ok here is the deal, my great Uncle was killed in WWII and my family never knew where his body was buried. My Grandfather always wanted to be buried next to him. My grandfather was a Marine and great uncle a Army Infantryman. Anyway, I digress. I tracked down my great uncle and found his resting place at the American Military Cemetary in the Phililpiens. Turns out that when he was KIA my Greatgranparents declined to have the body brought home. From what my grandmother tells me the reason they turned the body down was because they thought they would have to pay for it to be brought back and for a burial. They were poor and could not read. So he was buried there.
I want to have his body brought home and laid to rest next to my grandfather but apparently there is a law that says once the family refused the remains then the body had to stay there and cannot be brought back. I know that if I died in a country not my own I would want to be brought home and laud to rest with my family. Well, my congressman don't want to help so does anyone out there know who else would be a good contact? Sorry this is long winded fellas. Any info would be a big help.

You try the Embassy of the Phillippines?

Maybe you can find help here: http://ww2.vet.org/

mmmm. good point. I am trying to fiind a Vet group or something that might deal with this kind of stuff too, but no luck so far. Might just start my own. I'm sire I'm not the only one out there that wants to bring someone home.

My great uncle served in WWII in the Phillipines as well as a Army Doctor then became a POW after Gen. MacArthur left.

Have you tried the VFW or American Legion? They might know.

I did try those and they didn't seem to interested in helping out. Everyone is all for it until they find out there is a law not permitting it. that is the hic-up.

Gerald, thanks for the link. I will contact them. If anything I think I really might start my own orginization for things like this.

Eric, what unit was he?

Go to this website, they are who oversees US Military Cemetaries overseas.

http://www.abmc.gov/home.php

They can tell you what you'll need to do to bring him home.

You might try contacting the media, if they pick up on the story, it would go a long way towards convincing the US Government that paying for the reinternment would be the best route to go. Headlines of "Forgotten Warrior not allowed to come home" would make the two-star in charge of such things (and looking to make three stars) just about offer to go do the job themselves. It's amazing how public opinion can open the right doors.

Get with the Veterans groups, VFW is a really good one to start. If they can't change the law, I'm sure they can help get the right media contacts involved.

Best of luck.

SGT U.S.ARMY, Infantry Sniper, Iraq Combat Veteran

quote:

Originally posted by gruntpain1775:
Eric, what unit was he?

I'll send it to you in a Email for PERSEC reasons.

The Government didn't pay for reinternment of remains from overseas. The family had to pay around $100 to do it. But, $100 was big bucks in the 1940s.