I worked with a Vet(Black) from WW2, that had a job finding and bagging KIA, on Okinawa. To overcome the odor they wore a bandana, dipped in kerosene. Said it helped but not much!
I worked with a guy who was a Medic in 'Nam. Said after his first battle, with all the gore and goo, he told 'em he wanted out. They put him in Graves Registration. He said they found purple bloated bodies that spewed out decomposed fluid when you barely touched the skin. The Come to Jesus moment was when he pulled on a body and half of it came away. He BEGGED to be put back in a combat situation.
I can't imagine what this Civil War burial team went through: