American Dead

12,000 Now in Large Temporary War Cemetery in Finschhaven, NG

SINCE the war ended, special detach ments of the United States Forces have been gathering up American dead from graves all over the South and Southwest Pacific, and re-burying the bodies in the special American cemetery at Finschhaven, in New Guinea.

There now is a huge American cemetery at Finschhaven, containing the bodies of no less than 12,000 men. With typical Yankee thoroughness, the graves are systematically arranged, named and indexed, and the whole burial-place is well cared for. Bodies have been taken there from places as far apart as Morotai and the New Hebrides. They include men lost at the Battles of Guadalcanal and Tarawa.

It is the American practice to take all the war dead home to the United States eventually, for final interment there; and it is supposed, therefore, that the great Finschhaven cemetery is only temporary.

There is a move afoot, however, to suggest to the Australian Government that the Finschhaven cemetery area should be dedicated for all time to the United States, so that our Allies’ war dead may rest upon American soil, and remain there.

The majority of the bodies of Australia’s dead soldiers have been gathered into special cemeteries, well cared for, in Lae and Port Moresby.