A collection of World War II memorabilia was stolen over Memorial Day weekend from a homeowner in Oakland, California. The military memorabilia was from multiple generations of the homeowner’s family’s military service.
Forrest Spellman told Fox 2 that he had a “ton of WWII memorabilia” that belonged to his grandfather, as well as medals and awards that belonged to his father. He also explained that four generations of his family served in the U.S. military.
“That military history has always meant so much to how much my upbringing was and who I am today and those articles meant a lot-as a symbol of that, who I am, my identity,” Spellman told Fox 2.
Fox 2 reported that surveillance video shows a “white, older-model pickup truck” pulling up to Spellman’s driveway at roughly 4:45 a.m. on Saturday. Spellman told Fox 2 that he believes two thieves broke into his house by using a side door.
Spellman explained that he and his wife were sleeping in their bedroom as the unidentified thieves were stealing their possessions from the home’s second bedroom.
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“My wife and I woke up and heard footsteps right outside our bedroom door, and I was terrified,” Spellman told Fox 2. The Oakland homeowner noted that he left his bed, opened the door of the bedroom, and saw the silhouettes of the suspected thieves as they were leaving the front door of the house.
A surveillance video and pictures shared on social media shows the white pickup truck, which features a black replacement fender on the front passenger’s side of the vehicle, driving away from the scene early Saturday morning.
Spellman described the incident as “very upsetting” and explained that the break-in takes away from his “sense of peace and security” in Oakland. The Oakland homeowner added that he hopes to “reclaim” his sense of peace and security in the aftermath of the break-in.
Spellman told Fox 2 that the World War II memorabilia stolen in Saturday’s incident include his great-grandfather Philip Buck’s dog tags, which were worn during the Battle of the Bulge.
“I think about them not only today, but all days of the year,” Spellman told Fox 2. “I really hope to get those back, just memorialize that thought physically.”
Spellman told Fox 2 that he had just moved into his home in Oakland last week. While Spellman acknowledged that a significant number of people had been working at the house throughout the week, he told Fox 2 that he did not have any idea who might be responsible for stealing his World War II memorabilia and other items.
