A long-lost Medal of Honor is back with the son of its rightful owner.
In March 1945, Corporal Edward Wilkin went ahead of his unit and fought German forces alone – later working to evacuate wounded soldiers under heavy fire. He was killed in action one month later.
Wilkin’s son – Bob – was presented with his father’s Congressional Medal of Honor when he was just seven years old. But, he lost touch with it over the years.
The medal was eventually located at a museum in Bob Wilkin’s hometown in Massachusetts. He got it back Friday…
“I am truly grateful to have this medal back. It is actually the only thing I have that represents my father,” Wilkin said.
Wilkin — who will be 82 later this month — originally reached out to Congressman Ben Cline’s office to see if they could get a replacement medal. Cline said his staff tried to do that, but the Army wasn’t able to fulfill the request.
“That’s when my team went that extra step beyond over the next several months to inquire around the museum of Bob’s father to see and sure enough they had it," the Congressman said. "And they were successful here for Bob and I’m just so honored to be here today to present it to him.”
Wilkin – who currently lives in a Roanoke retirement facility – said getting the medal back is the second most important thing in his life, only behind being a member of his church.
