105 years after his death, WWI doughboy finally receives proper burial

[rangerrebew]

105 years after his death, WWI doughboy finally receives proper burial
By Claire Barrett
 Jun 7, 05:22 PM
 
The burial of the unknown WWI soldier. (American Battle Monuments Commission)
After 105 years, the remains of an American doughboy were finally given a proper burial.

Today, the American Battle Monuments Commission, alongside French and U.S. officials, interred its first Great War unknown since 1988 — the first burial at Oise-Aisne American Cemetery in France since 1932.


On February 8, 2022, local undertaker Jean-Paul Feval was digging a fresh gravesite in the cemetery at Villers-Sur-Fère, in northeastern France, when he stumbled upon “human bones, along with artifacts that would later include pieces of a helmet, a stretcher, a trench knife and a corroded, unreadable dog tag,” according to a Washington Post report.

The stretcher was a particularly unique find.

https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-army/2023/06/07/105-years-after-his-death-wwi-doughboy-finally-receives-proper-burial/

[Kamaji]

[PeteS in CA]

From the linked article:

While it is believed that the unknown soldier was from the Rainbow Division, he could well have been a part of the the 165th Infantry Regiment, which also saw intense action around the French village of Villers-sur-Fère. More than 30 Americans from that regiment were hastily buried by a stone wall near the village cemetery.

However, regardless of the fact that “We do not know his name, his age, or his background,” Gen. James C. McConville, chief of staff of the Army, told the crowd gathered at Oise-Aisne this morning that “we do know one thing for certain … this soldier was a hero.”

The Rainbow Division was formed from states' National Guard units, at least partly at the suggestion of then Major Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur became its Chief of Staff and did participate in fighting. More on-topic, hopefully DNA was collectable and this unknown's identity might be determined.