Ruben Benjamin Saurbriet was a Field Cook in the 5" Artillery Group of the 2nd Defense Battalion, 2nd Marine Brigade, serving in American Samoa at the time of his death. He died on June 6, 1942, from gangrene of the leg resulting from injuries sustained during an 80 foot fall from a cliff while performing his duty two weeks earlier. Saurbriet was from Morgan County, Colorado. His next of kin were listed as Jake (father) and Lena (mother) of Fort Morgan, CO.
Saurbriet's grave has been overtaken by a large blue gum eucalyptus tree, and during the last few years, the roots of this tree steadily grew over the flat marker placed there years before when the tree overcome the original upright marker. Furthermore, the flat marker (and presumably the original upright) had an incorrect spelling of Saurbriet's first name and incorrect date of death, errors that were made on the original Quartermaster's request form in 1942. The marker also did not include a date of birth, which was customary for markers in this section (one of the oldest) in the cemetery.
Writer Jeremy Edward Shiok began visiting this grave in July 2013 after discovering Saurbriet's story while doing research for a book about the Pacific War in American Samoa. In November 2015, after obtaining Saurbriet's official military personnel file and photographing the growth of the tree roots over a two year period, Shiok submitted a formal request to VA cemetery administrators for repairs and a new marker with corrected information. This request was denied with various cemetery policies cited. Shiok was also informed that since he was not a family member his request would not be considered further.
Shiok then began tracking the growth of the tree on F.A.G. (See photos). He also posted a call for contact from family members on the off chance that someone visited Saurbriet's virtual grave and became aware of the situation. In early 2017, a family member did visit, contact was made, updated information was gathered, and a new formal request was submitted from the family in July 2017. The result was a new grave marker placed further from the tree roots with the correct spelling of "Ruben" and the correct date of death. A date of birth was not added, though it was requested. The new stone was placed in September 2017.
Shiok and the Saurbriet family, which includes close relatives still residing in the San Diego area, are grateful for the efforts of cemetery officials to rectify the situation with Ruben Saurbriet's grave marker. Much is owed to F.A.G. member Linda Claxton (47281994) for periodically photographing the grave, which helped in the tracking of the growth of the tree, which will remain in place for the foreseeable future.
If you are a relative of Ruben Saurbriet and/or have more information about his life, please email Jeremy Edward Shiok at: [email protected].
Thank you.
(Updated: 10/14/17)
Saurbriet's grave has been overtaken by a large blue gum eucalyptus tree, and during the last few years, the roots of this tree steadily grew over the flat marker placed there years before when the tree overcome the original upright marker. Furthermore, the flat marker (and presumably the original upright) had an incorrect spelling of Saurbriet's first name and incorrect date of death, errors that were made on the original Quartermaster's request form in 1942. The marker also did not include a date of birth, which was customary for markers in this section (one of the oldest) in the cemetery.
Writer Jeremy Edward Shiok began visiting this grave in July 2013 after discovering Saurbriet's story while doing research for a book about the Pacific War in American Samoa. In November 2015, after obtaining Saurbriet's official military personnel file and photographing the growth of the tree roots over a two year period, Shiok submitted a formal request to VA cemetery administrators for repairs and a new marker with corrected information. This request was denied with various cemetery policies cited. Shiok was also informed that since he was not a family member his request would not be considered further.
Shiok then began tracking the growth of the tree on F.A.G. (See photos). He also posted a call for contact from family members on the off chance that someone visited Saurbriet's virtual grave and became aware of the situation. In early 2017, a family member did visit, contact was made, updated information was gathered, and a new formal request was submitted from the family in July 2017. The result was a new grave marker placed further from the tree roots with the correct spelling of "Ruben" and the correct date of death. A date of birth was not added, though it was requested. The new stone was placed in September 2017.
Shiok and the Saurbriet family, which includes close relatives still residing in the San Diego area, are grateful for the efforts of cemetery officials to rectify the situation with Ruben Saurbriet's grave marker. Much is owed to F.A.G. member Linda Claxton (47281994) for periodically photographing the grave, which helped in the tracking of the growth of the tree, which will remain in place for the foreseeable future.
If you are a relative of Ruben Saurbriet and/or have more information about his life, please email Jeremy Edward Shiok at: [email protected].
Thank you.
(Updated: 10/14/17)
Ruben Benjamin Saurbriet was a Field Cook in the 5" Artillery Group of the 2nd Defense Battalion, 2nd Marine Brigade, serving in American Samoa at the time of his death. He died on June 6, 1942, from gangrene of the leg resulting from injuries sustained during an 80 foot fall from a cliff while performing his duty two weeks earlier. Saurbriet was from Morgan County, Colorado. His next of kin were listed as Jake (father) and Lena (mother) of Fort Morgan, CO.
Saurbriet's grave has been overtaken by a large blue gum eucalyptus tree, and during the last few years, the roots of this tree steadily grew over the flat marker placed there years before when the tree overcome the original upright marker. Furthermore, the flat marker (and presumably the original upright) had an incorrect spelling of Saurbriet's first name and incorrect date of death, errors that were made on the original Quartermaster's request form in 1942. The marker also did not include a date of birth, which was customary for markers in this section (one of the oldest) in the cemetery.
Writer Jeremy Edward Shiok began visiting this grave in July 2013 after discovering Saurbriet's story while doing research for a book about the Pacific War in American Samoa. In November 2015, after obtaining Saurbriet's official military personnel file and photographing the growth of the tree roots over a two year period, Shiok submitted a formal request to VA cemetery administrators for repairs and a new marker with corrected information. This request was denied with various cemetery policies cited. Shiok was also informed that since he was not a family member his request would not be considered further.
Shiok then began tracking the growth of the tree on F.A.G. (See photos). He also posted a call for contact from family members on the off chance that someone visited Saurbriet's virtual grave and became aware of the situation. In early 2017, a family member did visit, contact was made, updated information was gathered, and a new formal request was submitted from the family in July 2017. The result was a new grave marker placed further from the tree roots with the correct spelling of "Ruben" and the correct date of death. A date of birth was not added, though it was requested. The new stone was placed in September 2017.
Shiok and the Saurbriet family, which includes close relatives still residing in the San Diego area, are grateful for the efforts of cemetery officials to rectify the situation with Ruben Saurbriet's grave marker. Much is owed to F.A.G. member Linda Claxton (47281994) for periodically photographing the grave, which helped in the tracking of the growth of the tree, which will remain in place for the foreseeable future.
If you are a relative of Ruben Saurbriet and/or have more information about his life, please email Jeremy Edward Shiok at: [email protected].
Thank you.
(Updated: 10/14/17)
Saurbriet's grave has been overtaken by a large blue gum eucalyptus tree, and during the last few years, the roots of this tree steadily grew over the flat marker placed there years before when the tree overcome the original upright marker. Furthermore, the flat marker (and presumably the original upright) had an incorrect spelling of Saurbriet's first name and incorrect date of death, errors that were made on the original Quartermaster's request form in 1942. The marker also did not include a date of birth, which was customary for markers in this section (one of the oldest) in the cemetery.
Writer Jeremy Edward Shiok began visiting this grave in July 2013 after discovering Saurbriet's story while doing research for a book about the Pacific War in American Samoa. In November 2015, after obtaining Saurbriet's official military personnel file and photographing the growth of the tree roots over a two year period, Shiok submitted a formal request to VA cemetery administrators for repairs and a new marker with corrected information. This request was denied with various cemetery policies cited. Shiok was also informed that since he was not a family member his request would not be considered further.
Shiok then began tracking the growth of the tree on F.A.G. (See photos). He also posted a call for contact from family members on the off chance that someone visited Saurbriet's virtual grave and became aware of the situation. In early 2017, a family member did visit, contact was made, updated information was gathered, and a new formal request was submitted from the family in July 2017. The result was a new grave marker placed further from the tree roots with the correct spelling of "Ruben" and the correct date of death. A date of birth was not added, though it was requested. The new stone was placed in September 2017.
Shiok and the Saurbriet family, which includes close relatives still residing in the San Diego area, are grateful for the efforts of cemetery officials to rectify the situation with Ruben Saurbriet's grave marker. Much is owed to F.A.G. member Linda Claxton (47281994) for periodically photographing the grave, which helped in the tracking of the growth of the tree, which will remain in place for the foreseeable future.
If you are a relative of Ruben Saurbriet and/or have more information about his life, please email Jeremy Edward Shiok at: [email protected].
Thank you.
(Updated: 10/14/17)
