These look to be already badly decomposed bodies.
Yes, you’re right. I bet they were already rotting. Our guys wouldn’t have had the time to bury them. (Nor would I want them to.)
Yes, these are about the most unshocking ‘shocking photos i have seen in a long time. The Marines pictured are doing a post action (quite a bit post action considering some of the remains are already partially skeletonized) battlefield police up which includes disposing of enemy remains which were a public health problem. One marine is shown posing with an M-16 pointed at the skull of one of these remains. This is shocking? The people going on about this are what is disturbing. We have so many pansy types in the chattering classes that have not the first idea about what a lot of ‘real world’ events are. I remember a prof in college who was very anti-Viet Nam but who had been a combat soldier in the Big War. Some bearded wonder popped off about the atrocious behavior of American soldiers and how they didn't take Viet Cong prisoners. The prof without missing a beat said ‘Of course who takes prisoners on a patrol unless you are supposed to grab one? Who do you think is going to watch them so they don't summon their friends? GI’s want to come back alive that's their first order of business.’ The bearded wonder seemed truly perplexed at this teaching moment.
First, you're absolutely right. Second it's a real health hazard having corpses rotting nearby and if you have to hold a position it's a better idea to burn a corpse than to assign already tired troops who may need to put out a lot of effort improving their own position to dig a nice tidy grave. I know for a fact that Marines try to get corpses underground as fast as possible whenever possible.
I also know that anyone who ever had to hold a position in a hot built up area with rotting corpses nearby would be in favor of burning the corpses rather than subjecting troops to the ordeal of adjusting to hordes of corpse fattened flies all over them and their gear not to mention the stench.
If it's up to me, the "proper" disposal of a corpse isn't chit compared to the health and welfare of my people and screw anyone who can't understand that.