S&S - Kaiserslautern memorial honors ‘littlest raiders.’ Airmen and soldiers remember deceased American youths at annual ceremony.

From my archive of press clippings:

Stars and Stripes

Kaiserslautern memorial honors ‘littlest raiders’

Airmen and soldiers remember deceased American youths at annual ceremony

By Steve Mraz, Stars and Stripes

European edition, Sunday, May 17, 2009

Steve Mraz / S&S

Chief Master Sgt. Edward Horsch with U.S. Air Forces in Europe financial management, left, and Army Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Jessup of U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern light candles Saturday morning at the Kaiserslautern cemetery during the annual Kindergraves memorial service.

Steve Mraz / S&S

Xavier Rodriguez of Ramstein High School's Air Force Junior ROTC program stands before the 451 graves of American children interred at the Kaiserslautern cemetery. The annual Kindergraves memorial service took place Saturday morning at the Kaiserslautern cemetery.

Steve Mraz / S&S

Most of the children buried at the cemetery were infants who died of complications before reaching six months of age, and were children of American military stationed in the Kaiserslautern area.

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — A pink carnation and a tiny U.S. flag graced the markers of the 451 graves of American children buried at the Kasierslautern city cemetery.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"On a beautiful Saturday morning, dozens gathered at the final resting places for the youngsters who died in the Kaiserslautern area to pay tribute to those taken before their time. The children were interred at the cemetery from 1952 to 1971, a time when U.S. servicemembers in the area were unable to transport the deceased to the States for burial.

Most of the children buried at the German cemetery were infants who died of complications before they were 6 months old, and nearly all were sons and daughters of American military stationed in and around Kaiserslautern."

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"The current lease for the grave site ends in 2011, and the cost of renewing it will be around 7,000 euros, which will require donations from the community. For more information, see www.kindergraves.delayineurope.com."