TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The U.S. Air Force plans to expand its search for grave sites in a former Black cemetery at a base in Florida after discovering 121 potential sites already, a base official said.
Lt. Laura Anderson told news stations this week that a nonintrusive archaeological survey performed over the past two years at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa identified 58 probable graves and 63 possible graves.
The base also deployed search teams to go over the area with ground penetrating radar and cadaver dogs.
It plans to look at an area to the north of the main cemetery area this year for any additional evidence of graves, Anderson said.
“We know obviously there was wrong done in the past, but we’re working together with our community members,” Anderson said.
Persons:
Laura Anderson, Anderson, ”, WFTS, ” Anderson, “, ” Yvette Lewis
Organizations:
U.S . Air Force, MacDill Air Force Base, History, MacDill, Port, Port Tampa Cemetery, Tampa Bay Times, Officials, NAACP
Locations:
TAMPA, Fla, Florida, Tampa, Port Tampa, NAACP Hillsborough County