After a little detective work and a bit of good fortune, dog tags belonging to a WWII marine were returned to a family member in Virginia who feared it was forever lost.Col. Rusty McGuire is a colonel in the Virginia Army National Guard. He is also the commonwealth’s attorney for Louisa County.”The grandfather of Beth Lewis, he would go around to yard sales, thrift stores, estate sales, and he would buy things. And just was in something he bought, whether it was, you know, 15 years ago or 50 years ago,” Col. McGuire told WVIR.Beth Lewis was going through her grandfather’s stuff when she found the tags.”She knows that her grandfather would have wanted it to go back to the rightful owner and or descendant,” Col. McGuire said.Lewis gave the artifacts to McGuire: Metal medallions stamped with the name “Amos Yount,” a marine from WWII.”I was able to find it so quick to find out not only that he had passed away in Orange County, but his son with the same name was still living in Orange County,” McGuire said.That lead him to Yaunt’s doorstep, and after double checking the information, he delivered the lost and found bits of history to the family.” was good. He was fighting for your county, you know?” Amos Yount Jr. said. “When the war was over, only five of them weren’t dead from the battalion. He was one of them.”Amos Jr.’s father fought in the Pacific at Okinawa and Tinian.”I wish he’d be here you know, but what all can I say,” Yount Jr. said.For McGuire, this was a mission accomplished.”That’s something his daddy wore, and on Tinian Island when he fought for his life. Something he wore on Okinawa fighting for his life at the end of the war,” McGuire said. “That piece of history is now back in his family.”
After a little detective work and a bit of good fortune, dog tags belonging to a WWII marine were returned to a family member in Virginia who feared it was forever lost.
Col. Rusty McGuire is a colonel in the Virginia Army National Guard. He is also the commonwealth’s attorney for Louisa County.
“The grandfather of Beth Lewis, he would go around to yard sales, thrift stores, estate sales, and he would buy things. And [the dog tags] just was in something he bought, whether it was, you know, 15 years ago or 50 years ago,” Col. McGuire told WVIR.
Beth Lewis was going through her grandfather’s stuff when she found the tags.
“She knows that her grandfather would have wanted it to go back to the rightful owner and or descendant,” Col. McGuire said.
Lewis gave the artifacts to McGuire: Metal medallions stamped with the name “Amos Yount,” a marine from WWII.
“I was able to find it so quick to find out not only that he had passed away in Orange County, but his son with the same name was still living in Orange County,” McGuire said.
That lead him to Yaunt’s doorstep, and after double checking the information, he delivered the lost and found bits of history to the family.
“[Yount Sr.] was good. He was fighting for your county, you know?” Amos Yount Jr. said. “When the war was over, only five of them weren’t dead from the battalion. He was one of them.”
Amos Jr.’s father fought in the Pacific at Okinawa and Tinian.
“I wish he’d be here you know, but what all can I say,” Yount Jr. said.
For McGuire, this was a mission accomplished.
“That’s something his daddy wore, and on Tinian Island when he fought for his life. Something he wore on Okinawa fighting for his life at the end of the war,” McGuire said. “That piece of history is now back in his family.”
