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A dog tag of significance

Organization finds missing WWI soldier

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The recognition of a soldier who served for a brief time at Camp Lewis before going to war in 1918 begins with one of his dog tags.

In 2001, a French archeologist looking for World War I souvenirs in the Charlevaux Ravine in the Argonne Forest found a dog tag that had belonged to Pvt. Eugene Michael McGrath.

In 1918, the Argonne Forest was the site of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the largest and deadliest encounter of WWI. More than 26,000 Americans died.

It was there that Sgt. Alvin York gained fame, future president Harry Truman commanded an artillery battery and Maj. Charles Whittlesey's Lost Battalion fought its way into history.

Whittlesey commanded the 308th Infantry of the 77th Infantry Division during the battle, which lasted from Sept. 26 to Nov. 11, 1918.  

On Oct. 2, Whittlesey and his command of 554 soldiers were ordered to move against heavily fortified German positions. Because other units on his flanks failed to make headway, Whittlesey's soldiers got out ahead of them and were consequently cut off and surrounded by German forces.

For the next 96 hours, Whittlesey and his men resisted repeated German assaults.  Food, water and ammunition ran short, and except for homing pigeons, all communications were cut.  

It is at this point that Whittlesey and his men became known as the Lost Battalion.

Not knowing exactly where the unit was, American artillery accidently shelled the battalion's position, and a consequent resupply attempt Oct. 6 failed.

Air reconnaissance finally located Whittlesey's men, and they were rescued Oct. 7.

Of the original 554 soldiers involved in the fighting, 107 were killed, 190 were wounded and 63 were missing.  Only 194 walked out unhurt.

Pvt. McGrath was among the dead.

Raised in South Dakota, McGrath had received his draft notice in May 1918.  He reported for induction at the new Camp Lewis in early June. While at Lewis, he received his first kit, which included the dog tag found in the Argonne Forest in 2001.

After its discovery, the dog tag made its way to Robert Laplander, a military historian, veteran, and author of the book, Finding The Lost Battalion.

The French archeologist contacted a friend who knew of Laplander and his interest in the Lost Battalion.

"He donated what he found there to me; the tag came to me in a box of stuff in the early fall of 2005," Laplander wrote in an email.

The discovery of McGrath's dog tag inspired Laplander to begin in 2015, the Doughboy MIA Team for the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission, in order to "account for the 4,223 still missing," commented Laplander in a May 22 WFED radio interview.

More than 4,000 WWI soldiers and sailors remain missing in action.  

On the morning of Oct. 8, McGrath's body was discovered, removed and temporarily buried in American Cemetery 745 in grave number 43.

No dog tag was found on his body; however, someone knew enough to etch the initials EM on the cross over McGrath's temporary grave.

In March and April of 1919, Cemetery 745 was evacuated, and at some point the cross over McGrath's grave was lost, thereby making identification of his remains impossible.

Consequently, he was buried in the Meuse-Argonne Cemetery under an "Unknown" gravestone.

McGrath's parents wondered what had happened to their son's body, but to no avail.  They passed on never knowing where his body reposed.

With the discovery of McGrath's dog tag, however, the Doughboy MIA Team was able to find his final resting spot.

"A named grave to someone who lost his life in the service of our country is the least we can do, no matter how long it's been," said Laplander.

That dog tag issued at Camp Lewis had served its purpose and helped bring closure to a soldier's service.

For more information about the Doughboy MIA Team, visit worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/doughboy-mia-home.html.

PHOTO: Pvt. Eugene Michael McGrath spent a short time at Camp Lewis in 1918 before departing for France in World War I. Photo credit: U.S. Army

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