The Strange, Touching Case of Elgin Staples, His Lifebelt, and His Medals

A Chula Vista, CA, real estate agent, was antiquing in Solana Beach, a bit north of San Diego. Her company specializes in helping servicemen and veterans. Linda Ring bought a couple boxes with some military medals, from WWII and Vietnam, both with purple hearts, knowing this didn't belong there, in an antique shop.

They had set up a booth at this year's county fair in Del Mar, and were displaying the medals, and someone recognized them. They belonged to Elgin Staples. Staples was a Signalman on the USS Astoria in WWII.  

Here's his story.

http://youtu.be/ETeB2JnpXiU 

The Vietnam medals belonged to his eldest son, who died in Vietnam, age 19.

The second son, Allen Staples, will be flown from Northern California by Linda Ring, to be given the boxes.

Story here.