Officials today presented a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart to the widow of Staff Sergeant Gerald Jacobsen, who was declared missing in action during the Normandy invasion of World War Two more than 70 years ago. Last month D-N-A testing confirmed Sergeant Jacobsen’s remains in an unmarked grave at Normandy and his widow Catherine Tauer says, “I was crying but I was happy because we waited so long…. I’m 94 and really didn’t think I was gonna get to see him. I didn’t think I was gonna see the casket, really.”
Senator Amy Klobuchar, who helped expedite identification of Sergeant Jacobsen’s remains, is asking Defense Secretary James Mattis for stronger efforts to identify unknown fallen servicemembers and provide better response to their families.