You Won’t Believe What This Beachcomber Found

Facebook can divide people (What?! She unfriended me?), or bring people together. In this story, Facebook united two eras, two continents, two men and an item lost decades ago.

1. Italian Beach

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Image source: www.vacanzelaminiera.it

During WWII, Bennie Howard lost his dog tags on a beach in Italy. 73 years later, a man with a metal detector found the tags and used Facebook to connect with Mr. Howard.

2. WWII Scene

In this June 6, 1944 file photo, first wave beach battalion "Ducks" lay low under the fire of Nazi guns on the beach of southern France on D-Day during World War II. One invader operates a walkie talkie radio directing other landing craft to the safest spots for unloading their parties of fighting men. (AP file photo)
Image source: darkroom.baltimoresun.com

In 1943, Bennie Howard, Jr., was a soldier in the U.S. Army fighting in World War II. He was 19 years old.

 

3. Lost!

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Image source: jakerobbo555.deviantart.com

On a beach in Italy, near Florence, Howard lost his dog tags. He never thought he’d see them again.

 

4. Treasure Hunting

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Image source: beachurbanity.blogspot.com

Fast forward to 2015. Jury Galli, from Pisa, visited that same beach to scan the sands with a metal detector.

 

5. Dog Tags

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Image source: en.wikipedia.org

When he uncovered the dog tag, he read the name and North Carolina. He did a little research and found Bennie Howard, Jr., was alive and living in New Bern, NC.

 

6. International Connection

A man is silhouetted against a video screen with an Facebook logo as he poses with an Dell laptop in this photo illustration taken in the central Bosnian town of Zenica, August 14, 2013. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - Tags: BUSINESS TELECOMS) - RTX12L6Y
Image source: time.com

Galli contacted the Town of Wendell on Facebook. He wrote, “I found this dog tag. It says Wendell, North Carolina on it. I started researching and found out Mr. Howard was still alive and living in New Bern.”

 

7. Heading To America

An Alitalia airplane takes off on December 9, 2013 at the Fiumicino airport, near Rome. Italian businessman Antonio Percassi said on December 7, 2013 he will subscribe to troubled airline Alitalia's capital increase for 15 million euros ($21 million) through his Odissea holding company. In a statement Percassi, whose businesses include managing retail brands in Italy and developing commercial property, gave no more details on the move. The troubled company, which is searching for a foreign partner to rescue it, said a capital increase aimed at raising up to 300 million euros ($408 million) had attracted 173 million euros from shareholders so far. The interest shown "should be confirmed in the coming days and at the latest by December 10," Alitalia said in a statement, adding: "There are still the conditions for the capital increase to be completely allocated". AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)
Image source: www.ft.com

Galli did not think mailing them would be enough. He bought roundtrip tickets and flew across the ocean to hand deliver them to Howard.

 

8. 70+ Years Ago

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Image source: en.wikipedia.org

Asked about getting back his dog tag, Howard said, “I was surprised because after the time span, it’s almost something impossible.”

9. July 4 In The Town of Wendell

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Image source: www.newsobserver.com

The Town of Wendell honored Galli and Howard during their Independence Day parade which brought out citizens of all ages.

10. Worth The Flight

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Image source: twitter.com

Galli does not speak much English. But he managed to say, “It’s a beautiful moment for me. I remember all my life this moment.”

11. A Happy Moment 73 Years In The Making

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Image source: abc11.com

Howard, wearing a patriotic red vest with American and Italian lapel flag pins, waxed poetic, saying that getting back the small piece of metal gives this year’s holiday even bigger meaning.

[Featured Image Credit: abc11.com]