A man comes face to face with his exact double and believes they may be related.
Ken Palmer
Ken met his double in the 1940s
CASE DETAILS
Ken never saw the man again
In December of 1943, Ken Palmer was a newly commissioned second lieutenant in the Army Air Corp, on his way to Wisconsin. During a momentary stop to change trains in Cincinnati, Ohio, Ken had the most remarkable encounter of his life. He sensed that someone was staring at him. A quick glance told him why. Incredibly, Ken was being watched by his exact double:
“I was amazed. And both of us saw it and both of us reacted so much to it. Both of us set down our bags and stared. And until I got a hold of myself and extended my hand, he didn’t move. He was just frozen looking at himself, in a different uniform. My first thought, of course was that he’s closely related. We began to exchange our father’s names, our grandfather’s names where we lived, things of this nature. And that didn’t get it.”
Surprisingly, the two men could not find a single relative in common. But when Ken mentioned an old family legend, he was stunned by the stranger’s response:
“He added details that I checked out with Dad later and they were accurate, things that I didn’t know. So it was perfectly obvious that we were related and yet we couldn’t understand how we could be. I took his name and address, stuffed it in my pocket. I picked up my luggage and scooted off for my train. If I’d had the sense… I would’ve stopped right then and we would’ve spent some time together. When I got on the train and settled, I reached in my pocket to get that slip of paper, it wasn’t there. It all fell apart at that moment. I was devastated.”
Ken never saw his double again, and all attempts to find him have been unsuccessful:
“I would like very much to find him, and/or, part of his family. How many times are you going to walk across the station and see that double. Out of all of the people in the United States we walk into one another and we set down our bags and stare at one another.”
Like Ken, the man’s last name was Palmer. His first name may have been Robert or James. Ken believes his double lived in the eastern United States, possibly New Jersey. At the time, the man was either a technical or staff sergeant in the Army Air Corp.
Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season seven with Robert Stack and in season seven with Dennis Farina. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Various seasons available now on Hulu.
SUBMIT A TIP
BC
Just have children and grand children do BOTH 23 and me and ancestry . Com. Both w dna tests
Then start reaching out to any first cousins that pop up
If they haven’t done this by now, then it must be false so they don’t believe it
James Miller
Sometimes I think these stories are just fabricated and made up for viewers to get on tv how on earth could someone notice someone that’s looks entirely like them in a crowded atmosphere and most of all when certain people of the story has a chance to get vital information that could solve the mystery they either are to chicken to approach the person are just ironically lose all the vital information of the person that that there trying to find so unless this old man has an identical twin that was separated from him at birth that he knew nothing about then a double would not exist humans favor one another all the time doesn’t mean your family..
VK
He was my mom’s uncle. I can’t speak for all of the stories, but this one really happened.
Greg d
There was a ww2 veteran by name of James Palmer from buffalo ny who joined army in 1941 and passed away in 2021 in Buffalo area. Eastern coast of usa. Also appears to resemble Ken slightly.
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/173124/survived-battle-cisterna-story-pfc-james-palmer-1st-ranger-battalion-wwii
nina
That very well could be the person he was looking for. Unfortunately they’ve both passed away. It would’ve been amazing to have such a reunion.
Lori
Hi VK – Would like to see how the two men connect. Can you tell us more about your mother’s uncle. Are you comfortable telling us in what state Ken born and his father and mother’s names?
I do family genealogy. The Palmer family is part of my family tree. My Palmer family came over from England to Pennsylvania. Some parts of the family did go West.
I am so curious to know more about your Palmer family legend. Didn’t go into it when he told his story.
Thank you
Miles Sandee
It’s up to Ken’s grandchildren to go down the genealogy route to solve this.
Pat May
A dingo ate my baby!
Sharon
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/173124/survived-battle-cisterna-story-pfc-james-palmer-1st-ranger-battalion-wwii Who is this James Palmer?
sunny wilson
they probably were cousins and actually related, my wife has a cousin and they are doubles but we know they are cousins and not sisters its been proven from dna results. I think they were just look a like cousins.
