Purple Heart given away at Maricopa tattoo shop to be returned to family of WWII veteran

Purple Coronary heart to be returned to household of WWII veteran

FOX 10’s Desiree Fluellen experiences.

MARICOPA, Ariz. – A Purple Coronary heart medal that belongs to a World Struggle II soldier is lastly making its method again to his household after spending years right here in Arizona.

Navy veteran Clay Darling went lacking in motion after being misplaced at sea whereas serving on the USS Randolph.

“He was shot down over Kure Harbor in Japan…six days earlier than the bombing of Hiroshima,” stated veteran Jim Bussey. “He was lacking in motion, he’s by no means been recovered, and mainly, we’re attempting to assist him discover his method house.”

Darling’s Purple Coronary heart made it into the arms of tattoo artist Nick Sanchez 23 years in the past.

“I did some art work for this gentleman and when it got here time for cost, he stated, ‘I don’t have cash however I’ve this medal,’ ” Sanchez stated. “I checked out it and thought it was fairly cool and thought it was a bit of historical past so I simply took it.”

Sanchez determined to maintain it inside his tattoo store in Maricopa, and that is when his receptionist, Ruth Strickengloss, discovered it.

“I stated, ‘Nick, why do you will have this?’ and he advised me his story and I stated, ‘You recognize we have to get this again to the household,’ ” Strickengloss defined.

Strickengloss is a Navy veteran herself, so she reached out to fellow veterans for assist.

They discovered Clay Darling’s nephew, who lives in Bristol, Vermont. Now, two commanders of the American Legion are capable of cross alongside the Purple Coronary heart to the Darling household.

“That is who we’re, so it’s essential that this will get to his household,” stated Bryan Moore, commander of American Legion Submit 133 in Maricopa.

“I’ve accomplished plenty of distinctive issues however this has obtained to be close to the highest,” stated Ron LaRose, commander of American Legion Submit 19 in Bristol. “I can deliver a steel deservingly introduced to a veteran, I can deliver it to his members of the family which can be nonetheless residing in our group.”