Väinö Raivio, my grandmother’s uncle, was missing for decades. November 30th, 1939, was a dark day for the Finns. It was on that day, that the Soviet Union officially declared war on Finland, a small, proud nation in the face of an enormous empire. It was on this day, that young men were forced to leave their wives and babies to arduously fight for the preservation of Finland’s independence. 
It was only in 2018, that Väinö's remains were found in Priorzersk, modern-day Russia, along with his dog tag.
A dog tag is a form of military identification used by soldiers in the case of casualties. Though Väinö was the sole bearer of his dog tag, it still carries great significance for my own family, as well as for the whole of Finland. Väinö laid down his life for the preservation of Finland’s independence, which Stalin so greedily wanted to snatch away. In this way, the dog tag can be seen as a symbol of the enormous sacrifice it took for Finland to be as it is today. I sometimes wonder, who would I be if Finland had become what is now Russia? Would my family have fled, as so many are now fleeing Ukraine? As I look at Väinö’s dog tag, I am reminded that the life I lead today, is because of people like him, who fought for freedom and democracy. 

– Sara A. Jouppila

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