(Des Moines, Iowa) –  After 42 years since the passing of her husband, an Iowa World War II veteran, Jane Buck finally received the recognition she had been waiting for. The acknowledgment came in the form of a package delivered to her home. Buck’s husband, Yeoman First Class William John Buck Jr., passed away in 1982 from lymphoma, a condition linked to radiation exposure during his service in Japan after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. KCCI reports Jane cherishes a collage of Bill’s medals, uniform patches, and even his diary, which notes his presence in Kure, Japan, on Christmas Day in 1945.

However, one piece had been missing from her collection dedicated to honoring her gold star husband: official recognition of his status as an atomic veteran. Last week, nearly 80 years after his exposure, Jane received official paperwork from the Department of Defense and a new gold medal, confirming his status.

The Buck family were Atlantic residents for 20 years. Mr. Buck worked for Walnut Grove and died in the Cass County Memorial Hospital November 28, 1982. Their children, Linda and Tom both graduated from AHS.