After more than eight decades, the family of Bernard Parnell, a Navy radioman who died in a 1943 World War II training accident, has been reunited with one of his personal effects—a dog tag recovered years ago in Massachusetts.

Parnell, 23, was killed when his plane crashed off the coast of Florida during a training exercise. His body was never recovered, leaving his family with the unresolved grief of his loss. His sister, Dorothy Stewart, who was 21 at the time and now resides in Beverly, Massachusetts, only learned recently that the dog tag bearing her brother’s name and service number had been found.

The discovery came five years ago when Ken McKay, assistant director of Beverly Veterans’ Services, came across the dog tag among military records in his office. McKay displayed the tag on a plaque alongside a framed copy of the Declaration of Independence as a reminder. However, locating Parnell’s family proved difficult, as Parnell was originally from Arlington, Virginia.

Persistence paid off about two months ago when McKay found a 1972 headstone application submitted by Stewart for her brother. Realizing Stewart could still be alive, he investigated further, contacting the Beverly city clerk’s office and the local YMCA, where Stewart had been a member for 70 years and once worked as a fitness instructor. Confirmation of her status came through YMCA staff and a local reporter familiar with Stewart’s remarkable longevity; she is soon to turn 105 and had recently set a world record in rowing for her age group.

McKay then reached out to Stewart’s daughter, who facilitated a conversation between Stewart and the veterans’ office. Stewart, who has lived in Beverly since 1954, expressed deep emotion upon receiving her brother’s dog tag during a ceremony held September 29 at the YMCA. The plaque was presented by the Beverly Veterans Advisory Committee in the presence of friends and family.

“It’s unbelievable,” Stewart said, describing the moment through tears. The dog tag, which also features Parnell’s thumbprint, evoked a mix of sorrow and cherished memories for the longtime resident. She recalled her brother as a skilled swimmer, artist, and “very handsome,” adding that the pilot who survived the crash informed their family that Parnell had given him a life jacket as the plane went down.

Stewart, who faced recent health challenges including a hip fracture and surgery, attributes her resilience to her faith and positive outlook. “I get up every morning happy,” she said. She also reflected on the enduring impact of her brother’s loss: “It was awful for my whole family.”

With Stewart as the last surviving sibling—among a younger sister and two older brothers—receiving the dog tag offers a bittersweet closure. Stewart believes their parents and fellow siblings would have been deeply moved to know a tangible connection to “Bernie,” as she affectionately calls him, has been returned.

McKay emphasized the importance of returning military keepsakes to families, noting that such efforts honor the memory of service members and provide a meaningful link to their legacies. “Now people know who Bernard is,” he said.