07 June 2014

Jim Lang - Vietnam Campaign Medal

100% of my research is done on line which makes it a little ironic that I keep my research notes on index cards. When I receive a medal I put all the details on the card and as I find new information I make hand written notes. Every so often I'll review several cases to see if there is any new information added to a site like Ancestry or if there might be an avenue I've not have thought about before. This morning I chose to review the L and M cards.
A case I've had going since April 2013 was the search for 42693 Private James Angus Lang so I could return his Vietnam Campaign Medal. From the nominal roll entry I knew that Lang (who I now know goes by Jim) served with 1 RAR during the 65/66 tour during the Vietnam War. After that the trail went very cold. So today on a hunch I posted a comment on the 1 RAR Association website. Within two hours I had a reply from the associations Mike Waldron telling me that he had spoken to Jim. The email also provided Jim's number. I've just spoken to Jim and he tells me he lost the medal over 30 years ago. As it happens there is a reunion of the company he served with this weekend and he can't wait to tell his mates.
Thanks to Chris L who sent me the medal and to Mike Waldron for his very prompt action following my post.
The returned medal tally is now 1458.

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