Lost and found: Bend man returns WWII dog tags to owner

After 73 years, a World War II veteran is reunited with his dog tags, thanks to a good Samaritan in Bend.

Jack Barr, 92, has lived all across the country but was stationed in Oregon in 1942.

A phone call sealed the deal after a long wait.

“Did you get your tag? He said, ‘Yep, I got it,'” said Bill Kauffman, of Bend.

Kauffman found the dog tags many years ago, when he was working as a surveyor. When he found the tags, he threw them in his vest and didn’t think much of it at the time.

But he kept the tags and realized he should track down the rightful owner.

“I tried many years ago, and I couldn’t get any place with the Internet,” Kauffman said.

With a little more research, he was able to track down the location of the potential owner, all the way in Belgrade, Nebraska.

He made a call to the local veteran’s service center.

“I got a phone call one day from a guy out of Bend, Oregon,” Kauffman said.

As a veteran herself, Veterans Service Officer Jacqueline Wells was determined to find the owner.

“Before I even had a chance to start to look for this gentleman, my computer was flooded with emails from people that read the newspaper article, saying they knew this person,” Wells said.

Jack Barr was soon found in Mannsville, Oklahoma.

“In order to identify him, I asked him his service number, and boy, he knew that right off the bat,” Wells said.

Barr is described as “sharp as a tack” by Wells.

He also has a newfound friend clear across the country.

“I can’t believe he’s still alive, and he’s awesome!” Kauffman said.

Kauffman is humble about the whole experience and happy that Barr was reunited with his original tags.

“I’m just happy the ol’ guy got his dog tag,” Kauffman said.

Barr was interviewed by the local news over in Oklahoma, where he lives now.

He is healthy and incredibly sharp, with an abundance of history to share.

His 93rd birthday is coming up in June. Kauffman plans on sending a birthday card.