Detroit's Own Polar Bears

 

From September 4, 1918, to June 15, 1919, fifty-five hundred American soldiers of the 339th Infantry Regiment (with elements of the 310th Engineers and the 337th Ambulance and Hospital Companies) fought Bolshevik Russian forces under harsh arctic conditions near Archangel, Russia.  Since most of these soldiers came from Michigan, and of those most were from Detroit, they were known as "Detroit's Own - Polar Bears".  Of the "Polar Bear" Soldiers, 232 died and 307  were wounded.  In 1929, five former "Polar Bears" returned to North Russia to recover the remains of those left behind.  They recovered 86 bodies of which 56 were buried around a white marble Polar Bear sculpture at White Chapel Memorial Cemetery, Troy, Michigan.

 

Presented by White Chapel Memorial Cemetery and Matthews International Corporation

 

Submitted by

Bryan Arnold

@nanowhiskers