Mr. Van Miller
More than 30 years after Van Miller lost his dog tags while serving in Vietnam, he got them back, thanks to Martha Roskam. She found them in Ho Chi Minh City on a business trip, and she presented them to Miller, a Dinwiddie, VA resident, at Fort Lee.
Read the Richmond Virginia Times-Dispatch Article about Mr. Miller's story
here.
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Mr. Eddie Davis
Mr. Davis is shown with Mr Barry Stanley, Administrator, Orlando VA Healthcare Center, after receiving his lost dog tag.
Read the WESH.com Article about Mr. Davis' story
here.
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Mr. Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson, a Vietnam War Veteran, is shown examining a dog tag he lost in Vietnam nearly 37 years ago. Mr. Jackson is shown with Martha Roskam, the presenter, who purchased the dog tag from a street vendor in Ho Chi Minh City during a business trip with her husband.
Read the Augusta Chronicle Article about Mr. Jackson's story
here.
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Mr. Alfred Moreno, Jr.
The first dog tag to be returned was that of Alfred Moreno, Jr. We went to the home of John and Ann Sandoval, his aunt and uncle, who adopted Alfred along with seven brothers and sisters after his mother died. Alfred was killed by a landmine while on patrol.
Read the Arizona Republic Article about Mr. Moreno's story
here.
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Mr. Reginald Gay
Los Angeles Police Officer, Reginald Gay, shown with Mr. V.R. Roskam. Officer Gay later wrote, " It has been 30+ years since my return from South Vietnam, no one has said thank you! I thank you both from the bottom of my heart."
Read the newspaper article about Mr. Gay's story
here.
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Mr. Benny Sloat
Benny Sloat lost his life when his tank went over a landmine. We went to his Mother's home in Ovid, MI, returned his dog tag and met his three older brothers. Mrs. Sloat is shown with Martha and Peter Roskam after examining Benny's medals.
Read the Lansing State Journal Article about Mr. Sloat's story
here.
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Mr. Larry Fields
Larry Fields was only 3 years old when his father (Larry Fields, Sr.) died in South Vietnam, but now he has something to remember him by. Martha Roskam recently presented Fields with his father's dog tags, which she bought five years ago from a street vendor (above, right) in Saigon.
Read the Cleveland Plain Dealer Article about Mr. Fields' story
here.
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Mr. Jack Jones
Jack Jones picked up a Bronze Star while serving with the Americal Division. Later, in civilian life, while acting as a Good Samaritan helping a motorist change a tire, he was hit by a truck and has had 52 operations. "This ceremony today was the most momentous in my life".
Read the Syracuse Post-Standard Article about Mr. Jones' story
here.
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Mr. Dana Safford
Dana Safford graduated from Marine boot camp in 1968 and served in Vietnam. He was severely wounded and rotated home. His family felt that his early death, at the age of 52, came as a result of his injuries. One of his dog tags with buried with him, while the other was returned to his daughter.
Read the Worchester, Massachusetts Telegram & Gazette Article about Mr. Safford's story
here.
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Mr. Ernst Nunes
Ernst Nunes served with the Marine Corps in 1968. "We were engaged in a fierce fire fight with the Viet Cong in the Ashore Valley of Vietnam. I was hit in both legs. While receiving medical treatment I was separated from my boot where my dog tags were tied. I was airlifted to the MASH hospital before being evacuated to the United States."
Read the Herald News Article about Mr. Nunes' story
here.
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Mr. Steven Palmquist
Steven Palmquist was just 19 years old when he was shot by a sniper. Swede returned his dog tag to his Mother, Ethel. The message listed below was posted by a fellow Marine in 2002 -- over 30 years later.
Read the Fresno Bee Article about Mr. Palmquist's story
here.
"I was the last one you spoke to before you walked across that clearing. You were telling me how you had just made squad leader. How often I have thought how easily it could have been me that stood up before you did…….. You now belong to that most elite group, who are the very source of American pride, and the reason why so many other young Americans strive to walk in your footprints, dangerous as they may be, for the cause of humanity."
Semper Fi
Steve****@aol.com
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Mr. Rueben Pena
Rueben Pena's dog tag was returned during a ceremony celebrating our Independence Day, 2003 - over 1,500 citizens attended. Mr. Pena is shown with his wife and niece.
