Patriot Connections

THE DOG TAG COLLECTIONS

SOUTH JERSEY COLLECTION – This collection of dog tags (450) journey home began in 1993 from DaNang and China Beach area in Vietnam where they were being sold in shops. Gloucester County Time Reporter Jim Six asked the then Deptford Police Chief Ray Milligan to purchase as many as he could and bring them home, as Milligan traveled back and forth to Vietnam for Operation Smile. He brought back 450 of them and gave them to Jim Six. Over the years several people/organizations worked with Jim Six on returning some of the dog tags. In 2010, he gave the rest to us to try and locate and return the rest of them. With much effort and research, we have located many, completed returns and have more returns underway throughout the United States. 

BOUGOURD COLLECTION - This collection of dog tags began their journey home after British Army/Navy veteran, Aaron Bougourd, received them from the family of Major Thien in 2006. Bougourd had been volunteering for the Father Ray Foundation Orphanage in Thialand when he met Major Thien, and helped him find his lost family in Vietnam. Thien, a South Vietnamese officer living as a refugee. Major Ly Kim Thien was commissioned as an officer of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force in 1964 and served in several capacities throughout Vietnam up until the fall of Saigon in 1975. It was after this that he was sent to a communist reeducation camp, where he was tortured and forced to denounce his anti-communist beliefs. In 1994 he escaped Vietnam on foot through Cambodia and on to Thailand, which is where Aaron Bougourd met him. Thien’s family, as a token of appreciation, gave Bougourd some dog tags they had found at Ben Hoa Air Base. Aaron, a resident of the UK, reached out and sent some of the dog tags to Patriot Connections Dog Tag Project to help return them. Returns are underway. 

SANTAYANA COLLECTION - Touring the Ho Chi Minh trail in 1998, Wall Street trader Manny Santayana stumbled onto a Vietnamese man who made a living out of extracting bombs from the ground, grinding up the metal and selling it for profit. Sometime he would stumble upon dog tags from U.S. soldiers, which he would collect and store in an ammo bag under his bed. Santayana paid him $100 for 105 dog tags and brought them back home.Over the next several years, he was able to make some returns to dog tag owners, but he eventually became too busy to continue with the research. He then enlisted the help of Senator James Beach, who formed a committee for dog tag returns – Quinn-Morris has researched and facilitated returns from this collection. The collection is stored in the NJ State House.

HUTCHINGS COLLECTION - In December 2012, Jack Hutchings, a prominent businessman in Florida,  had been traveling on his yacht in the Solomon Islands. There, the villagers gave him some American WWII dog tags they had found. He brought them home in hopes of getting them returned to the veterans/families. . Upon returning home, he stumbled across a newspaper article in the Orlando-Sentinel about the dog tag return to USMC Vietnam veteran, James Alderman that we did. This prompted him to contact us in hopes that we could located and return the dog tags to the veterans/families they belong to.

MISC COLLECTIONS - From time to time we are contacted by people that have found dog tags and are looking for help in returning them. As long as they are looking to do so with NO CHARGE to the veteran, we do aide them in finding and returning.

REAL or FAKE - AUTHENTICTY of the Dog Tags - Despite what some may say, research has shown that the vast majority of the thousands of dog tags found or for sale on the streets throughout Vietnam are authentic—made in the United States or in Vietnam, stamped and worn by our service personnel who served in-country, some of which were killed in action. The simple fact is, tens of thousands of dog tags were lost in the heat of battle or during medical treatment, and left behind. Click here to read article by Robert Mann (Robert W. Mann was the Central Identification Laboratory deputy scientific director for 10 years before assuming the position of director of the Forensic Science Academy in 2008. Robert C. Maves is chief of the JPAC Southeast Asia Analytical Section.)

Organizations helping with Dog Tag Project The following organizations have and continue to aid with the return of the dog tags nationwide; Nam Knights of America MC, American Legion Riders, VFW Riders, Warriors Watch Riders, Patriot Guard Riders, various American Legion Posts and VFW Posts. Returns have taken place in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, Illinois, New York, Arizona, Tennessee, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Ohio, Maine, Kentucky, Washington DC, Oregon, Texas, California, Washington and Michigan.

