CARLISLE BARRACKS, Pa. — Note: The video is from June 2021.
The Office of Army Cemeteries on Thursday presented its findings of a multi-phase disinterment project of Native American and Alaskan Native children buried in the Carlisle Indian Boarding School cemetery at the Carlisle Barracks.
The U.S. Army recently finalized the fifth disinterment of Native children at the cemetery, and were able to return the remains of seven children to their families.
The five Native American and two Alaskan Native children died while attending the Carlisle Indian Industrial School and were buried more than 100 years ago, the OAC said.
The OAC’s team's findings of the human remains found in the gravesites assigned to Raleigh James (Washoe tribe), Ellen Macy (Lower Umpqua), Lottie Sireech (Ute), Paul Wheelock (Oneida), Frank Green (Oneida), Anna Vereskin (Aleut) and Anastasia Ashouwak (Alaskan Native) were biologically consistent with the information contained in their student and burial location records, the OAC said.
"Each child was returned to their family in a dignified transfer ceremony and many have already been reinterred on their native lands," the OAC said.
On June 18 the Army conducted a disinterment of grave B-13 at the Carlisle Post Cemetery, which records indicated was for a Catawba child, Wade Ayres.
The remains recovered, however, were inconsistent with those of a boy of the approximate age of 13-14 and instead found to be that of a girl of the approximate age of 15-20, the OAC said.
The unknown remains were reinterred in a dignified ceremony on Monday, June 20th with the caring assistance and compassion of the Catawba family, according to the OAC.
The Army is committed to reviewing all available resources and seeking out new information that may help us identify any possible error that led to this anomaly so it can make the appropriate effort to return Wade to his family and the Catawba nation, the OAC said.
“The Army is once again honored to reunite the families with their children so they may begin the healing process," said Karen Durham-Aguilera, executive officer for the Office of Army Cemeteries and Arlington National Cemetery. "On behalf of my team, I would like to thank all of the families for making this difficult journey and allowing us to share in this experience with them."
In 1879, Carlisle Barracks became the site of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, operated by the Department of the Interior until 1918. The school educated more than 10,000 Native American children, with representation from approximately 50 Native American tribes from across the nation.
OAC said it stands ready to disinter and transfer custody to families who are able to establish the closest family link between the decedent and requestor, following Army Regulation 290-5.
The transfer will enable families to return the children to cemeteries of their choice, the OAC said. The Army will reimburse families for their travel to participate in a transfer ceremony and is also funding the cost for transport and reinterment of the deceased children.
In a private ceremony, the Army formally transferred the remains to the respective families. The families will subsequently travel to the cemeteries of their choice for reinterment of their loved ones.
“The combined Army team was privileged to support families and return seven more children this summer, totaling 28 over the past six years," said Renea Yates, director of the Office of Army Cemeteries. "We are committed to caring for the graves of children who remain buried at the Carlisle Barracks Post Cemetery and will continue to support the disinterment of those requested to be returned."
The Carlisle Barracks Post Cemetery will be re-open to visitors on July 10.