Probe Into Remains At Top US War Cemetery

Probe Into Remains At Top US War Cemetery

news.sky.com

A criminal investigation has been launched at America's top military cemetery after the remains of eight people were found in a single grave marked 'unknown'.

Records at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington showed there was only one set of cremated remains interred in the grave

But in late October officials became aware of "questionable practices" and asked the Army's Criminal Investigation Command (CIC) look into allegations involving multiple burials

(visit the link for the full news article)

Why would you bury 8 people in one grave?

I doubt this is a space saving initiative by the cemetary, or the military either.

The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if they really have identified some of the extra remains, it would be a perfect way of getting rid of people that have to dissapear from time to time.

Does the cemetary at Arlington have anything to do with placing the deceased's body or ashes in the coffin, or do they just bury them? Would it then be the funeral director that should be looked into?

Either way, this must be horrible for the families and friends of those who have been buried this way.

Am i reading too much into this? I just can't understand how something like this could hapen by accident?

CX.

news.sky.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Maybe these aren't the bodies of soldiers, maybe they were innocent civilians killed by a murder.
The murderer didn't have time to dig 8 graves so he dug 1 and disposed of the bodies.

Or maybe I need to lay off the CSI.

I read about this lastnight, very disturbing.

For now I think there needs to be more info. There is no mention whether these are the bodies of service men/women or something far worse.

Personally, if the bodies are of soldiers then this is a disgrace. If all 'unknowns' are going to be dumped into one spot then at least have the courtesy of erecting a proper building to house them in. Urns are not particularily large and hundreds could be sotred in a relatively small shrine.

Where the story refers to 'bodies' there should be DNA to test to provide an answer either way.

ETA...

Here's a question...Is this the only one?

reply to post by CX

Three hundred thousand people are buried at Arlington, which was officially designated as a military cemetery in 1864.

The mismanagement of these 6 or so unknowns would be less than .5% of the total. I'm not making any excuses but from a management stance that isn't bad. What the article doesn't state is the time period in which these fallen warriors were put to rest or from which conflict. As many here at ATS like to point out, the US has been in many conflicts over the past 100 years alone. I have been to Arlington a few times while living nearby in Maryland. It and the Wall in DC are very sobering reminders of those conflicts [just and unjust] we as citizens have paid for with our best and brightest.

In the 21st century with modern DNA and forensics it's virtually impossible to have an "Unknown" having said that, what are the resources and techniques available presently to distinguish individual remains once they have been cremated?

This does warrant an investigation IMO but I feel it has been a bit sensationalized by the local press and should not become a Witch hunt.

Originally posted by SLAYER69
The mismanagement of these 6 or so unknowns would be less than .5% of the total. I'm not making any excuses but from a management stance that isn't bad.

Very true.

I just wonder how many people will be asking themselves if this is the only case in that cemetary?

Like you say though, there is no mention of when these soldiers were buried. Even if there was something dodgy about the "mistake", it could be something done by someone who has long gone themselves.

CX.