Edmond Leblond's Funeral, Auburn, 1918
Item 81996 info
Franco-American Collection, University of Southern Maine Libraries
Edmond Leblond was the first solider from the Lewiston-Auburn area killed in WWI. Leblond was wounded in action during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in October 1918 while serving with the 39th Infantry, known as the “Fighting Falcons”.
Despite the American tradition to return war dead to their families, due to the sheer number of fallen soldiers during World War I coupled with complicated logistics, a decision was made by the military to bury soldiers in Europe (mostly France). Many American families disagreed.
As a result, nearly 60% of fallen American soldiers were returned to the United States, mostly after the war. The fallen soldiers buried in Europe were permanently interred in American cemeteries, now meticulously maintained green spaces revered by the French. The tradition of foreign burial was practiced extensively during WWII, but since the Korean War, returning remains to the U.S. is the general rule.
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