UPDATE 2/3/2016:
Thanks to a series of tips, detectives have identified the man in the photo as Rear Admiral Frank G. Johnson.
Rear Admiral Johnson passed away on April 3, 1981, but police have identified a family member in the Seattle area and are now working to locate them.
Seattle police need your help returning a collection of medals belonging to a World War II war hero.
Staff at the SPD evidence unit recently found the medals during a routine inventory, but have little information about the man pictured in the collection.
After a great deal of research, detectives believe he likely retired as a colonel after serving in the XII Corp in Europe during World War II, and that he received two bronze stars, including one for valor in combat. However, police have still yet to put a name to the man’s face.
SPD Evidence Unit detective Michael Whidbey has contacted staff at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the US Army/Germany museum and International Military History Museum to try and return the medals, but has so far been unsuccessful. “Based on the medals and uniform insignia, we know his rank but not his name,” says Whidbey.
If you have any information that could help police return the collection to the man or his family, please contact Detective Whidbey at Michael.whidbey[at]seattle[dot]gov or at 206-233-3890.