WWII Veteran Uncle Charlie needs help to come home

My husband's uncle was a Merchant Marine and his ship was hit by kamikaze pilots. He ended up living on a farm for the rest of his life, but his family was able to see him. I would like to think that if he had been like "Uncle Charlie" someone would want to help get him home to the rest of his family. Wouldn't you? We turn so many wounded veterans away from us because it's hard to live with some of them. When you have a family that is willing to do whatever it takes to keep them connected, it's the least we can do to help them out so they can.

Uncle Charlie's WarPosted by: Alan Wagmeister

Greensboro, NC -- This is the story of a World War II veteran and his family who is desperately trying to get him home. We have come to know him as Uncle Charlie. He was lost in the system for years. Now his family wants to bring him back to North Carolina, but no one can seem to help, not the Veterans Administration or even a US Congressman.

"I told him I would come and get him," says Laurica Oliver, "because it's family."

In fact, Charles Newkirk is Laurica's only living uncle, and the one sibling her mother has left.

Uncle Charlie's story begins during World War II, as he fought alongside others from the "Greatest Generation."

He came home in 1947 suffering from shell shock. Laurica says her grandmother talked about how "the war made my son crazy." Uncle Charlie wandered off into the woods and did other things that scared people. Laurica's grandmother contacted the Army who then came for Uncle Charlie. The family says he was placed in the care of the Army and the Veterans Administration.

Uncle Charlie was moved to a VA supervised group home in Tennessee. He stayed there for many years and in the 1960's, Uncle Charlie was moved to another supervised home in Ohio. In 1974, the VA determined that Mr. Newkirk was incompetent and an attorney, Richard Dimond, became legal guardian. Later, Uncle Charlie was diagnosed with schizophrenia by health care professionals. In 2002, Uncle Charlie was admitted to the VA in Chillicothe and has remained there since.
go here for more
http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=121278&catid=57