Spotlight On: Bring Home the Soldier Dead League
Spotlight On: The Grand Army of the Republic
October 23, 2023Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum
Spotlight On:
Bring Home the Soldier Dead League
December 14, 2023 7PM
Free Virtual Event – Join us on Facebook or YouTube
Please note: You can use the links above to watch archived Spotlight On programs!
In June 1920, a military order was issued to place a guard in the Belleau Wood cemetery in France to arrest any American who attempted to exhume the bodies of soldiers buried there. The order was given after learning that James Foster of McKeesport, the father of a U.S. Marine killed during the battle, had made extensive plans to disinter the remains of his son and bring them home. This program will examine the nearly three-year long struggle of the Fosters and other families who wished to bring their fallen loved ones home after WWI. Also highlighted will be additional artifacts and stories from the museum’s collection related to this subject.
Andrew Capets Bio:
Andrew serves as President of the Trafford Historical Society, and co-authored the book “Images of America – Trafford” published in 2017 by Arcadia Publishing.
He is the author of the book Good War, Great Men. The detailed accounts of a machine gun battalion during World War I. In 2018, his book was endorsed as an official project of the World War One Centennial Commission in Washington D.C.
In the Fall of 2021, Andrew’s article “Bring Home the Soldier Dead League” was published by the Heinz History Center’s Western Pennsylvania History Magazine.
This article was recognized with two awards by the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania, one for Excellence in Written Journalism in the History & Culture category, and the other with a best in show award in Division 7, recognized with a Ray Sprigle Memorial Award.
Tim Neff Bio:
Tim Neff began working at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum Trust, Inc. in 2002 as the Director of Education. In 2017, Tim took on the role of Vice President and Director of Museum & Education at Soldiers & Sailors. He is a certified Social Studies teacher and holds a bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh. During his time at Soldiers & Sailors, Tim has developed a variety of museum programs including: interactive and engaging tours and field trips, a footlocker outreach program, Boy Scout merit badge programs, teacher conferences, summer camps, community history events and much more.