American Legion Sees Chance To Bring Home Remains Of Sailors Buried In Libya 200 Years Ago

WASHINGTON -- Thirteen U.S. sailors who died in 1804 during the First Barbary War and were buried in Tripoli, Libya, may finally be coming home, if the American Legion gets its way.

Since the uprising in Libya broke out six months ago, the veterans organization has been lobbying Congress to bring home the remains of the U.S. servicemen. The crew, led by Master Commandant Richard Somers and Lt. Henry Wadsworth (uncle of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow), died when their explosives-packed ship blew up prematurely during a mission to Tripoli.

"It's the best chance we've had in a long time," said Tim Tetz, legislative director for the American Legion. "We've got a change of politics in Libya. We've got family members who have stood up and said, 'We want to have our family members brought home.' We've got the will and might of America to say, 'Let's respect those who fought our wars for us, and that includes all wars.'"

As Politico's Dave Levinthal reports, the American Legion is one of 11 groups that have "formally lobbied the federal government on pet causes that, in one fashion or another, concern Libya." Oil companies, the American Civil Liberties Union and United to End Genocide have all been taking their concerns to the federal government.

The American Legion, with the backing of House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), was able to secure an amendment to a House bill directing the Defense Secretary to "exhume and transfer the remains of certain deceased members of the Armed Forces buried in Tripoli, Libya."

The Senate, however, has not followed suit. According to Tetz, one stumbling block may be Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who served in the U.S. Navy.

"He has expressed some concern that he doesn't want to see it pass, which is disconcerting to us, and we've tried to influence him where and when we can. So far, to no avail," said Tetz.

McCain did not return a request for comment.

The U.S. Navy also is opposed to the American Legion's request.

In 2008, Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, told Rep. Rogers, "Navy custom and tradition has been to honor the final resting place of those lost in downed ships and aircraft. The Navy considers the Tripoli cemetery to be the final resting place of these sailors who sacrificed their lives for our nation."

Navy spokeswoman Lt. Alana Garas confirmed to The Huffington Post that Roughead's statement remains the position of the service.

But Marty Callaghan, spokesman for the American Legion, said the current resting place of the Barbary War sailors is inadequate.

"They are buried in a hostile land," he said. "Some of them are buried right underneath the place called Green Square where Gaddafi's government often holds protest rallies and things of that nature. The other bodies are buried in a Protestant cemetery that is not kept up and is basically in shambles, more or less. So this is not the way to treat those who serve America."

He added that there are places reserved in Arlington National Cemetery if the sailors' bodies are returned to the United States.

Comments

[automan 57]

01:32 AM on 08/24/2011

Some of our greatest heros have fought and died on foriegn soil many were left where they lay !!!~~~~ Do this and whats the Excuse for the dead and Missing in Pearl Harbor !!!~~~ Let these Brave souls rest in peace !!! If anything should things ever calm down over there commenerate their bodies where they Lie !!!

[hifie]

11:14 PM on 08/23/2011

I am just not sure why now. Our troops are buried everywhere across the globe. While I agree it is in a country that has been hostile to us and this is not the first time that has happened. The explanations are not clear.

[BulldogDad]

10:33 PM on 08/23/2011

Not a good idea. From a practical standpoint, if they were buried 200 years ago, there probably isn't anything left of them.

[RufferinAK]

09:40 PM on 08/23/2011

Every day Congress makes grave decisions. Maybe we should be naming places after service personnel and not legislators. I agree with the Navy, our brave squids from the 19th century are well-taken care of. I wish Congress would get back to taking care of our living veterans and active service members. Congress should be making sure there are post-war jobs available when the troops return home.

[wteswim]

07:32 PM on 08/23/2011

I was a cadet aboard the U,S. merchant vessel Pioneer Ming in the Phillipines when I visited the largest U.S. Cemetary outside the U.S. I saw rows and rows of service men and women buried there. The grounds were maintained by the Phillipine Government. Why can't they do the same in Lybia? LT.USNR sep.

[Billdabuilder]

06:06 PM on 08/23/2011

Let me lie in peace where I fall.

[cottere5]

05:58 PM on 08/23/2011

For over 200 years our service men have fought and died and were laid to rest on foreign soil. If the family of that service man wants them home, then we should bring them home. If there is no one to claim them, then let them rest. They have the gratitude of all us veterans, they still serve, till the end of time.

[metusmetu]

05:48 PM on 08/23/2011

After 200 years?????????????????? Seems to me you'd have been bringing them home long before now!!

[bsfrisc]

05:36 PM on 08/23/2011

leave the dead rest in peace where they lie.

[fpwillson]

05:23 PM on 08/23/2011

Who cares what the Navy's official public position is? The Navy hasn't cared about these men for 200 years. If their families want them home, then home they should come. Shame on the Navy.
"We do it this way because we have always done it this way." What an attitude!
/s/ an Annapolis graduate.

[dave0331]

05:08 PM on 08/23/2011

Navy tradition calls for them to remain where they fell according to the admiral. I don't see why we should change Navy tradition, if the admiral speaks the truth. I suggest appropriate markers be placed after consultation with, hopefully, a new government based on democracy and not Muslim extremists.

[rg686217]

04:49 PM on 08/23/2011

I never found Libya to be a hostile land toward Americans having previously been employed by an American company in Libya even when America was hostile toward Libya. However, I never knew there were American sailors were burried there and and would liked to have looked into that when I was there. I did see demonstrations in Green Square agains the USA but everybody knew they were staged for the press.

[americasmuseum]

05:31 PM on 08/23/2011

I smell OIL again as we did in Iraq.

[Ylder Riza]

05:54 PM on 08/23/2011

Maybe you're smelling your upper lip.

[jforgit9]

04:37 PM on 08/23/2011

Literally thousands of American soldiers from various wars and conflicts are buried outside the US today. It is certainly not practical to try to bring them all home. Why make such an issue of these 13? Oh , I got.......they are buried in a MUSLIM country!

[fpwillson]

05:25 PM on 08/23/2011

Not quite. Most are buried in American cemetaries that are taken care of in a respectful manner. If you read the article, you'd see that some are in a place that is not taken care of and others are buried under the square (under a road?).

[Ylder Riza]

05:56 PM on 08/23/2011

I'd rather see money "wasted" bringing troups of previous wars home to be buried than see money wasted going to war like Iraq and Afghanistan creating new American casualties. This from someone born in the US that doesn't really like the US, so it must be the right thing to do.

[MaxxFoxx]

04:16 PM on 08/23/2011

I'd pay to have my great uncle's body who died at Ver Dun, France during WWI returned home to Deal, MD.

[Steamboater]

03:50 PM on 08/23/2011

We didn't even have a Navy until then and it was precisely this terrorism on the part of Tripoli and the Barbary states that gave us reason to build one. Europe had put up with Barbary states enslaving their peoples for hundreds of years. The money asked of us was not only money to get back hostages held, but was money for tribute to a foreign potentate. . (Actually, it was a two-way street with regard to the Europeans with  one profiting off the other.  As long as Europe paid these tributes, they were allowed access to trading with these states.).  Jefferson was determined, after we so soon threw off the yoke of one foreign oppressor, we wouldn't pay tribute to another tyrant.