Discovery of a WWII Coat Connects Generations

A typical search for Halloween costumes took an unexpected twist for Zuleika King Rivera when she discovered a World War II coat in Indiana. Browsing at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Fort Wayne, Rivera spotted a coat labeled “Halloween Jacket” for $9.99. Inside, it bore the name ‘Willibey’ and crucial military identification details.

Rivera, a U.S. Army veteran, was instantly drawn to the jacket. “When I saw the coat, I knew it was something special,” she told Newsweek. Her strong ties to military service fueled her curiosity to learn more about the coat’s previous owner.

“That was somebody,” Rivera expressed. “Somebody wore that coat. Somebody served in it. Somebody had a family who may not even know it was sitting there.”

The moment she returned home, Rivera dedicated herself to uncovering the coat’s history. She spent over four hours researching, piecing together information. With the Army service number and the surname Willibey as clues, she discovered archived documents revealing the owner’s full name: Gilbert Alton Willibey. From Indiana, he was drafted into the U.S. Army at 24. Serving in World War II, he later married Dorothy upon returning home.

Rivera’s research continued uncovering this history until reaching the obituary of Willibey’s son, Bruce. Despite this, she pressed on to find Bruce’s daughter, Meghan Stewart. Contacting Stewart proved challenging until Rivera realized they shared a mutual friend, facilitating connection.

Rivera and Stewart began communicating. Stewart learned about her grandfather’s military experiences. While the family’s story about how the coat ended up in the thrift store involves an estate sale mix-up, its recovery signified a precious return. The coat, absent from family possession for two decades, held deep sentimental value.

The moment Rivera reunited the coat with Stewart carried profound emotion. “When she stepped out of the car that day, I could immediately see it on her face,” Rivera recalled. Holding the coat, she connected personally, recalling her own late grandfather. For Rivera, this mission transcended mystery-solving; it carried personal significance.

“The fulfillment wasn’t really in solving the mystery. It was knowing that those hours of searching resulted in another human being getting something back that connected her to her grandfather,” she reflected. “I got to bring someone a piece of their family back.”