DOG TAGS RETURNED TO VIETNAM VET, Larry Lichtenstein
2010 – DOG TAG PROJECT ROLLS ON….ANOTHER DOG TAG FOUND IN VIETNAM RETURNED TO VETERAN SOME 40 YEARS LATER….
DOG TAGS RETURNED TO VIETNAM VET, Larry Lichtenstein
In February 2010, Tony Halas, VP of the POW/MIA Awareness Committee (Gloucester & Camden County) was asked to get involved in the Dog Tag Project. The mission of the project is to return dog tags that were found in Vietnam to the men they belong to. Ray Milligan, a veteran and retired Chief of Police in Deptford, traveled to Vietnam in 1993 on a medical aid mission and brought home dog tags that were being sold in little shops in Vietnam.
One of the dog tags belonged to Larry Lichtenstein. Sue Quinn-Morris, Director of research for the POW/MIA Awareness Committee was able to connect with Larry after some research led her to the Vietnam Combat Veterans Coalition ~ which Larry is a member of. As often is the case, Larry was a bit apprehensive when he was contacted ~ perhaps curious if this was some sort of scam. Sue assured him that the only motive was to return his dog tag to him and plans were put in place by Bob “Gilligan” Hamilton of the Delaware Valley Nam Knights to hand deliver his dog tag to him.
The Delaware Valley Chapter of the Nam Knights – a veterans and law enforcement motorcycle club – completed this Dog Tag Mission by returning Larrys dog tag on May 8th in Point Pleasant, NJ. Interestingly enough, Larry being a bit apprehensive, brought along a friend – who happened to also be a friend of one of the Nam Knights, Leo “Smooth” Ethier, who was there to return Larry’s tag. Other Nam Knights that went to deliver the dog tag were Ed “Chief” Parsons, Bob “Gilligan” Hamilton and Bill “Pillows” Loh.