Sandy
My favorite show!!! Literally have the show on 24/7. I was hoping for a reunion
Deborah
So the endshot of this segment says “solved” and nothing else. I suppose that’s all we’ll ever know unless someone finds out what that means exactly and shares the information leading to that abrupt conclusion. I’d love to know!!
Jennifer Fetherolf
I love that little old man. His smile & laugh were encouragement. I really hope these two brothers can meet each other one day! GOD BLESS!
Joel
He died in 2006.
Very possible match
Roger C. Palmer 6/5/23-11/7/03
Grew up in Cincinnati area and was on leave for 10days in Cincinnati area in 1943.
Detailed information and pictures about his service in the army air corps can be found in link below.
Butler County Warbirds
http://www.bcwarbirds.com/roger_c_palmer.htm
Sylvia Uriegas
I hope u find your twin Mr. Palmer.
Diana
Check out Roy Palmer Indiana born 1921 air corp in 1943, died 1997
Unsolved Fan
Such BS! If I bump into my doppelganger I would not let him/her go before making sure to get any contact info. I mean what are the chances of seeing your double?!
Dee Stone
The segment did say/show that, the twin getting off the train gave Ken a piece of paper with his address on it to write letters to stay in contact and figure out answers. But somewhere between that and getting on the plane he lost the paper and was never able to contact him again.
I agree with you though that atleast some of it is BS. If that happened to me, I would have booked it off the train or never got on to begin with. It’s common sense really. I would have taken the next train to atleast stay and talk to him a bit more.
Amy Joy
This was in the 1940’s things were very different back then.
Anonymous
Oh, come on! Make new Lost Loves pages on Unsolved.com, please. I want to let everybody know that they should try going on Ancestry.com. It can help them find their love ones. Including Martha Brown’s long lost twin brother, Lois Cappoziello’s long lost twin sister and Oscar Norton’s long lost daughter.
Deidree
What I wanna know if they were related or if the looks and names were just a coincidence.
Evelyn palmer
I know this story more than anyone, Ken palmer came to my home in 1992 after many response’s from the show my father Philip palmer contacted him and our story’s matched perfectly, he was on the next plane and at my door, we sat for three days going though pics and letters I had saved from my grandmother’s old steamer trunk, we found a picture of very young blond twin boys I believe to be them, and yes we are the palmer family that the two talked about on that show, it’s true even as a child I remember my grandfather talking about this same thing, as our visit came to an end I knew he had a few more answers but I don’t think he ever found robert,
Cindy Ducklow
Thank you for the update!
Ginger M Wilson
post the pics of the twins u have. what were their birth names, whose kids were they. did they get adopted by other Palmer family members? what were their birth days. they are both dead by now so God will answer their questions. I believe they are twins split up and raised separately. God will tell them everything.
Lynette
Do you have any more information that you can share? I’m just a private genealogist interested in researching this story.
Tony Smith
You should probably provide an update for Unsolved Mysteries. They will do an update for the show. It would have more credibility if verified.
Kathryn Polley
Try Canada. My mother Born. (Lorraine g. English) my Father (Frederick t Martin) was adopted out to the Berries when his Father died of a lumber jacking accident. told me the same story about two brothers who had to leave England. ( last name Martin) She said one went to Canada and the other was here in the states. She grew up in Georgia. My Dad in South Carolina.
Eric W Bohannon
I Get Your X was pregnant with Your Son, by You, Robert James Palmer-pronoposed like
He is out of The Army, or Brother, he could be, a twin, maybe, You Go to 1 inbetween vfw posts, away, when you joined with the group, on special events. Hope this help.
