I’ve been trying to figure out who’s entitled to my brother’s Army medals after his passing. The thing is, there’s no will, and my brother was killed in Vietnam. My mom had the medals, but she passed away too. Then I had them, gave them to my oldest brother, and after his death, his son took them. Now that my nephew’s passed away, his widow won’t give them back to me. She didn’t even know my brother. So, is she legally the one who gets them, or is there a way I can get them back?
Wow, that’s tough. I think legally, if there was no will, the medals probably go to whoever the last legal owner’s spouse is. That would be your nephew’s wife, unfortunately.
Cypress said:
Wow, that’s tough. I think legally, if there was no will, the medals probably go to whoever the last legal owner’s spouse is. That would be your nephew’s wife, unfortunately.
Yeah, it sucks. Even though you had them for a while, it looks like the law sees your nephew’s wife as the rightful owner now. 
But did your brother ever say anything about who should have them?
@Oaklee
No, there was never any talk about it. Just makes it harder to swallow knowing she didn’t even know him. Feels wrong.
I’m really sorry for your loss. Honestly, I don’t think there’s much you can do legally unless you could prove there was a specific family wish or something like that.
Aubrey said:
I’m really sorry for your loss. Honestly, I don’t think there’s much you can do legally unless you could prove there was a specific family wish or something like that.
Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. If there’s no clear will or other instructions, it’s probably a dead end. But if you’ve got any legal family docs or anything, you could look into that.
Just a thought, but is there any chance you could talk to her about the sentimental value? Sometimes that’s worth more than any legal battle.
Remy said:
Just a thought, but is there any chance you could talk to her about the sentimental value? Sometimes that’s worth more than any legal battle.
I wish it were that easy, but I’ve tried. She’s not budging. I’m starting to think she just wants to keep them for herself.
You might want to consult a lawyer, even if it’s just for advice. They could help you see if there’s any other angle to approach this from.
Finn said:
You might want to consult a lawyer, even if it’s just for advice. They could help you see if there’s any other angle to approach this from.
I’ve thought about it, but I’m not sure if it would be worth the cost given the situation. What do you think?
Finn said:
You might want to consult a lawyer, even if it’s just for advice. They could help you see if there’s any other angle to approach this from.
Yeah, it might be a shot in the dark but could give you peace of mind if nothing else. Just don’t expect a quick fix.
Sorry to hear this. It’s really heartbreaking when things like this happen… especially when family is involved. I hope she has a change of heart.
Reagan said:
Sorry to hear this. It’s really heartbreaking when things like this happen… especially when family is involved. I hope she has a change of heart.
Thanks. It really does feel like a slap in the face, especially after everything we’ve been through.