Question about repatriation of WW2 US Armed Forces Dead and Mortuary Trains

[Griff Murphey]

According to what I have found on the internet, it was two years after the war before the program to bring our dead home began in earnest. Basically the WW2 hospital trains were used and they had detachments of troops aboard to render honors. What's hazy is how did this proceed? Did they pull into regular passenger stations and unload the remains or were they taken to the nearest base to the men's families? Were honors rendered at the station or were the remains simply (and likely reverently) handed over to funeral directors or family?

I was asked about this by an author and historian working on the subject here in Fort Worth. Likely destinations here would have been the Santa Fe or Texas and Pacific stations or the Federal Quartermaster Depot. Information specific to any city's experience would be appreciated.

There is an extensive discussion on mortuary trains on the internet including details provided by the National Model Railroad Association.

Thanks for any input!

[Vern Humphrey]

There is an officer appointed for each deceased soldier, the Survivor Assistance Officer, who makes all the arrangements. At the time of death, the SAO visits the family, gives them the Solatium Payment, explains their options to them, coordinates transportation of the remains and oversees the burial. In the case of remains being brought home years afterwards, a new SAO is a appointed to carry out duties relating to bringing the remains home.

[m1ashooter]

Did you read this?
http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/mil...tww2repat.html

[m1ashooter]

Wow you asked an interesting question and I found more information. This was interesting to read.
https://www.historynet.com/last-train-home.htm

[fjruple]

Did you read this?
http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/mil...tww2repat.html

Very Interesting article which I did not know. The Liberty ship, John V. Connolly mention in the article, later caught fire and sank in 1948 on a return trip back to Belgium with a load of empty caskets. Thanks again for sharing.

[Glynn863]

A Great Uncle of mine was KIA in Germany on 12/5/44 and originally buried in Margraten Holland. In the late 1940's his remains were disinterred from there and brought home. My grandmother had some pictures of his casket being brought to the local train station for pickup. I haven't seen them in almost 30 years, but one of the relatives probably has them.

[Griff Murphey]

Thanks very much to all, the two articles are particularly useful in explaining this massive repatriation effort. I think this history has largely faded from memory. We had 416,800 military deaths in WW-2. Just a wild guess but I would think close on at least 200,000 bodies were recovered and reburiedn, some in the overseas cemeteries such as the Punchbowl, others sent home.

[m1ashooter]

Actually the effort the United States has done to recover our dead and bring them home is amazing. We are still doing so in our search for our MIA's/

[kj47]

My uncle was killed in France in 1944. Saw pictures of when he was brought home in1948 at the Waterville Maine train station. Thanks for posting.