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ID: TT-6288

Purple Heart Vet Surprised With Tribute Artwork On Truck Saluting Seven Lost Brothers

A grandpa who received the Purple Heart was brought to tears when his granddaughter and her husband added a tribute on the back of his truck saluting the seven close friends he lost to war. Bernard "Jake" Jackovich, 76, from Calumet, Michigan, is extremely well respected in his family and community due to the sacrifices he made for his country. Jake joined the United States Marines in 1966 and was immediately sent to fight in the Vietnam War. Months into his tour, Jake was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), which saw him lose two fingers on his left hand and part of his right leg below the knee. Having spent 16 months recovering in a Philadelphia naval hospital, Jake received the Purple Heart for his bravery, before returning home to marry his wife of 53 years. Jake's granddaughter Dallas Pihlaja (pronounced “peel-a-ya”) was aware of her grandfather's story, so when her husband, Kyle, 35, was carrying out some bodywork on Jake's truck, they decided to add a little surprise. Kyle is the owner of Pristine Airbrush, an airbrushing company, and so he and Dallas, 28, settled on a tribute to the time Jake spent in Vietnam and the seven military brothers he had lost to war. On September 8, at Jake's home, Kyle called the 76-year-old outside to take a look at a "blemish" that he said he had noticed on the back of his truck while carrying out the works. When Jake instead laid eyes on his grandson-in-law's amazing artwork, he was immediately blown away, with the tribute to his friends bringing him to tears. Dallas said her husband enjoys working on special artworks for people in the community and was proud to honor her grandfather's service. She watched Jake's surprise arm-in-arm with her grandma with tears filling their eyes, before later sharing a video of the moment on social media.
Release Status:
TV & Digital
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Location: Calumet, Michigan, USA
  • Date Acquired: 09-24-2024
  • Date Filmed: 09-08-2024
  • Orientation: Vertical
  • Footage Type: Cell Phone
  • Rights :  TV & Digital, Commercial, Publishing
Tags:  grandpa , veteran , truck , brothers , marines , vietnam , war , calumet , michigan

Purple Heart Vet Surprised With Tribute Artwork On Truck Saluting Seven Lost Brothers

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