GRAVES REGISTRATION REPORT

File: 110596_oct96_decls1_0003.txt
Page: 0003
Total Pages: 5

Subject: GRAVES REGISTRATION REPORT                                      

Unit: 1 MARDIV    

Parent Organization: 1 MEF       

Box ID: BX600057

Folder Title: vol 13 - graves  registration  report                                                           

Document Number:          1

Folder SEQ  #:         37



                                    UNCLASSIFIED





             As MSgt Campbell explains it, they simply broke out the book,

         hold classes on all its subjects, and discussed learning points.

         Most agreed that the Army manual was a good book.

             The Graves Registration unit was located in the Fleet Hospital

         Five compound in Port Al Jubail initially. There it was close to

         its headquarters and to the likely place someone would be

         pronounced dead.

             Graves got its first set of remains on September 20, a soldier

         from the 82nd Airborne Division who was killed in a HMMWV

         accident. The Marines used that set of remains as a training

         class, and they continued to do that with subsequent remains.

             LtCol Cassady required all his Marines to be present during

         the initials processings. He did this to expose them to the actual

         experience and help prepare them for the grim task ahead.

             After processing remains, LtCol Cassady and MSgt Campbell

         would sit around and talk with their Marines to see how they were

         holding up and what problems they had. Msgt Campbell explained it as

         necessary to keep things out in the open. He said some handled it

         better than others but that generally they all decided to stay on,

         after being given a chance to leave the unit. The focus is always

         on stressing the procedure, and not thinking about the deceased.

             Training continued through November and December, and began to

         move on to infantry skills to Prepare for their recovery missions.

         They learned mines and booby-traps, call-for-fire, land navigation

         and other general military skills. Initial reservists began

         arriving from the Graves Registration company in Dayton, Ohio.

         They were put through a one-week training course at Fort Lee, Va.,

         prior to being sent to SWA.


                                UNCLASSIFIED

Document 5 f:/Week-42/BX600057/vol 13 - graves registration report/graves registration report:11049611425012
Control Fields 17
File Room = oct96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-42
Box ID = BX600057
Unit = 1 MARDIV
Parent Organization = 1 MEF
Folder Title = vol 13 - graves registration report
Folder Seq # = 37
Subject = GRAVES REGISTRATION REPORT
Document Seq # = 1
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 04-NOV-1996