Veteran’s dog tag returned to family after former U.S. senator recovered it from old combat base

INGLIS, Fla. (WCJB) - Residents of Inglis gathered for the ceremony to return a lost dog tag belonging to corporal Larry Hughes.

Hughes served in the Vietnam war 47 years ago. He died in 2019 but his son and sister accepted the tag in his honor.

“My father was a very humble man and he had a lot of pride for his service,” said Larry’s son, Carl Hughes. “I am honored and excited for what they did today not just for my father but all the marines and other service members who were over in Vietnam fought for them, fought for our own country as well.”

Former U.S. Senator and marine James Webb and University of Notre Dame professor Michael Desch recovered his tag while conducting a battleship study on an old combat base in Vietnam. They contacted the mayor of Inglis to return it.

“When the opportunity of bringing home this dog tag sort of came out of nowhere it was really exciting and it feels like we’ve completed the circle and I feel pretty good about that,” said Desch.

Webb told TV20 how the dog tag turned up in their hands. He said he made it his duty to return it back to the family.

“I was bringing them on a windshield tour of a battle that had taken place in May of 1969, that I had fought in,” said Webb. “This villager came up on a bicycle and had this dog tag. Professor Desch gave him some money for the dog tag and then it was like you think we can really find this guy, this marine and from there, here we are.”

The mayor presented the family with a plaque that will be displayed at Inglis town hall.

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