Operation Benjamin is devoted to preserving the memories of American-Jewish soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice while defending the cause of freedom during World War II. Our aim is to locate Jewish personnel at American military cemeteries all over the world who, for various reasons, were buried under markers incorrectly representing their religion and heritage. Our mission is to correct these mistakes and provide, these many decades later, comfort to the families of the fallen. We work quietly and with dignity, without any cost to the families involved.
100 years ago, some wanted the graves of all World War I fallen soldiers to have a consistent marker - a cross. The Jewish Welfare Board jumped into action to keep the Stars of David that were being used for known Jewish soldiers.
In 1923, JTA reported that Jewish graves were still marked with Stars of David, at least in France:
Graves of American soldiers of the Jewish faith in the national American cemeteries in France are being photographed for the fallen soldiers’ relatives in the United States to see where their dead have been laid to rest.The work is carried on under the auspices of the Jewish Welfare Board in the United States. The Jewish graves are distinctive, the headstones being surmounted by the Shield of David.
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