08/21/2026
🇺🇸 PLEASE HELP RETURN A PIECE OF VETERANS’ HISTORY 🇺🇸
During the August 18 Senior Day, Nursing Home Day, and Veterans Day at the Mercer County Fair, a yellow Ohio Healing Field T-shirt was discovered missing from the Museum of the Soldier display in the veterans’ area.
This shirt is more than just a piece of clothing. It is part of a display intended to honor those who have served and to help preserve and share our military history.
The gentleman who sets up this display each year is a Vietnam veteran who has volunteered for the past three years. He does this because he has a genuine passion for military history and enjoys sharing that history with others.
Earlier that day, the Veterans ceremony had concluded and a free meal had been served to veterans and their families. After the meal, the remaining volunteers were outside taking down the pop-up tents that had been set up to keep those attending the meal out of the grassy, muddy areas.
Rather than immediately closing the veterans’ display tent, it was left open so fairgoers could continue to come through and enjoy the displays—including those attending for Senior Day, Nursing Home Day, Veterans Day, and the tractor pulls—learn about military history, and pay their respects.
During the tractor pulls, when the National Anthem began, the remaining volunteers stopped what they were doing, turned toward the colors near the track, and respectfully stood with others until the anthem concluded. They resumed their work afterward.
The yellow shirt had been photographed on the display earlier that day. When the display was being checked and picked up the following afternoon, the shirt was discovered missing.
After discovering the missing shirt, surveillance footage was reviewed chronologically beginning from the time the shirt was known to be present. During that review, an individual appears to remove an item from the display, place it into a bag, and walk out of the tent with it.
We are not looking to publicly accuse, embarrass, or confront anyone. We simply want the item returned.
If you were the person who picked it up, or if you know where it may be, please do the right thing and return it.
No public explanation is necessary. Please call the Mercer County Veterans Service Office at 419-586-3542 so arrangements can be made for its return.
This isn’t about the monetary value of a T-shirt.
It’s about a Vietnam veteran who has volunteered his time for three years because he has a passion for sharing military history.
It’s about a museum passionate about preserving our military history and allowing portions of that history to be shared with the community in traveling displays.
It’s about the volunteers who spent their day serving veterans and their families.
It’s about preserving the stories, artifacts, and memories represented by this display.
In this moment, we simply ask that you do the right thing.
Please help us get this piece of veterans’ history back where it belongs. 🇺🇸
Please share.
