I saw a string of messages on Facebook that told an interesting story. A man in Missoula, MT, posted a photo of a headstone that was found in a pile of rubble by his house. He posted, "Curious if this guy has some family out there that might want to save it."

And here is one of the comments posted in response:

“I do genealogy so I tracked him down, and the story behind this stone… Ralph “Spot” Griswold was born in Warrens, Wisconsin, on May 17, 1893. He was working in the lumber industry in Missoula, Montana, when he registered for World War I on June 4, 1917. He served in the Army Fifth Company, First Battalion, Twentieth Engineers as a Sergeant. During WWI two U.S. Army regiments of forestry engineers worked in France to provide the Allied forces with the large amount of timber necessary for the war effort. Those making up these regiments came from forest ranger, logging and sawmill jobs throughout the U.S. and served their country in France by providing work crucial to the eventual success of the Allied forces in Europe.

When he returned home, he married, had a son and daughter, and continued to work as a Scaler in the logging industry in Montana. He was killed on Sept 22, 1953 when a log struck him in the chest, fracturing multiple ribs and causing a crushing injury to his thorax. He died 3 hours later due to internal bleeding. He was buried in St Mary’s Cemetery, Missoula, MT, on Sept 25, 1953. His family applied for a free flat marble grave marker, supplied by the government to those who have served.

This was eventually replaced by a granite grave stone, marking the site of Ralph, his wife Martha and their son Ralph Jr. When this occurs, the original free military stone is discarded, which is what happened here. It is a common occurrence. The family made the decision to replace and discard the stone pictured here.”