In February, 2001 my friend, Rob Stiff and I went to Vietnam to check on business opportunities. Little did we know that on our last day there, we would run into something that would change our lives.
While shopping for Vietnamese dresses for my wife and daughters at a local Ho Chi Minh City market we came across a vendor selling war paraphernalia, including US dog tags, that he claimed were authentic. We were both upset by this and chose not to purchase any and within hours left the country.
As soon as we were on the plane to Hong Kong we both regretted our decision and immediately decided we would return as soon as we could to buy the dog tags from the market and any additional tags we could locate in the city.
In May 2001, we returned to Ho Chi Minh City locating and purchasing approximately 625 dog tags. Upon our return home to Orlando, Florida, we contacted government agencies looking for assistance to return the dog tags to their original owners. Congressman Rick Keller’s staff member gave us our first lead and on July 4th, 2001 we returned to first dog tag to U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Allan G. Decker’s mother, Ruth Decker, at his grave site. Lance Cpl. Decker served with the 2nd Battalion, 27th regiment, 3rd Marine Division, in Quang Nam Province when he was killed on August 25, 1968.
With the publicity, we received from returning this dog tag, which was covered by both local and national news outlets, we became well known overnight and were able return 125 dog tags to their owners over the next few years.
Many years have now passed and the contacts have dwindled, so we are now making a renewed effort to again return as many of dog tags as we possibly can to the rightful servicemen.
The original purpose we started this quest, is still the same, return as many dog tags as possible to those that so bravely served our country in Vietnam. Rob and I are very proud of our Vietnam veterans and feel it is the least we can do for them. Now with the help of my two brothers George and Mike, we hope to be as successful as we were in 2001.
