Discovered dog tags returned to family of fallen WWII soldier

NEW BERN, N.C. (WITN) - Friday was a special day for a family of a missing army private from 1942, who was killed in action fighting for his country.

Family members of Pvt. Charles E. Cook received his dog tags at a special event honoring prisoners of war and military members missing in action.

On May 3rd, 1942, the island of Corregidor in the Pacific Ocean was hit with Japanese aerial and artillery bombardment.

Cook was presumed dead and his body was never found.

But recently, a curator of the Boys Latin Center for Military History in Maryland bought military artifacts from an individual on the island. In the bundle of artifacts, there were ten dog tags.

The curator, Frederick Maisel, said he wanted to get the dog tags back to members of the families. He reached out to the New Bern VFW community’s post several days later and was able to find the family members of Cook.

“I know how much it means. Holding that dog tag, and that’s the person right there in that dog tag. I knew it had to go back to the family.”

Today is National POW/MIA Recognition Day across the country. There are over 73,000 people still missing in action from World War II.

Maisel says his goal is to return all of the dog tags that came along with his purchase back to the families of the fallen.

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