SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany –
10-year-old Gideon was heartbroken when they moved to from Idaho to Germany. Germany was nothing like Idaho. There were no trout-packed rivers that coiled through rugged mountains and plains. There was no gold to be scavenged from the region in which they now lived. He had loved metal detecting with his father for naturally occurring gold by streambanks and riverbeds that wound through ‘The Gem State,’ but those times were gone.
His father, U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Bradley Graves, the 52nd Fighter Wing inspections manager, knew there was other chances to go metal detecting. In fact, he would have never discovered an important World War II artifact he found in December 2025 if it weren't for his son’s passion for the hobby. Artifacts, from Europe’s vast history, are scattered around the countryside and can be found everywhere.
“I asked for permission, I did my research, and I found out we were allowed to go metal detecting,” Graves said. “I bought a metal detector just so I could go out with him, because it was a good way to keep us both active and outdoors. Now, over the years, we’ve gotten a lot better and more involved with it.”
Graves ensures he is always respectful to the environment and the local population when he goes metal detecting. He always returns the ground back to how it was before he dug there and picks up trash whenever he finds it.
“Metal detecting gets you involved with the local history,” Graves added. Learning about the story of the land teaches you about the area we live in, and the community we’re a part of. He believes that respect for history and the environment is vital to maintaining a strong positive relationship with host nations.
“We’re guests,” he said, “We should show the respect of caring about Germany and its history. Many of these families have lived here since before the United States was founded, and they’re proud of that.”
Coins, buttons, shrapnel, buckles, and pins make up just part of the various things he and his son have uncovered. All are signs of trade, agriculture, travel, and war with the earliest examples able to be traced back to well before the times of Julius Caesar.
There is one recent piece that Graves discovered recently that stood out to him: a small, unsuspecting, seemingly broken shard of metal. It was German dog tag dating back to WWII. A dog tag is an identification chip that is carried by service members to keep track of their identity in case they are wounded or killed in action.
“It was a cold day, and there was heavy frost on the ground. We had only been out for about an hour and had already found a few small buttons, but nothing super unique,” Graves recalled, “All of a sudden, I got a really strong signal,and when I dug it up, it took me a moment for it to sink in what I found.”
Stamped in the tag was a series of letters and numbers to identify the original owner. An ‘L’ for Luftwaffe, the letters ‘PI’ For Pioneer, ‘KOL. 16, 52’ for his unit and identity, and an A for blood type.
“The half I found is the half that is supposed to stay with the person, so there is the potential for the remains to still be there or otherwise missing,” he added. “I was humbled by the fact that I found this.”
Graves expressed that by finding a piece oflost history, like this dog tag, he’s helping prior servicemembers, giving them the same respect he would want for himself. “We are great allies with Germany, and we owe them this respect for their fallen,” he said.
“I hope we can reunite this tag to the family members, and that by doing that we can grant them some type of peace in their mind. Whether the tag was lost, or he was lost, making sure he isn't forgotten will hopefully give them some sense of closure.”
If the family is not identified, Graves included that he would likely give it to a local museum. He encouraged people to try metal detecting, as well as other hobbies that increase involvement in the local off-base community, stressing the importance of having a positive presence with host nation partners.