PDA

View Full Version : Viewers Track Down Vietnam Vet



thedrifter
12-28-07, 07:48 AM
Viewers Track Down Vietnam Vet

POSTED: 1:57 pm MST December 27, 2007
UPDATED: 2:25 pm MST December 27, 2007

PHOENIX -- CBS 5 viewers on Wednesday helped track down the owner of a Bible found by a Marine in Vietnam nearly 40 years ago.

Manny Carreon found the Bible when, after suffering an injury in the war, he was assigned to clean out duffel bags left behind by other Marines.

At the bottom of one of the bags, he found a Bible containing notes to a young Marine, Gunnery Sgt. Jim Youngberg, from his wife, Barbara, blessing him as he went off to fight.

"Going through this process, I found this Bible and I read it, and I've kept it ever since," Carreon said. "I just couldn't throw it away."

The Bible also held notes from Youngberg, one asking anyone who finds it to please return it to his family, and another telling his wife to remarry and asking her to tell their daughter he loves her.

Carreon was never able to find Youngberg, though he believed the young gunnery sergeant had survived the war because his name was not listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

After 38 years, Carreon asked for help in his search.

"It's just one of those things that just comes back into your life, and I want to find this person. It's something that I need to do before something happens to me, let's say," Carreon said.

CBS 5 viewers picked up the search Wednesday and helped reporter Sarah Carlstrom find the Youngberg family.

Carlstrom reached Youngberg's son-in-law with only one phone call. He confirmed Youngberg is alive and well and lives in California.

Carreon and the Youngberg family have asked Carlstrom to arrange a meeting.

Ellie