Eh you're probably correct, unless I suppose the announcing the discovery of human remains could possibly complicate salvage rights.

An amazing find, and an interesting discussion. I don't have any ideas or suggestions, but you've all presented enlightening ideas. :sunny:

Hadn't thought of that; did it do so for the Hunley salvage? Makes sense that it could.

So here's a question - why was Hunley salvaged, and not treated as a war grave, but the one we're discussing here is considered such? Is it because there's only one nation involved in the case of the Hunley, and two sovereign nations for the U-boat?

Maybe but the the Hunley actually was treated as a war grave. All the remains that were recovered in the boat when they took the silt out were identified and reburied with full military honors.

http://www.hunley.org/main_index.asp?CONTENT=CREWB

One interesting note is before reburial they made casts of the crews skulls which allowed them to recreate what they looked like in life.

http://www.hunley.org/main_index.asp...CREWB_PROFILES

Don't think i'd want that done to my Great Grandfathers bones...

Leave them there, in their final resting place. Would you remove the dead from the Arizona?

I would. In the past they used to take 'Death Masks' of the recently departed. I'd love to know what my ancestors looked like.

That's actually a tough call for me. If it was a relative of mine, yes I would, but others don't feel the same and their wishes should also be respected. As I said, tough call.

I see nothing wrong with attempting to identify and reinter the remains of the boys who died on that sub so long ago.

I see your point. We have a picture of my Great Grandfather so we don't have to wonder.

Divers ask that maritime grave be respected

Check the link, the divers have their opinion as well.

Good call :up:

I would think this boat would be covered in nets like the Lusitania is.

August,
I know a guy whose grandfather was mia since Oct. 7th 1918.
Almost 90 years later, in 2007, the German War Graves Commission informed the family that they had found the grave.
The story behind:
The Brits had buried the identified German soldier with full military honours on one of their cemeteries by the end of WW I but it took all those many years to pass the information from the British to the German War Graves Commission to the family.

My point is:

With your great-grandfathers name, surname, birth date and birth place, you could do a research in the German archives.

The important part is that the Commission would keep your request in their data base and that way you can be sure that if they should ever find out something about your great-grandfather, they will contact you, even 100 years later.

If you need assistance, feel free to contact me via pm.