What Happened To Joachim Peiper9/20/2020
Glass, then commander of the Forward Support Company, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Lion Brigade, Vicenza, Italy, wrote a report on Graves Registration activities as they concerned the SS massacre of American POWs near Malmedy, Belgium.From many talks with the natives along the route, it was evident that they had come into possession of many souvenirs, such as officers bars, NCO stripes, unit insignia, and identification tags.
These souvenirs, either given to them by American soldiers or taken from the bodies of the dead, became naturally final and absolute identification factors of some of the dead. Graves Registration officials promised the natives that they would not be deprived of their souvenirs; the Army merely wished to examine them for possible evidence. At one point near Bacolor, a few miles south of San Fernando, a white cross stood in a ditch by the roadway. A little farther south, about a hundred yards from the highway in a wet, marshy field, the graves of 20 unidentified dead were marked and staked off. The 601st had orders to disinter for proper burial only identified bodies so, while work toward that end continued, the dead lay in their initial resting places. By this time, after nearly six days of marching, we were all about done for, and the Japs didnt hesitate to use their rifles and bayonets on stragglers. I was in good condition from my days as boxing coach of the 31st Division, so I managed to make it. But even today, some 70 years later, not all of the dead have been accounted for. Given the size of command they were expected to service, the GRS companies were, during large engagements, chronically understaffed and overworked. In most cases the dog tags provided sufficient information but, when the tags were missing, the deceased soldiers pockets were searched for other evidence, such as a letter from home or a photo of a wife or girlfriend. In some cases, a note written by the dead soldiers superior or comrades before the body was evacuated provided the needed information. What Happened To Joachim Peiper Serial Numbers On WatchesSometimes a distinguishing feature, such as a birthmark or tattoo, or even laundry marks on clothing and serial numbers on watches, helped in the identification process. At the time of burial, if a deceased soldier had both of his dog tags, one was left on the body and the other was affixed to the grave marker. Whenever possible, a chaplain of the same faith as the deceased performed the burial rites. Identifying a group of victims, say, of an airplane crash or a crew incinerated inside a tank was always problematic, and every effort such as examining fingerprints and dental records was exhausted before declaring the dead Unknown. This was usually followed by a personal letter of condolence from the deceaseds unit commander. Great care was taken to ensure that the personal effects bags were not stolen or pilfered. The property was then packed for storage pending receipt by the Effects Bureau of a shipping order. Only after all this was done were the effects sent to the next of kin. GRS units had, as part of their personnel roster, draftsmen whose duty it was to draw accurate maps of all the graves. Field Manual 10-63 specifies that GRS companies were not authorized nor equipped to perform embalming. Enemy snipers were as fond of picking off noncombatant medics and GRS men as they were shooting at fighting men. And, as FM 10-63 warns, In the search for bodies, great care should be used to avoid booby traps and anti-personnel mines that may have been placed under bodies by enemy forces. Glass, then commander of the Forward Support Company, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Lion Brigade, Vicenza, Italy, wrote a report on Graves Registration activities as they concerned the SS massacre of American POWs near Malmedy, Belgium.
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