It is essential to the Project that the dog tags are handled and delivered to the veterans and/or their families in a dignified manner.  From the moment the dog tag is handed off, to the moment it reaches the hand of the veteran, the dog tag is well cared for and attended to, to ensure that it arrives to the veteran/family safely. If you believe we may have your dog tag, or a dog tag that belongs to a family member or friend, please contact Director of Research/Returns Sue Quinn-Morris at squinn9807@aol.com or 856-495-7270.

* Over 150 dog tags have been reunited with the veterans/families they belonged to. Please bear with us as we update the dog tag return stories and dog tag lists *  

Thomas Binkley served with 669th Transportation Company in Vietnam 1967-68. Unfortunately, he passed away on January 31, 2011. Every year on the anniversary of his death, his widow, Janet, and his children gather to celebrate his life.....read more

Before he found fame as a Hollywood and Broadway actor, Robert Gunton Jr. survived the Battle of Firebase Ripcord, one of the bloodiest of the Vietnam War, by evacuating on the final helicopter. He later returned home from Vietnam with a Bronze Star for heroic service at Ripcord, but one of his two military dog tags didn't make it home ...read more

The dog tag of David Heyboer, which was lost and found in Vietnam, is now on its way back home to his family just in time for the holidays...David E. Heyboer, age 58 of Pine Grove, passed away Friday, September 28, 2007. ...read more

Aaron Bougourd (British Army & Royal Navy veteran) was volunteering for the Father Ray Foundation Orphanage in Thailand when he met Major Thien, a South Vietnamese officer living as a refugee. Major Ly Kim Thien was commissioned as an officer of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force in 1964 and served in several capacities throughout Vietnam up until the fall....read more

Rich was nominated to receive the Silver Star, the nation’s third highest military award, when he was a nineteen year old private first class and squad leader serving with ‘A’ Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment of the 1st Marine Division. A couple of weeks shy of his twentieth birthday, in August, 1967, Rich and his platoon were sent to establish a defensive ambush position 200 yards...read more

While researching and trying to locate Danny and/or family, we ran across a friend of a friend, Billy Phillips, who served with Danny in the 282^nd Assault Helicopter Co. Danny was his Crew Chief, Billy was his door gunner aboard a Huey helicopter flying out of Marble Mountain Air facility outside of DaNang in 1968-69. They flew many combat hours together, even being shot down a few times....read more

Ritenour explained that when they were on patrol, some guys would put black tape around their dog tags to prevent them from clanging – making noise. However, he used to put one in his pocket and that’s how he lost his..read more

Vietnam Army veteran, Elmer Amen, served with the 11th Armored Cavalry - A TRP, 1/11 - 2/1969-2/1970. Little did he know that a dog tag he lost would make its way home to him in Woodland, CA almost 50 years later. At an emotional ceremony at the American Legion Yolo Post in California, Amen was presented with his dog tag...read more

At 16, Darlene Woodruff looked up to her soldier cousin, Army Sgt. Robert Melvin Fletcher, who wrote letters to her from the jungles of Vietnam. The thought of him not coming home never crossed her mind. But on Mother’s Day in 1968, she learned of his death. “I remember thinking — wondering — what kind of things he had faced over there as such a young man,” Woodruff said...read more

Between April 20th – 24th, 1968, men from the 1st Battalion, 327th were involved in a firefight to secure two peaks located about 27 kilometers southwest of Hue in Vietnam. 26 Americans were killed. One of those men, Jackie Dale Walker, had just recently celebrated his birthday – on April 7th, 1968, he turned 19 - the last birthday he would ever see....read more

Palatka, Florida – Vietnam Marine Tanker Veteran, Ron Colucci, and his wife Carol Colucci, left New Jersey on a flight bound for Florida  – on a mission – to return Colucci’s Tanker brother, Jack Hahn’s dog tag. The Colucci’s, along with friend Wes Barnett and members of the VFW Post 7909 in Jacksonville, made the trek down to Palatka to present Hahn with his dog tag at the VFW Post 3349. In addition to members of both VFWs, the District Commander was also in attendance..read more

