BEAST Posted January 11, 2013 Share #1 Posted January 11, 2013 Complete story found at: http://www.theblaze....-decades-later/ WWII veteran William Kadar with his recovered, seven-decade old military bag (Photo Credit: Stephanie Dowell/Sun-Times Media) 92-Year-Old WWII Soldier Gets His Missing Duffel Bag Back — 7 Decades Later MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (TheBlaze/AP) — A World War II veteran who served in France during the war has been reunited with his Army-issued duffel bag nearly seven decades after it went missing. To his surprise, 92-year-old William Kadar of Merrillville opened a carefully wrapped package Tuesday to find his drab green duffel bag inside. The folded up bag is still stenciled with his name and serial number. Kadar tells the Post-Tribune he last saw the bag soldiers use for toting their gear in November 1944, a month before he was captured by the Germans. At the time, the now-elderly veteran was held for months, losing 80 pounds and going through what the Post-Tribune called a “harrowing” experience. His granddaughter, Arleen Haas, says a letter in the package says a 16-year-old French boy found the bag in his grandfather’s house, tracked Kadar down and sent it to him. The Post-Tribune has more information about how the bag made its way back to Kadar:Haas said the bag was found and kept by a family in Rehaupal, France until a 16-year-old boy found it in his grandfather’s house. Haas said the boy’s great-great grandparents were killed when their house was bombed by the Germans, so the boy’s grandfather — who was 10 at the time — was scarred by his memories as a civilian in wartime.At first the boy was reluctant to return the bag since it was a symbol of his family’s history . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share #2 Posted January 11, 2013 Looked up his POW information and found that he was at Hammelburg at Stalag XIIIC. Bet he was there when TF Baum liberated the Oflag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack's Son Posted January 11, 2013 Share #3 Posted January 11, 2013 A very kind act on the part of the boy. I can understand his reluctance, I hope the vet sends it back with his warmest regards!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strawberry 9 Posted January 11, 2013 Share #4 Posted January 11, 2013 I always love reading stories like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchbuff Posted January 22, 2013 Share #5 Posted January 22, 2013 Looks like the old vets thinking, "what happened to the money that was in it?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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