A woman in upstate New York discovered a rare World War II identification tag on a beach that belonged to an Army veteran born in Boston. The find has prompted a search by Massachusetts veterans officials to return the artifact to the family of Raymond Doran, who died in 1961.
The tag was found by Elyssa Rossi on a private beach along Lake Ontario in Rochester, N.Y. While the tag identifies Doran as being from Boston, historical records show he was a resident of Rochester when he enlisted in the Army at the unusual age of 38.
Rossi discovered the artifact while walking along a private beach on Lake Ontario. Rossi, who frequently visits the area to search for sea glass, noticed the object after the winter snow had melted.
“When people ask me what I like to do in my free time, it’s usually like going to the beach or going to the woods,” Rossi said. “I just happen to see this like little piece of metal sticking out. I was like no way! This is like a dog tag.”
Upon closer inspection, the tag was identified as a World War II-era identification tool belonging to Doran. Although the tag listed Doran as being from Boston, research into military records showed he was living in Rochester when he joined the service.
Cory Ahonen, who works with the Executive Office of Veterans Services in Boston, helped investigate Doran’s history alongside the Massachusetts Military Records Office. Ahonen noted that Doran likely served in an Army support role and highlighted a specific detail regarding his entry into the military. “One of the first things pointed out was the age of enlistment was the age of 38 which is unusually rare,” Ahonen said.
Records indicate Doran’s family had deep roots in Massachusetts. According to a 1910 census, his parents lived in Pittsfield. The identification tag also lists his sister, Esther, as his next-of-kin. At the time of Doran’s service, Esther was possibly still living in the Boston area.
Rossi said she felt a responsibility to find the family associated with the metal tag. “Also to me this is something really important to someone’s family right,” Rossi said. “This is more than just a dog tag, this really signifies sacrifices that somebody made for not just their family but the country.”
Ahonen explained that such items are rarely found in the wild, as they are typically treated as heirlooms. “A dog tag like that is usually kept with close personal belongings, it’s kept in the family passed down for generations perhaps,” Ahonen said.
Veterans’ officials expressed hope that the tag could still reach Doran’s descendants. Doran died in 1961.
“Maybe there’s a connection there that can be found cause we’d love to get these tags back to the family and provide this veteran probably one of his final dignities with his service,” Ahonen said. “For folks to receive something like from a distant relative of theirs that recognizes that they served during this time, part of the greatest generation, would be a very strong significance for a family member to receive that.”
The Massachusetts Military Records Office has not yet been able to find a valid next of kin. Anyone with information regarding the Doran family or their descendants is asked to contact the Executive Office of Veterans Services.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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