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CNN Saturday Morning News

Florida Businessmen Stumble Upon Lost Dog Tags in Vietnam

Aired July 07, 2001 - 07:14   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, a very moving story came to light this week. On Independence Day, Ruth Decker was given a memento of her son. He was a Marine who was killed in Vietnam. Two Florida businessmen found his dog tags and hundreds more during a trip to Vietnam.

We'll have more on this story from Kelly Teague (ph) of our affiliate Central Florida News 13.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUTH DECKER, ALLAN'S MOM: He loved his country.

KELLY TEAGUE, CENTRAL FLORIDA NEWS 13 (voice-over): At age 19, Allan Decker died while fighting in the Vietnam War. Each year Allan's mom makes the trip to her son's grave and recites a poem she wrote more than 30 years ago.

DECKER: Today my son would have been a man. But it wasn't part of his plan, the Lord's plan.

TEAGUE: A fading picture of Allan is one of the few things they have left.

DECKER: I've really never thought about Allan's dog tags.

TEAGUE: Until Rob Stiff and Jim Gain called. The pair were in Vietnam on a business trip when they came across something that caught their attention.

ROB STIFF, FOUND TAGS: We stumbled on these dog tags, among all other war-type paraphernalia.

TEAGUE: In all, 600 dog tags for sale for $1 apiece. Stiff and Gain bought all 600 and created a Web site listing the names etched on each of the tags.

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FoundDogTags.com

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TEAGUE: Just a few weeks ago, they found a match. JIM GAIN, FOUND TAGS: I just ran in to Tom and to Rob and said, "Man, you're not going to believe this. I not only made a match, but I found someone in Orlando."

TEAGUE: After a few phone calls, they found Ruth Decker and arranged a meeting. The date, July 4. The place, Allan Decker's grave.

DECKER: I can only say, Wow, it's just very, very special.

TEAGUE: Now the Decker family has another reminder of Allan. They hope the 599 remaining dog tags will soon find their way home too.

In Orange County, Florida, I'm Kelly Teague for CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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