WYOMING, Mich. — A war medal is a literal badge of honor given to some of the strongest men and women who serve this country.
That's why when Karrie Jankowski, a Wyoming woman volunteering at World Mission thrift store, found the display of a WWII veteran, she knew she had to find its home.
“I pulled them out of one of the donation boxes and as soon as I picked it up," said Karrie Jankosk, "I knew it was something special. And I didn’t want to let it go.”
Jankowski knows the importance of the military on a deeply personal level, with her grandpa, uncle and nephew all serving in branches of the military.
"These medals bring with them honor and courage and pride," Jankowski said. "And I would love to be able to get them back to the family they belong to.”
Through some digging, FOX 17 was able to identify the four medals and cruiser pictured in the display.
The medals' names are the American Campaign, European-African-Middle Eastern campaign, Good Conduct and a Victory medal.
The Navy man in the display earned those medals with a minimum three years of service.
The ship is the USS Card CVE-11, an escort carrier, which traveled between Africa and Europe in the 1940s.
It's that type of honor that really got this quest going for Jankowski.
"Being in the military, and willing to fight for our country," said Jankowski, "it takes a lot of courage and this person was incredibly courageous, and it touches my heart.”
Jankowski reached out to a coworker who would post about the medals in a Facebook group page, which got the attention of our crew.
If you have any information on the medals or who is pictured in the photo, you can reach out to us via email at news@fox17online.com.
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