Lori
I live in a small town of Taft California I know there are folks in my town by that name. This story says that he was in the Army Air Corps it just so happens during that time outside of Taft was an Army Air Corps base Gardner field a number of the serviceman who was stationed there upon there discharge from the service because they had met young ladies are in the area return here because of her oil field. my father was stationed out there I will try to go through his yearbook that he had and possibly see if at some point he could have been stationed here
LaShaunda
I just watched Mr. Palmer’s story. And he can contact or search the military service member finder database to find the other Mr. Palmer if he has an idea of what year he saw him, his rank, or even where he may have been going when they saw each other. I am going to us the information from the clip and see what I can find.
Donna Payne
This sure does look like him! I work with James Malcolm Palmer’s son and just went to this funeral recently.
http://www.batescoopersloanfuneralhome.com/fh_live/13900/13960/images/obituaries/3018613.jpg
James Malcolm Palmer
(April 15, 1921 – March 28, 2015)
U.S. Veteran
James Malcolm Palmer, 93, of Mt. Pleasant, Texas exchanged this earthly life for an eternal one, passing away peacefully at his home around loved ones on March 28, 2015. Malcolm was born in the Mings Chapel Community near Gilmer, Texas on April 15, 1921, to Henry Clay Palmer and Lillie Mitchell Palmer.
On December 31, 1946, he married his sweetheart, Merle Ward Palmer. God blessed them with 68 years of marriage and together they had three wonderful children; Marilyn, Malcolm and Randy.
Malcolm graduated from Union Grove High School and was a proud military veteran serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII in England and France. He worked for 40 years as a salesman for Nabisco. He had several hobbies but especially enjoyed photography, fishing and woodworking.
Malcolm was a dedicated member of First Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant, Texas for 68 years and loved being a member of the choir for more that 50 of those years.
Malcolm is preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Marilyn Palmer Paris; brother, Howard Palmer and his sister, Cleo Brooks. He is survived by his wife, Merle of Mt. Pleasant; son and daughter-in-law, Malcolm and Torie Palmer of Longview; son, Randy Palmer of Mineola; son-in-law, Paul Paris of Greenville; seven grandchildren, Paul N. Paris, Ashley Sutton, Whitney Moody, Lauren Vasquez, Holly Miller, Clay Palmer and Justin Palmer; eleven great grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Monday, March 30, 2015 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at Bates-Cooper-Sloan Funeral Home. His service will be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday March 31, 2015 at the First Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant.
Amy
Birth date doesn’t match up. See Ken Palmer’s obituary above.
Tony Smith
Perhaps they aren’t twins
w
would be interesting to see a photo of him in the army to see if there is a resemblance to ken palmer.
Jeremy Palmer
I believe he might be talking about my grandfather.Sheldon Palmer from Pennsylvania. He was a staff sergeant
Jack Carson
That’s it? Just 7 Lost Loves pages on Unsolved.com? When will you guys make more Lost Loves pages on Unsolved.com? Like The Daughter of Oscar Norton, The Sister of Lois Cappoziello, Robert Brown, Gerry and Terry Robinson and many more. Check them out.
http://unsolvedmysteries.wikia.com/wiki/Lost_Loved_Ones
Zero
It looks like Mr. Ken Palmer passed away in 2006. God rest his soul.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pjstar/obituary.aspx?n=kenneth-palmer&pid=18016621
Zero
I wish they would have asked each other’s ages to see if they were actually twins. It is likely they were adopted out to family members and raised seperately. Either that or just like some people have doubles, the family genes are that strong. I want to know if Ken is still alive but am not having luck finding out.
Amanda
he passed away 🙁 he was 90..
James Miller
He passed away in 2007 as most all WW2 veterans are all deceased..
Christina
Could this be him I wonder http://wwii-army.mooseroots.com/l/78270/James-L-Palmer
The guy was a staff sergeant in the air corps Born in South Carolina Was a Master Sergeant in the air corps born in 1917 though he enlisted in 1946 so date seems a bit off.
Though looks like he may of died in 2007 http://grave-records.mooseroots.com/l/5605858/James-Frank-Palmer-SC
BEVINN
THERE ARE MANY CASES LIKE THIS AROUND THE WORLD