WWII Dog Tags Returned To Family After 75 Years

An Oklahoma family can't believe what has been found nearly 5,000 miles away. In September of 1944 when Dwight Journey learned his older brother Bruce was missing in action after German forces shot down his C-47 transport aircraft in the Netherlands. It w

Monday, November 11th 2019, 8:14 pm

By: Karl Torp

An Oklahoma family can't believe what has been found nearly 5,000 miles away.

In September of 1944 when Dwight Journey learned his older brother Bruce was missing in action after German forces shot down his C-47 transport aircraft in the Netherlands.

It was later learned the 22-year-old Technical Sergeant died in the crash.

American soldiers are especially revered in the countries they helped liberate.

In late September of this year, while planning a monument at the crash site to honor the heroes who died, folks in the Netherlands made a discovery.

That’s where the dog tags belonging to Orville Bruce Journey were found.

“It’s very momentous things for us, a tangible physical piece of evidence of what happened at that time,” said Dwight.

The discovery speaks to the sacrifice and service, but also the gratefulness shown to American servicemembers so far from American soil.

“They really do go above and beyond,” said Dwight about the Dutch people who made the discovery.

A Dutch family has adopted and looks after Bruce Journey’s gravesite in the Netherlands.

Journey will officially receive his brother’s dog tags later this month at a special ceremony.

Karl Torp

Karl Torp anchors our Emmy-winning 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts every weeknight. He has worked at News 9 since 2012.

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