Kentucky Students Discover Rare WWII Veteran's Dog Tag at Local Park

In a heartwarming tale of local history and youthful enthusiasm, two high school students from Kentucky, Meghan Burke and Hattie Steen, stumbled upon a piece of history while cleaning up a nearby park.

The Discovery

While engaged in a cleanup operation at the Huntertown Community Interpretive Park near Versailles, the Woodford County High School juniors found a dog tag that belonged to Fred Jackson, a celebrated World War II veteran and Lexington's first elected African American constable. The remarkable part? They found it at the very spot where Jackson's former home once stood, as reported by Lexington's WKYT News.

The Find

The dog tag was remarkably well-preserved, catching the students by surprise. "I was surprised to just find it just sitting there on the surface level," Steen commented. "And it wasn’t rusty. It was just a little dirty, but that was about it."

A Special Connection

Realizing the importance of their find, the students decided to entrust the discovery to Sioux Finney, a board member at Huntertown Interpretive Park. Steen recalled the moment: "They were so excited because they knew the person."

Upon seeing the dog tag, Finney was equally astonished. "I walked over there, and I looked at the dog tag, and I saw it said Fred D. Jackson, and I said, ‘Girls, I’m about to faint,’" she expressed.

Fred Jackson's Legacy

Fred Jackson, who also played a vital role as a civil rights leader in his community, passed away in 2007. Nevertheless, his legacy lives on, and the City of Lexington has designated November 19 as Fred Jackson Day.

The Emotional Reunion

In an interview with Lexington's Fox 56, Ron Jackson, Fred Jackson's son, shared his heartfelt reaction to the "wonderful news." "My heart just stopped for a moment. Tears would start flowing out of my eyes. I told my wife; I said, ‘They found Daddy’s dog tags,'" he recalled. "They didn’t mean anything to her, but it meant so much to me because my father was an amazing man. He did so much for us."

Community Appreciation

Fred Jackson's sister, Geraldine Jackson Berry, also expressed her astonishment and appreciation for the teens. "I can’t describe how I feel about them. They’re amazing," Berry said, according to WKYT. "It’s good that they recognize that it was something important and showed it to Sioux."

Reuniting with Family

The dog tag was later returned to members of Jackson's family, who gathered to see this one-of-a-kind relic.

Looking Forward

While this discovery is undoubtedly hard to top, Burke expressed her and Steen's eagerness to return to the site and see if they can find more treasures. "I don’t know if we can top that, but I would like to try," she said.

This heartwarming discovery not only highlights the importance of preserving history but also showcases the power of young individuals in connecting with their community's past.