Canadian soldier's medals finally secure with American granson in Poland

POLAND

After a lengthy search, Canadian-born John Stapleton’s World War I Army medals rest in a place of honor in the home of his grandson, Edvin John Lind of Poland.

Stapleton, who lived most of his life in Youngstown, received three medals while serving in the 40th and 80th battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force attached to the British Army during World War I in Europe: The British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914-15 Bronze Star.

They are displayed in a glass-topped table joining memorabilia of Edvin’s father, Edvin A. Lind, who was decorated with three Purple Hearts while serving in the U.S. Army during World War II in Africa and Italy; and of his grandfather, John Stapleton, including several decorative French postcards sent to Miss Dora McKay of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, before John and Dora were married and moved to the United States.

The search for John Stapleton’s descendants began with Canadian Air Force veteran Joseph Maurice “Moe” MacIsaac.

In March 2014, he learned a woman in a thrift store had found the medals and when he acquired them, he became determined to give them to a direct descendant of Stapleton’s.

Read how that happened in Sunday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.