War Babies

During World War II, over 300,000 troops were trained at Camp Swift seven miles north of Bastrop. Many women came to Bastrop for a few months to be near their soldier one last time before his deployment overseas. Some of these women had no money for burial when a child died. The owners of Hasler Brothers Funeral Home provided assistance by buying fabric from the local five and dime store to line small wooden coffins and purchasing doll clothes for the deceased infants. The children were buried free of charge in this area of Fairview. When the mothers returned to their homes in distant towns or states, the graves were forgotten. It is believed that at least 16 war babies lie in unmarked graves here, and their names are unknown. This area may have been reserved for local children long before the war began.

Bastrop, Texas · United States