His wife, Mildred Hester Saunders, and their son, Charles H. Saunders, lived in Mathiston, Mississippi after his death.
Units of the American Graves Registration Service had been engaged in search operations in an endeavor to locate the remains of deceased Americans, including Saunders, soon after the end of the war. Information being utilized by these searching units includes date gathered from captured enemy records, from reports submitted by various commanders as well as fellow soldiers, and from reports rendered after the interrogation of returned prisoners of war. Around January 13, 1945, bodies of 438 men were cremated by the Japanese on the beach of Takao Harbor, Formosa. It is believed Saunders was one of them. Area search and recovery operations have been completed in the island areas between the Philippines and Japan and in the Japan area. Identification operations have been completed for remains recovered at Formosa, and the remains of Saunders’ has not been identified individually. The remains of those deceased were considered non-recoverable and all records pertaining to search and recovery of remains were closed on July 5, 1949. A memorialization was issued in the name of Saunders following the termination of the recovery of his remain. A government flat granite marker was placed in Oddfellow Cemetery, upon the request of his mother, in memory of him. He is also memorized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines. Saunders was memorized as a hero who died while serving in the United States military in his hometown, Starkville. He, as well as others, are honored through the Memorial Day ceremony and other events. |