John Crazy Bear, who served 22 years in the Marine Corps and fought in three wars, was reunited with dog tags he lost in Vietnam. In the presence of his son and loved ones and in honor of his 81st birthday, three Delaware Valley Chapter Nam Knights presented Crazy Bear with his dog tags aboard Camp Lejeune Saturday following morning colors.“This is an honor I never expected,” said Crazy Bear, kissing the dog tags and overcome with emotion....read more

Edward Raiche, was born in New Hampshire in 1947. He went on to serve in the Army in Vietnam (1968 – 1970). Unfortunately, shortly after coming home, Edward died in a boat accident while duck hunting in Great Bay, NH. And now, after all these years, a relic of Edward Raiche’s time in Vietnam has made its way home –  his dog tag. It was returned to his sister along with a folded American Flag in an emotional presentation at Lorraine’s home in Nashua, NH....read more

The tarnished dog tag was a relic from a war that ended 43 years ago, but Robert Dickson Jr. is keeping it in a black velvet pouch like a fine jewel. For Rob Dickson, Hutchinson, it’s something tangible he can hold on to, helping to connect him with his father, Robert Dickson Sr., a man he hardly knew. The phone call came out of the blue and was a bit bewildering....read more

It’s unclear when Raymond Spalding lost his dog tags in Vietnam. But there, while serving our country, some 50 years ago, USMC Lance Corporal Spalding, a qualified Sharpshooter, lost one. After returning home from Vietnam, married his long time sweetheart, Teresa, and worked for Ford Motor Company for over 30 years. Unfortunately, he passed away on September 2, 2005. Nearly 50 years since Spalding served in Vietnam, his dog tag was delivered to his wife...read more

Jack Hutchings, a prominent businessman in Florida,  gave us some dog tags found by villagers in the Solomonian Islands - one of which belonged to WWII Army veteran Elias Padilla. Unfortunately Elias passed away at a young age in 1948. Our research led us to his son Joe Padilla in New Mexico.  In a private gathering, Fred “Ironhead” Gerdes, presented his Joe with his fathers dog tag ..read more

John Early Leavister, a Marine, served his country in Vietnam – leaving behind a piece of his history behind – his dog tag. Last week, his son, John, got a surprising friend request on Facebook – a woman claiming to have his fathers dog tag. His father had passed away in 1996, at the age of 51. We returned John's fathers dog tag to his son in NC...read more

On June 29, 2016, Gregg Hodge received something he probably never thought he would get – his deceased brothers dog tag. Over 20 years ago, the dog tag of Vietnam Army Veteran Junior Hodge was brought back from Vietnam. along with over 400 other dog tags,  by a retired Chief of Police officer from West Deptford, NJ. He had been in Vietnam as logistics support for the medical mission called Operation Smile....read more

Chandler, AZ. – USMC Vietnam Veteran, William Queale and the son of deceased Vietnam veteran, Russell Farver, were presented with a piece of the past – from nearly a half a century ago. Dog tags. Members of the Nam Knights of America MC returned the dog tag  at the American Legion Post 91 in Chandler, AZ. J.D. Geiser, the Commander of the American Legion Post 91 and many of the Posts members were present...read more

Relics of a war, just small tabs of metal stamped with a soldier’s name, rank, serial number and other pertinent information. For collectors, the dog tags didn’t have much meaning, but for the veterans from the Vietnam War, the tags represent more than most of us can fathom. At the VFW Post 1425, in Plymouth, PA, Bernie Mihenski was presented with the dog tag he lost in Vietnam....read more

Rodney Wesley Botelho, was born August 9, 1937 in Honolulu, Hawaii. After graduating from St Louis High School in Hawai’i, he went to college in Indiana at Purdue University and then transferred to USC in Southern California where he played football. After graduating from college, he received his commission as a 2nd Lt. in the USMC in 1960 at Quantico, VA. He served for 21 ½ years and retired as a Lt. Col. In 1982....read more

Through research and conversations with his mother, Jeff and Andrew found out all about their father’s years in Vietnam. Richard earned two Purple Heart medals for his service in the Army in the late 1960s. “For us to see them bring the dog tags and make such a big deal and drive them down here for us ....read more