A Tuskegee Airman’s daughter now has the military memoriabilia her family has been in search of for 35 years thanks to a News4 report and a kind historian.
When News4 first met Dolly Turner in February, she was on a mission.
"It really has been very heartbreaking not to have access to those items," she said.
She had spent decades looking for her late father’s belongings.
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Leonard Turner and his brother Leon were both Tuskegee Airmen who battled racism to become some of the first Black military pilots.
They racked up awards along the way, but much of those items went missing when the family sold the house.
"We have a great, rich family history and that’s why it’s so important for us to get these items back," Dolly Turner said.
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After News4's story aired, one viewer saw it all the way down in North Carolina.
"My heart almost stopped. When I saw a picture of the memorabilia that had been lost, it was exactly the photograph of what I had just purchased," she said. She asked to remain anonymous.
She said she’s an African American history collector and bought the items online.
Once she realized Turner was looking for them, she sent it all back to her free of charge.
"There are good people in the world," Turner said.
After 35 long years, the items are back home where they belong.
Turner became emotional while opening and exploring the items, which included medals, a hat, photographs and documents.
"For all of our young Black men, if we can share more of this history with them, it will give them a wonderful guiding light. Because too often they are told what they are not instead of what they are," Turner said.
With each item recovered, it’s like a portal into the past.
"Of course after they’re gone, you think about all the conversations you could’ve had, so this fills that in," Turner said.
"I feel very happy. I feel very relieved. My heart feels full."
Turner believes the items were likely sold multiple times over the years.
