REPATRIATION OF GRAVES

In August 2007, the remains of 72 Americans were removed from the Hammangi Italian Christian Cemetery in Tripoli. The remains of the deceased were exhumed by a team from the United States Air Force Mortuary Affairs Department. Of the 72 deceased, 69 were the children of U.S airmen, who were stationed at Wheelus Air Base, between 1948 and 1970. The decision to repatriate the remains came when a plan for repairs and renovation of the cemetery looked likely to disturb the graves. The Libyan government granted the United States permission for the repatrification and the remains were flown back to the U.S. Exhaustive attempts were made to contact the next of kin or family members, and 31 were successfully contacted, with 18 of the families asking to have the bodies interred at a cemetery of their choosing. The other 13 and the remaining 41 bodies were laid to rest at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery¹.