U.S. 1st Lieutenant Nathan Baskind, a Jewish American soldier killed during World War II, was recently laid to rest in the Normandy American Cemetery in France. Baskind, who was missing for decades, was initially buried in a mass grave with Nazi soldiers after being killed in the Battle of Cherbourg on June 23, 1944. His remains were later exhumed and moved to the Normandy American Cemetery, where he was reinterred with his fellow U.S. troops.
Baskind's family was unaware of his burial location for years. In 1957, the American Grave Registration Service attempted to identify his remains but failed. However, his unit patch, lieutenant's bars, and dog tag were recovered. Advances in DNA technology and the efforts of Operation Benjamin, a nonprofit organization, led to the identification and reburial of Baskind's remains.
Operation Benjamin works to correct the headstones of Jewish American soldiers who were accidentally buried under crosses instead of Stars of David. The organization, co-founded by Shalom Lamm, has identified and corrected numerous cases, including Baskind's. The group collaborates with the American Battle Monuments Commission to verify and change headstones for soldiers buried under the wrong markers.
Baskind's story highlights the broader issue of misidentified Jewish soldiers from World War I and World War II. According to Lamm, roughly 2.7% of American World War II casualties were Jewish, but fewer than 150 Jewish markers were found among the nearly 9,400 graves at the Normandy American Cemetery. Operation Benjamin's efforts aim to restore the identities and honor the memories of these fallen soldiers.