward to claim his body, and the nursing home staff believed he was homeless. A spokesman for the center did not return a call for comment.

Gosh! What is a official to do with a body lying around and no funds available for burial?

Someone, or more, know the truth and are not talking. What documentation did the first "Mr. Hayes" have that would lead anyone to believe he was a veteran aside from a social security number?

Original legislation prohibited the use of social security numbers for identification purposes. This was changed recently for convenience of the gov't in lieu of a national ID card. Now that the veteran Mr. Hayes has been buried with the dignity befitting his service; it is time for congress to correct their past mistakes.

Someone, or more, know the truth and are not talking.

My guess is that, after 2 months in the FH reefer, the funeral director called VA and told them he had the unclaimed remains of a veteran. In those cases, the nearest national cemetery takes jurisdiction over the body.

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Originally posted by gmost:

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He was buried on Christmas Eve 2003 in the Long Island cemetery, two months after dying in a Bronx nursing home. No one came forward to claim his body, and the nursing home staff believed he was homeless. A spokesman for the center did not return a call for comment.

Gosh! What is a official to do with a body lying around and no funds available for burial?

Someone, or more, know the truth and are not talking. What documentation did the first "Mr. Hayes" have that would lead anyone to believe he was a veteran aside from a social security number?

Original legislation prohibited the use of social security numbers for identification purposes. This was changed recently for convenience of the gov't in lieu of a national ID card. Now that the veteran Mr. Hayes has been buried with the dignity befitting his service; it is time for congress to correct their past mistakes.

I hope that this update doesn't bring forth a flurry of more vial posts as the first one did. That was appalling. Regardless if the man is a veteran or not, to say some of the things that were said and the moderators not to edit them was wrong. I would hope that our morals in this country haven't stooped so low as to do some of the things that were suggested. Personnaly, the name Willie Hayes is so common, that it very well was just a clerical error.

It is refreshing, that so far, no one has made the inane suggestion that the deceased be dug up and made into: cat food, burnt and thrown in the sea, dumped onto the mayor's desk, etc., as in the previous thread. Dignity in death is a civilized attitude. Have a good day!~!

I do like the idea of leaving the first Willie Hayes in the cemetary until it is proven that he is not a veteran.
It would be great to know what actually happened and how to prevent it from happening again.
If it cannot be proven, within a reasonable time, that he is not a veteran, then just drop it and let the man sleep in peace.
The worst thing we could do would be to remove the man without proof. Give him the benefit of doubt.

quote:

Originally posted by MGYSGTLee:
I do like the idea of leaving the first Willie Hayes in the cemetary until it is proven that he is not a veteran.
It would be great to know what actually happened and how to prevent it from happening again.
If it cannot be proven, within a reasonable time, that he is not a veteran, then just drop it and let the man sleep in peace.
The worst thing we could do would be to remove the man without proof. Give him the benefit of doubt.

quote:

Originally posted by rkgtactical:
I hope that this update doesn't bring forth a flurry of more vial posts as the first one did. That was appalling. Regardless if the man is a veteran or not, to say some of the things that were said and the moderators not to edit them was wrong. I would hope that our morals in this country haven't stooped so low as to do some of the things that were suggested. Personnaly, the name Willie Hayes is so common, that it very well was just a clerical error.

Amen...!

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Originally posted by SLDO:
It is refreshing, that so far, no one has made the inane suggestion that the deceased be dug up and made into: cat food, burnt and thrown in the sea, dumped onto the mayor's desk, etc., as in the previous thread. Dignity in death is a civilized attitude. Have a good day!~!

Guess I'll hold off on my "Soylent Green" remark!

I'm mildly surprised that some of the Kool-aid drinkers, who post comments on this site haven't put the blame on GWB or the VA.

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Originally posted by smokey5:
I'm mildly surprised that some of the Kool-aid drinkers, who post comments on this site haven't put the blame on GWB or the VA.

>>>>>>>>Actually, I would like to find some way to put the blame on "W", but in this case, I think the fire around 1977 in our records center at Suitland, Md.,had a tremendous amount of water damage and maybe a half million veteran's records were affected. Some were doubled in other locations but some were flat lost. Guys are having to find their old officers or First Sergeants to help document them. Not always easy.

quote:

Originally posted by SLDO:
It is refreshing, that so far, no one has made the inane suggestion that the deceased be dug up and made into: cat food, burnt and thrown in the sea, dumped onto the mayor's desk, etc., as in the previous thread. Dignity in death is a civilized attitude. Have a good day!~!

Hey, on other strings, people are supporting torture, does any of the things they wanted to do to the remains of a man, who in fact may be a vet, surprise you?
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

quote:

Originally posted by smokey5:
I'm mildly surprised that some of the Kool-aid drinkers, who post comments on this site haven't put the blame on GWB or the VA.

Hang on, it's gonna happen!
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

Cemetaries are for the living only. Does it really matter. The first one apparently didn't make the choices to be there. I say let the man rest in peace. Whether he is a vet or not doesn't matter to me. The 2nd Willie's family had documents to prove his very existence. It is sad that the first was laid to rest without the love of family. Would Jesus Christ dig you up and make you move?

I say just let the man rest in peace, after all he is not the one that claimed to be a veteran, that decision was made by someone else after two months after his death,all they have to do is try not to let it happen again.
maybe his real name was willie hayes, maybe he was a veteran, maybe ,maybe maybe, it is sad to heard that someone died and no family ever claim his body, it is very sad.

As a post Vietnam Vet during the Hostage crisis I bet a few vets died in NAM that were without family. Sadly enough the Man may very well be a VET. With all the forensic science I'm sure it will conclude the results in a positive manner. However God will make a way in his Holy Cemetery and all are welcome.

Respecfully,
Soldier79

LET HIM REST IN PEACE,WHERE HE IS AT.AFTER ALL HE DIED IN AMERICA.WE SHOULD FIND SOME WAY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE,HOMELESS OR NOT.OTHER PEOPLE IN THE WORLD ARE BEING HELPED BY AMERICA.HOW ABOUT OUR OWN?

As a retired VA NCS employee, I can say this would not be the first time an organization or funeral home tried to pass a body to "the government" for a free burial--if indeed the documentation in the first case was faulty.