Veteran has combat memorabilia stolen from outside his Bridesburg home

BRIDESBURG (WPVI) -- An Iraq War veteran put keepsakes in front of his Bridesburg home in honor of Memorial Day, but when he went to retrieve them Tuesday morning they were gone.

Marine veteran Drew McIlhenny would desperately like his helmet, his combat boots and the dog tags he wore during his 2006-07 deployment returned, no questions asked.

He displayed then curbside in front of his home on the 4500 block of East Thompson Street, where there was a large Memorial Day parade Monday.

The memorial was outside for the greater part of the weekend, and no one bothered it until at least midnight on Tuesday. When McIlhenny came out of his house this morning, the keepsakes were gone.

"It does have more meaning than just boots, that's why I kept them for this long," he said. "I saved them because they were memories."

Neighbors who appreciated the memorial were quick to react.

"I think it is terrible," said Rita Szybowski. "It's sad to take something that belongs to somebody else that means so much. They are pathetic they have to do something like that."

A police investigation is underway. Meanwhile, McIlhenny is praying he can somehow get his keepsakes back.

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