SANDPOINT — SSgt. Larry J. Newman of the United States Air Force owned a 1948 Willys Jeepster, but upon return from his service overseas, he planned to buy a Mercedes.

Unfortunately, Newman never made it home to buy his dream car. Now, 45 years after his disappearance in South Vietnam, the car he hoped to buy someday is just one memory his sisters, Loris Michael and Linda Melia, recalled Monday.

The memories came flooding back after receiving a memento of their brother from a kind-hearted stranger. The duo had to fight back tears, not only from the memories, but because someone they never met would take the time and effort to send his POW/MIA bracelet home — and it wasn't the first time.

"It is just amazing," Michael said. "To take the time — it means a lot."

"The kindness of this woman to go to the trouble and return that ... it did mean a lot to both of us that she took the time to do that," Melia added.

Judy Schonhoff of Massachusetts recently came across the POW/MIA bracelet she wore in 1993-1994, her sophomore year in college. The name on the bracelet was that of United States Air Force SSgt. Larry J. Newman. Schonhoff wore the bracelet for a couple of years before it ended up in a box in her parent's attic, which recently surfaced as she went through some stuff when her parents were moving.

After some research via the internet, Schonhoff learned a little bit about the man whose name the bracelet bore. She discovered someone returned another bracelet with Newman's name to his sister in 2014. A link on the pownetwork.org website led her to a Daily Bee article about a man who returned a bracelet to the family, which is how Schonhoff learned Michael's name. So she packaged up the bracelet, along with the letter it came with from the Department of Defense in November 1993, and a letter of her own to Michael.

"I also found out on the website that the middle initial 'J' is for Jerome — my father's name," Schonhoff wrote. "I am very glad they found Larry's remains and I am very humbled by his service for our freedom."

Michael and Melia said it was just a few months after their brother deployed to South Vietnam in 1972, the AC-130A aircraft Newman was on reportedly came under "intense hostile fire" and exploded in the air, according to the letter sent to Schonhoff with the bracelet.

Three of the 15 crew members were thrown clear and rescued, but Newman and the others could not be located. He was declared deceased a year later, and his remains were reportedly recovered along with the rest of the crew in 1994.

Michael said she was the first to be notified of her brother's disappearance. While she wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do, Michael informed some of her five siblings before their father heard the news. She wanted to ensure he had a good support network because he was a sensitive and emotional man, she said. Losing a son is not easy, and for Newman to be missing was devastating to their father.

"Thank God he was still alive when they found the remains," Michael said.

As people were listed prisoner of war or missing in action, bracelets were made in their honor. Bracelets were distributed with names of POW/MIA soldiers randomly to anyone who made a small donation to the Voices in Vital America organization. The recipients would then wear the bracelets in honor of the lost soldiers. Michael and Melia encourage anyone who has a bracelet to find the family of the soldier to return it to them.

"They have a valuable meaning," Melia said. "It's just a strip of metal, but it's more."

The mementos brought back many memories of their brother, Michael and Melia said.

Melia said her brother was 10 years her senior, so he would entertain her and their younger brother with puppet shows and would organize a circus for the neighborhood on occasion. And Michael said he could have been a great writer.

"He had an amazing ability to scare us to death with his tales," Michael said.

The women also recalled the last time they saw their brother. Melia said she lived next door to her parents and it was around 4 a.m. when he came to say goodbye. The light was on in the backyard, just over his shoulder, she said. He stood there in his blue uniform and it was snowing.

"He just looked so handsome," Melia said. "He was very handsome and very kind."

Newman shipped out from Fairchild Air Force Base, and although the family was from North Platte, Neb., Michael was on the West Coast living in San Francisco at the time. So he made his trip west, and Michael drove him to his plane. As it turned out, the plane was delayed for 24 hours.

"After he was missing in action, all I could think about was that 24 hours I could have had with him," Michael said as the tears welled up in her eyes.

"Every second was important," Melia added.

Newman originally enlisted in the Air Force in 1959 and re-enlisted in 1968. He wanted to be overseas for the combat pay, Michael said, although he was an unarmed soldier. He was an draftsman/engineer who drew aerial maps. But he planned to use the extra money to buy his Mercedes upon return to the states.

He never got his Mercedes, but Melia's son still has Newman's 1948 Willys Jeepster.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.