WWII Bomber Jacket Returns to its Original Owner

A recent story in Stars and Stripes reports on the reunion of a WWII bomber jacket and its original owner, the now 90-year old Robert Arand. The jacket was discovered in a Goodwill store in Washington DC by John Dodds, an assistant general counsel for the Air Force and a military history buff, who purchased it for $17 and within 24 hours had located and spoken on the phone with the man who’s name was still embossed on its name tag.

To the best of Arand’s recollection his wife had donated the jacket to charity in 1950 in Cincinatti, Ohio and while Dodd had originally intended on keeping the vintage piece of history, once he had connected with Arand, he knew he needed to return it to him. The full story and pictures are available at the Stars and Stripes website.