When I came home from work this evening, I fully expected the e-mail wires would be burning up about the story in this morning's Louisville Courier-Journal (10/22/98). Even in the Indiana edition, there was a prominent story about NINETY-TWO military markers found stashed in a storage shed at Greenwood Cemetery for over 30 years by the former operators of: Eastern Cemetery (on Baxter Avenue, near Cave Hill Cem.) Schardein Cemetery (at 7th Street Road and Homeview Drive near Shively) and Greenwood Cemetery (at 41st Street and Hale Avenue) All three cemeteries were abandoned by the operators 9 years ago after the Kentucky Attorney General learned that the operators were not only double-burying in these plots, but in some instances TRIPLE-burying there. Criminal charges were filed (but eventually dismissed) against several members of the cemeteries' board of directors, who were forced to resign. Apparently the operators just walked away from the sites. Since then, they have been in limbo, although several groups have made efforts to clean them up. Apparently, the former operators received these 92 military markers during the 1960s to the 1980s and stockpiled them in a shed, pocketing the money paid to them by the Government for placement of the stones. Because the records for all three cemeteries are so sketchy and in many cases simply nonexistent, today it is impossible to determine WHERE these people are buried. Wanda Hoosier of the West End Neighborhood Association (502-778-1501) is spearheading an effort to raise the money to have the markers arranged to create a memorial made up of three concentric circles with a flagpole in the center next to a bronze plaque. Admittedly, the markers won't be at the respective graves or even necessarily at the right cemetery, but this seems appropriate given the fact that we will never know where these people are really buried. When the markers were found, they were stacked in the shed on top of each other along with debris and old tires. Some were still in crates. I talked with Wanda tonight and she is mailing me a list of the veterans names and dates, a list prepared by the Montford Point Marine Association in hopes of getting the markers erected and locating some of the families involved. Wanda told the paper that she suspects that many of these individuals had no families, which would explain how the former operators of the cemeteries were able to get away with this. Their graves are believed to be in all three of the sites in question, one of which is the oldest Jewish cemetery in Louisville (Schardein Cem.). I am going to suggest to Wanda that she contact the Veterans Administration to see what information they can provide of these markers. Since they are fairly recent, the VA may be able to help a great deal. A fundraising drive is underway and I should have information on that as well in a few days. Unfortunately, neither the story nor the pictures are featured on the Courier-Journal website. Thought you might be interested in this. If you know anyone who might be interested in helping (such as veterans groups, etc.), feel free to pass along this e-mail message. Lois Mauk - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Clark County, Indiana Cemeteries Page: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/5881 Next CCCPC Meeting: Saturday, 11-07-98, New Washington Library, 2:00 PM Ask me about the Bicentennial History of Silver Creek/Stony Point Church ------------------------------------------------------------------------