Since 1992
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“PLEASE HELP ME FIND MY MILITARY FRIENDS”
By Denise Scammon
Production/Marketing Leader
LEWISTON – Roger Hamann, of Greene and Florida, runs the USA Military Directory group on Facebook. The popular Facebook page has over 13,000 members, many who are seeking to reconnect with people they or their spouse or children have lost touch with over the years and who served in some form of military service. “I have had the most rewarding times reuniting WWII, Korean, Vietnam and other veterans,” said Hamann. “I have also had the pleasure of reuniting birth children who are now adults and have been searching for their birth fathers who were military men serving in Germany and the like.” Hamann’s searches have involved people with connections to Maine.
On Aug. 10, 2015, Angela Daniels, of Strong, posted this query on the USA Military Directory’s Facebook page: “Anyone stationed at Wharton Barracks between 88-91, I need help finding my good friend SFC Ronald Brown. He was in the 22nd Maintenance Co. His wife’s name is Karen and he has four kids: Kristin, Jamie, Ronnie and James. They are from Pennsylvania. Any help would be great. Thank you.”
Daniels had met the Brown family when she was living in Germany with her ex-husband who was in the military service. “I became good friends with the whole Brown family. They were just like my family.”
The next day, Michelle Miller, founder of the search group, commented on Daniels’ question: “What would his approximate age be?” to which Daniels replied, “He’s in his mid to late 50s.”
Hamann did some research and found the name Karen Ann Brown. He asked Daniels if that might be the wife of SFC Brown and she said yes. Later, Hamann asked Daniels if SFC Brown might be Ronald M. Brown, to which she replied, “No, Ron’s middle name is Triburton.”
Searches like this depend on the details, said Hamann, referring to a person’s middle name as an example. “Details like this are so important, especially with common names. That is why we ask folks to follow the search guidelines posted at the top of our Facebook page.”
With the middle name of the person he was trying to locate, Hamann was then able to locate the family in Pennsylvania. He shared the names with Daniels of the family members he had located and other information that included their address. She responded, “Oh, my goodness. Thank you so very much. Now that I think about it, Karen’s middle name is Lea. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much.”
Even though everything seems to have fallen in place, Hamann advised Daniels, “Be aware that oft times, the phone numbers are outdated. With all the choices I’ve given you on how to contact them, one of them should be the correct one.”
Not every “found” person story has a happy ending. Hamann did a little more investigating on SFC Brown and discovered that he had died 10 years earlier. After informing Daniels of this discovery, she told him, “My heart is in my stomach. I always thought of Ron as my big brother. Thank you Rog for all the help. I will always appreciate it.”
Daniels reached out to one of SFC Brown’s daughters and his wife on Facebook and both accepted her “friend” request. “The oldest daughter, Kristin, and her family came to Maine to see me last summer. It was a joyous meeting with lots of memories and some tears for time lost. Thank you again for all your help,” said Daniels.
To become a member of the closed group USA Military Directory on Facebook, click on the button to submit a request to join. Anyone can find the group and see who’s in it. Only members can see posts. The group’s motto is, “No one left behind.” Their mission statement is, “To help others find their misplaced soldiers, friends, loved ones who have been left behind due to all the military moves.”
For more information, visit Facebook or email Rog Hamann at RusticYankee72@aol.com.
