CONNECTION: Sally Costik, curator of the Bradford Landmark Society, sent us this story from WPSU. We love it and had to share.
It involves an Ohio man, some World War I memorabilia and a Kane man.
Wynn Brown of Columbus, Ohio, considers himself a military historian. Some co-workers gave him some letters and documents dating back to 1919 about a soldier named Harold Oscar Hallberg.
Brown did some research, and learned Hallberg was from a little place in Pennsylvania called Kane. The story continues, saying Brown learned Hallberg had died in July 1918 in France at the age of 21.
Brown reached out to the Kane borough office to see if he could learn more about the soldier or his family. And they connected him with Harold Elmer Hallberg, 78, who served in the Army for 22 years, including during the Vietnam War.
The Kane man didn’t know much about his great uncle, as his parents didn’t talk about him much, he told WPSU. Brown went to Kane to be with Hallberg as he opened the letters and went through the documents.
“The documents included a card with a gold star and information about the soldier’s grave, a letter seemingly responding to the Hallberg family’s dismay at the War Department’s lack of empathy, and a second letter notifying the family of the location of Harold O.’s permanent grave,” the story read.
“Corporal Harold Oscar Hallberg was buried at the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery in France. More than 6,000 Americans were buried there, the second largest American World War I military cemetery in Europe. As Hallberg read the letters and shared his family history, Brown presented a gift he made to commemorate this new friendship — a triangle flag display with a photo of Harold Oscar.”
The story quoted Brown, talking to Hallberg: “I thought that flag would honor him and [you could] put it up here in your office,” Brown said. A slightly choked-up Hallberg said, “Thank you,” as they shook hands.”
The story ends on this touching note: “To me as the oldest heir with his name,” Hallberg said, “I thought, man, this is going to be something that I’ll never forget.”
