LIVING HISTORY: Dog tags make final journey home to WWII veteran.

A gathering of friends, family and Mighty Eighth Airmen made way as the guest of honor slowly approached the front of the stage. Raymond Odom, a 93-year-old World War II veteran, sat patiently in a large chair as he waited for the unveiling of a memento he lost while serving in the U.S. Army Air Forces in England more than 70 years ago.

The dog tags of the former 388th Bomb Group member were discovered in May 2016 during a metal detection hunt around the once designated property of RAF Knettishall. The tags made their journey across the pond over to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana to be presented properly to the WWII and former “Mighty Eighth” veteran.

Maj. Gen. Thomas Bussiere, 8th Air Force commander, unveiled the dog tags at Arbor Rose Assisted Living Facility in Farmerville, La., Feb. 2. Odom and his wife of more than 60 years have resided at the facility for the past three-and-a-half years.

“I can’t tell you how proud we are that we are here today to present Raymond’s dog tags,” Bussiere said. “It’s a small token of appreciation for his service. We in the Eighth Air Force stand on the shoulders of giants that served before us in WWII, and I can’t tell you how much our young Airmen today appreciate what you did for our nation.”

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