My father served during the occupation of Japan with the 108th Quartermaster American Graves Registration Service platoon. He recovered the remains of 7 American and allied POWS from Hiroshima according to the documents I read about his units operations during the occupation of Japan.
His company recovered the remains of thousands of American MIA, KIA and POWS during the occupation only to turn around and have to repeat the grizzly process all over again beginning on June 25th, 1950 in Korea. I estimate that the company he served with and eventually was promoted to commander of processed well over 30 thousands US soldiers remains for repatriation back to their families in the United States. He suffered with PTSD till the day he died from the things he saw.
After my father passed in 1998, an autopsy revealed that cancer had metastasized throughout his abdomen. We believe it was from KIA recovery operations in and around Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The good lord spared my father the suffering from cancer and took him with sudden heart failure. He would be 110 years old this year
May God bless his soul. Incredible man and unbelievable service to the American people.
Great story- how old was he when he passed away?