CVAHCS returns WWII items to Veterans’ next of kin
COLUMBIA, South Carolina – Columbia VA Health Care System employees worked together to return WWII items to two brothers’ families. Both brothers were WWII Veterans.
The items, a tube mailer with a large, panoramic unit photo mailed during WWII from Fort Dix, New Jersey, and a WWII commemorative medal with the Veteran’s name inscribed were dropped off at the front desk of the Dorn VA Medical Center campus.
Items are usually placed in the lost and found in case the owner is looking for them. Illyana Vereen, a patient representative at the Information Desk at Dorn, knew he had something more than just the routine lost and found items.
“While coming into work at the Information Desk in Building 100, the items were just dropped off,” said Vereen. He gave the tube mailer with a three-cent postage stamp and a WWII commemorative medal to Derrick Bridges, the chief of enrollment eligibility in the Welcome Center at the Dorn. Vereen asked Bridges to find a living relative to return the items. “I was trying to research my way into finding out whom the items belonged to, and I was running into a few dead ends,” said Vereen. “I had shown Mr. Bridges the full photo and signatures and we were just in awe.”
Bridges was able to determine their identities from the address label on the tube mailer, and the name inscribed on the back of the medal. Before concerns over identity theft, service members included their Service Number, and later Social Security number, on outgoing and in-coming mail. The return address label was partially torn away, and the name was missing.
“The first thing that I noticed, was this number, which I associated as a service number,” said Bridges. “I was able to plug it into one of our VA systems that looks up Veterans with service numbers, and I was able to find Charles Knight.” The name on the back of the medal was Edward C. Knight, Charles’ brother. The search was on for finding the next of kin.
Bridges determined that Charles had been treated at Dorn and had since passed away, as had his NOK. Preliminary searches were unsuccessful, so Bridges contacted the Lexington County Veterans Service office. It was determined that the brothers were from Gaston, South Carolina, but little more could be found.
Bridges contacted the CVAHCS Public Affairs office for assistance. The writer of this article, Public Affairs Specialist Keith Johnson, started searching various genealogy and search engine sites, eventually finding an obituary for Edward C. Knight, Sr., with listings of his family. Phone numbers were found but most were disconnected or no answer.
While reading over the obituary again, it was determined that the memorial service and burial for Edward, Sr., was at Beulah Methodist Church in Sandy Run, South Carolina. A phone number for the church was located, and after explaining what Johnson was looking for, the church secretary said, “Oh, his son goes to church here. I’ll be glad to give him your phone number.” Two days later, Edward, Jr., called back.
Edward, Jr., was surprised to receive a call from the church secretary. “What is more puzzling, where did this come from and who dropped it off,” he said.
His father didn’t talk much about his service. “I knew he had been stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey. When they found out he was an experienced carpenter, he was selected to build new barracks.”
After leaving Fort Dix, Edward Sr., was in the Signal Corp stationed in Montana. “He later escorted people by train to different places, I always thought these were Soldiers,” said Edward, Jr. “After his death, I found out these were likely POW’s, from Germany.”
According to Edward, Jr., “My dad had four brothers, three of them were in combat. When they would get together there would be some stories about their service.”
Charles fought in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. He was wounded in Italy and sent to a French hospital to recover. After recuperating he was sent to Japan and participated in the occupation of Japan.
On March 13, a small ceremony was held with family members of Edward, Sr., to return the items. Edward, Jr., and his wife Collette attended the ceremony.
“Returning these cherished mementos to the families of our WWII Heroes is more than just an act of goodwill—it is a testament to the team’s enduring commitment to honoring our Armed Forces men and women’s service and sacrifice,” said Oscar G. Rodriguez, Acting Medical Center Director/CEO. “Their legacy lives on, and we are grateful for the opportunity to play a part in preserving their memory.”
“It was kind of what we expected. There were a lot of people there and we appreciate that,” said Edward, Jr. “But the actual items were not what we expected.”
A magnifying glass was found and Edward, Jr. and his wife scanned the photo, trying to find either Charles or Edward, Sr. Collette found one that could have been either, since they look similar. But Edward, Jr. said, “They look a lot alike, but this guy right here is definitely my father.”
The VA’s mission statement is “To fulfill President Lincoln’s promise to care for those who have served in our nation’s military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors.” The efforts of employees at the Columbia VA Health Care System to return WWII items to the families exemplifies the desire to fulfill that promise.