So, whatever happened to the Peking Bones?

[Baja Margie]

some people think they are buried somewhere at the old US Marine Corps barracks in Peking.

[onager]

1. Dunno, but I'm glad you asked!

I'd like to know myself. That's one of the most intriguing mysteries in archeology.

I really like the "mystery woman on top of the Empire State Building." (The one who demanded $500,000 for the bones in 1968.)

Here's a link to a lot of information on the subject, from the Court TV "Forensics" site:

http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/forensics/peking_man/index.html?sect=21

[Baja Margie]

2. Thanks for the link.!

My Dad was a China Marine and used to talk about dem bones. He was transported there originally on the USS Chaumont (Christ Help All Us Marines On Naval Transport). He was stationed at the Peking Embassy, and just barely missed by a fraction the Baton Death March, he was on "R&R" when Pearl was hit. Lucky Eddie they used to call him. He was on the Choisul raid which was a decoy for the Bouganville strike. And get this, guess who was commandeering the boats taking the guys off of Choisul ? JFK ! Small world.

[onager]

3. Thank YOU! Another...

...former Marine here. I'm sure your Dad told you there are former Marines and dead Marines, but no such thing as "ex-Marines." ;-)

I love to hear stories about the China Marines.

A few years ago I got to hear a talk by a guy who was one of the WWII "Hollywood Marines." A bunch of Reservists, mainly from the film community, who were activated in late 1940, IIRC.

He wasm't a "China Marine." But he was deployed to China briefly in 1946, and had some interesting stories about that.

[Baja Margie]

4. Ha ! Don't I know it - those CM's were wild !

Ed never spoke of the grim battles, we only heard murmurs between the adults and references to people like Basilone and places that were so foreign to us. It wasn't until we were older that he finally started telling us some of the stories. I think that was true of that generation, they just didn't talk about it. Now I understand that far away look in his eyes when he'd be looking out at the ocean, when I read about and look over the old photographs from the fields it is heart wrenching what these young men went through. We truly owe them utmost respect and gratitude.

By the way, Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides is an excellent account of the rescue mission of the Battan GI's, if you haven't read it, do.




Meanwhile, hard to imagine anything getting past those leathernecks...makes you kind of wonder about the gal from New York(!)

Take care, and Semper Fi.