Juarez returns precious memorabilia to family members of WWII sailor

Contributed by Travis Blagg

In a heartwarming turn of events, a piece of history has found its way back to where it truly belongs. A trunk filled with artifacts from World War II has been traced back and returned to the descendants of the original owner, marking the end of a decades-long journey.  All of this can be attributed to the determination and focus of longtime Mariposa resident Robert Juarez.

“The trunk was first discovered in the 1980’s by my in-laws in the attic of a new home in Castro Valley they had recently moved into.  About eight years ago it was given to me, so it was moved here to Mariposa. It wasn’t until last month however that I found out something. As I picked it up to move it, I realized that it was full,” Juarez explained.  

Juarez had been told that there was nothing but junk inside the trunk, but upon opening it he realized that it was a proverbial World War II time capsule. It was filled with countless issues of the historic Stars and Stripes newspaper, pictures and letters from loved ones, a letter of recommendation from the war department and a full naval uniform.  

“When I saw the uniform, I knew it was something that was saved by someone and cherished,” said Juarez.  Once he was able to determine who the trunk had belonged to, he decided not to read or look at all of the personal items within the trunk.  “To continue to read and look at the personal items felt like an invasion of privacy,” Juarez said.

Juarez was determined to uncover the trunk’s origins, so he embarked on a quest to trace its history and origin.  Juarez first posted on Facebook that he had found a footlocker and that he wanted to return it to the family.  Though some people offered to buy it, selling it was never an option.

“Selling it seemed disrespectful to this man and to those that had served our country,” said Juarez.  From that initial posting on Facebook, he started to receive a bundle of responses from people desiring to help and offering assistance.

A breakthrough occurred for Juarez when two different women sent him information that they had found connecting the trunk to Edwin “Eddie” Vargas. “From the information they gave me I knew we had the right guy.  The dates matched with both his birth and military service documents,” noted Juarez. 

One of the items that was discovered inside the trunk was an obituary.  The obituary stated that Edwin was a member of the Brookings, Oregon Elks Club.  Juarez contacted the Elks Club and was put in contact with the right people.  After speaking to several friends and the local funeral home, Juarez found Eddie’s family.  One of Eddie’s family members lives in Danville, CA.  Remarkably, almost in a “it’s a small world fashion,” Juarez also has family in Danville.  

“The family was surprised, and I think a little leery.  I was given contact information, and I sent them a message; my call was returned within minutes.  I was able to deliver the trunk to Eddie’s niece, Joanne Clare. Clare and her family were excited to find out more information about their uncle Eddie,” explained Juarez. 

They all remembered their uncle Eddie from when they were children, and they family were surprised that something like his trunk was lost in the first place and were overjoyed to have it back.  Most of the family that had a close connection with Eddie have now passed on, so the trunk served as a perfect time capsule for those contacted, as well as additional family members to learn to more about Eddie.

The return of the trunk serves as a powerful reminder of the personal sacrifices and experiences of those who lived through World War II. It also underscores the importance of preserving and honoring history for future generations. 

For the family of Edwin “Eddie” Vargas, the trunk represents a tangible link to their heritage and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit during times of conflict.  Juarez concluded, “Finding Eddie’s family was an amazing journey that helped restore my faith in our county, its people and the American way of life.  We live in a great country and seeing firsthand how we can come together and unite for a successful outcome makes me proud to say I’m an American.”