The last remains of a decorated US army veteran, Major General Harry Kleinbeck Pickett, who fought in both the World Wars, has been returned home for re-burial after being exhumed from a Darjeeling cemetery where he was buried 58 years ago.
“This week, more than 50 years after his passing, decorated World I and II veteran Major General Harry Kleinbeck Pickett returned home to his family in the United States, for re-burial at Arlington National Cemetery. This was only possible because dedicated partners in West Bengal and Darjeeling extended their care and support. Thank you for reuniting Major General Pickett with his loved ones, and for strengthening the bonds of friendship that bind Americans and Indians together,” tweeted Eric Garcetti, US ambassador to India on Monday.
The Arlington National Cemetery is one of thetwo cemeteries to be maintained by the US Army in Arlington, Virginia.
Major General Pickett died in Darjeeling on March 19, 1965, aged 77, while on a world tour and was buried at the Singtom cemetery, some four kilometers from the heart of Darjeeling town.
S.Ponnambalam, the district magistrate of Darjeeling, who played a pivotal role in the entire incident, said that the family members of the war veteran and the US consulate general office had approached them for the body to be identified and exhumed.
“We directed them to the home department for permission to exhume the body. Following the necessary permission, the body was exhumed in the last week of February,” said the DM, who also added that it took around 15 days to identify Pickett’s grave.
The American Citizens Services (ACS) unit of the US Consulate General in Calcutta worked closely with the authorities to locate the grave.
The grave was situated about 50 feet from the Singtom cemetery entrance gate with a maple tree growing on it. “After the body was exhumed, the tree was replanted at the same spot. The tree is also doing fine,” said a witness to the event.
The repatriation of the body was done with the help of John Pinto International Pvt Limited, a funeral service provider. This company had taken care of 152 of the 164 victims who died in the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
Major General Pickett was a decorated war veteran, having been commissioned in the United States Marine Corps in 1913. He went on to become one of the few Americans who served with distinction in both world wars.
During World War I he participated in the capture of the German cruiser SMS Cormoran in Guam in April 1917.
Twenty-four years later, as the Commanding Officer of the Marine Barracks at Pearl Harbor, he and his fellow Marines fired on Japanese warplanes during the surprise attack on December 7, 1941.
“Helping reunite Major General Pickett with his beloved family in the United States, the country he defended in both World War I and II is a privilege and honour for us. My team and I are grateful for the support we received from the Government of India and the state of West Bengal which made his return possible,” said Melinda Pavek, the US consul general in Calcutta.
This event reminded many in Darjeeling about the decision of Jupiter Yambem’s family to sprinkle his ashes at Tiger Hill after his death in the 9/11 attack at the World Trade Centre, New York, in 2001.
Jupiter, who hailed from Manipur, was working at a restaurant “Windows of the World” on the 101st floor at the time of the attack.
As a boy, Jupiter had studied at St Joseph’s School (North Point), Darjeeling. After his death, his wife Nancy said that Jupiter had loved the memories of his school and Darjeeling so much that he always wanted his ashes to be sprinkled at Tiger Hill, a wish his family fulfilled in 2002.
