Wendell WWII veteran reunited with dog tags lost on Italian beach 70+ years ago

A World War II veteran was reunited with a special piece of history he dropped on an Italian beach over 70 years ago.

On America’s 240th birthday, a small town celebration has a big meaning for one of the nation’s oldest veterans.

Bennie Howard Jr., 92, thought he would never live to see the day he’d hold his dog tags in his hand again.

Dropped on a beach near Florence, Italy when he was 19 years old, Howard said he thought the tag was gone forever, until a metal detector, a man from Italy, and Facebook reunited them.

“I was surprised because after the time span, it’s almost something impossible,” Howard said.