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Mr. Denzil Messman
Denzil and Marcie Messman are shown with Martha Roskam examining his returned tag.
"I couldn't believe it when I got a phone call from a Senator saying he had my dog tag.….. In strange sort of way it provided me with a sense of closure to a very painful part of my life."
Read the Cost Longview News-Journal Article about Mr. Messman's story
here.
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Mr. Robert Johnson
Robert Winston Johnson (right) is shown with Illinois State Senator Peter Roskam immediately after receiving his long lost dog tag. "We were stuck out in the field a lot," Johnson explained. When all you lost was a dog tag it wasn't a bad day."
Read the Birmingham News Article about Mr. Johnson's story
here.
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Mr. Billy Racca
Mr. Billy Racca is shown with his wife, Mona in their home. "I completed my tour of duty serving with the 1st Marine Division. Just before rotating I shipped my duffel bag, full of souvenirs for the family and my dog tags, to the States. Somebody in the supply chain stole the duffel bag. It never left Vietnam. I am amazed that one of my dog tags found me 35 years later."
Read the Jennings Daily News Article about Mr. Racca's story
here.
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Mr. William Vargas
William Vargas addresses the audience in Santa Ana, CA
in May 2005 after receiving his lost dog tag.
Mr. Vargas served two tours in Vietnam, the last being with the Americal Division.
Read the Los Angeles Times Article about Mr. Vargas' story
here.
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Mr. Arthur Cardona
Assigned to the lst Cavalry Division while in Vietnam, Mr Cardona was a member of their helicopter unit……. protecting his fellow crew members as an in flight machine gun operator.
Mr. Cardona's dog tag was returned in a ceremony sponsored by the Veteran's Affairs Office in Southern California.
Shown above at the May, 2005 ceremony are from left to right: Arthur and Joan Cardona, Martha and V. R. Roskam"
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Mr. Gordon Hummell
Mr. Hummell retired from the Army - 3 tours in Germany and 1 tour in Vietnam...a total of 21 years.
He received the Bronze Star, Vietnam Cross for Gallantry with Palm Leaf.
He died on February 26, 2001. His wife died the next day.
Mr. Hummell's dog tag was returned to his brother, Ronald in Garrison, ND.
Read the letter from Mr. Hummel's sister
here.
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Photo Credit: George Tuley, Caller-Times
Mr. Rueben Diaz
Mr. Rueben Diaz, a native Corpus Christi, TX , struggles with his emotions during a ceremony at American Legion Post Number 364 when his dog tag was returned in June 2006. Mr. Diaz was a Lance Corporal and served as a radio operator
with the 1st Marine Division during his 1970-1971 tour in Vietnam. He did not remember when he last had his dog
tags
Read the Corpus Christi Caller-Times article
here.
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Mr. K.E. Ryther
Ken Ryther enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was trained as a corpsman. He served on the U.S.S. Okinawa and with the Third Marine Division in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968.
He entered the service from Arkansas and is now retired and living with his wife in Delta Junction, Alaska.
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Mr. William Viley
"That's my old dog tag", exclaimed Mr Viley when it was presented to him at lunch in August 2006. Mr. Viley spent one year with the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam in the late 1960s. He began his career and spent his life (military and civilian) as cook and chef. He later served in Germany with the 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One)
He is retired and is raising his young teenage daughter in Clear Lake, CA.
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Mr. Robert Jackson
Mr. Jackson served as a LCPL in the U.S. Marine Corps. He died on July 25, 2004 and is buried at the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery.
Mr. Jackson's dog tag was returned to his sister, Beverly Jackson, in August 2005.
Ms. Jackson will keep his dog tag with the flag that was given to her at the burial ceremony.
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Mr. Stephen B. Fearn
Mr. Fearn served with the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968.
He has changed his name. We were unable to make contact with Mr. Fearn personally.
In August 2005 we returned his dog tag to his Mother who said she would pass it on to him.
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Mr. Thomas R. Singleton
Brooklyn, New York
Mr. Singleton served with the US from July 19,1967 to April 1, 1969.
He died on January 12, 2001. We are attempting to return Mr. Singleton's dog tag to a family member.
(There is no photo available as of this writing.....)
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The following individuals received their dog tags via
Federal Express
Daniel Craft - FL
Robert Brady - MA
Everett Midgett - MO
Danny Parker - SC
Robert Wilkins - ID
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