A Blair County family is getting some answers nearly 75 years after one of their relatives died in World War ll. 

King Bailey never had the chance to meet the uncle he’s named after.

“All my life I had to honor my name because my Uncle was killed in the War. I was born 3 years later 1947 and my mother named me King. 

Bailey’s uncle was a Staff Sergeant in the Army during World War II and died November 18th 1944, but the family never found out how he died.

Historian Jared Frederick gets research inquiries from families around the world. 

“In this case we received an email, a message, from a couple in the Netherlands that are the caretaker for a grave, a Pennsylvania soldier. As it turns out the soldier was from here in Blair County.”

Frederick was shocked by what he discovered.

“When I found out that King was born in Altoona and had lived in Blair County his whole life I about fell out of my chair…”

He tracked down the Bailey family to share photos of Sergeant Bailey’s grave.

The Bailey’s have known about grave, but didn’t know someone was looking after it. 

“That’s just wonderful I think especially in this day and age things like that happened over there I think it that’s great.,” said Bailey. 

Frederick even tracked down reports on how Bailey’s uncle may have died.

“In battle breaching barbed wire. Infantry following the tanks through the barbed wire is the way they do it and he was either killed by mortar shrapnel or shell fire.”

Bailey plans on sending the netherland couple photos of his uncle as a thank you for adopting his grave.