Several years ago, a woman was clearing out an abandoned warehouse in Cleveland when she discovered the military medals of Fielding Wesley Featherston III as well as his watch, squadron songbook, various pins, badges and records. 

The woman contacted her father, a veteran, and they sought to find his family and return the items. After years of being turned away by organizations they thought could help, they decided to reach out to the office of U.S. Congressman Dave Joyce, R-Bainbridge Township, for assistance.

After much research and outreach, Joyce's office contacted Featherston's family and arranged for them to be reunited with the medals and other belongings.

Featherston had grown up in Wickliffe and was the 1960 valedictorian of his Wickliffe High School Class before joining the United States Air Force in 1963.

He went on to serve with the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 432rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. On Dec. 30, 1969, then-Capt. Featherston and Lt. Douglas Ferguson took off in their F4D Skyray aircraft for an armed reconnaissance mission over Laos.

Enemy activity in the area precluded a ground search for survivors or remains.

During the mission, their plane went down near an enemy storage facility. While other nearby aircraft reported seeing fire and wreckage, no parachutes were seen, and no rescue beepers were heard.

His items were returned to his family during a small ceremony Aug. 5 at Veterans Memorial Park in Mentor.

Joyce was joined at the ceremony by Featherston's son, Fielding "Wes" Featherston, and his wife, as well as the late pilot's brother James Featherston.

Several others were in attendance to honor Featherston's legacy including Cleveland VA Director Jill Dietrich; Devin Wilgus, the Wounded Warrior Fellow in Joyce's office; and two members of the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Honor Guard. 

“I was humbled to meet Captain Featherston’s family today and reunite them with his long-lost medals,” Joyce said. “Today’s ceremony gave us an opportunity to honor a true American hero. Captain Featherston’s story is a reminder that the freedoms we enjoy are not free…they’re paid for by the brave men and women of our Armed Forces.

"But the Featherston family, and countless others like them, are proof that it’s not just our men and women in uniform who bear the burden of that sacrifice," he continued. "It is my hope that being reunited with these medals and other belongings will bring them comfort and help keep the Captain’s memory alive for generations to come.”

Read the story in its entirety online here.