NITRO, W.Va. (WCHS) — For the past 10 months, Eyewitness News has been looking for Nitro's missing World War I tank.

We found it. But getting the relic back to West Virginia has proven to be a complex problem.

It was May 1987 when an M1917 World War I tank arrived in the Mountain State. After nearly of decade of working to acquire the tank from a Virginia VFW Post, the mission was accomplished.

Officially dedicated a couple of years later, the tank was displayed as part of Nitro's legacy of serving as a "Living Memorial To World War I." But in 2005, it disappeared when the family of the man who led the effort to obtain the tank loaded it up on a truck for what was said to be restoration and refurbishment.

However, it was really on its way to be sold.

Today, after several stops, the tank sits in the National Museum of Military Vehicles. But does it actually belong to the Dubois, Wyoming facility?

There is a possibility the M1917 is still the property of the United States Government, specifically the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command located in Warren, Michigan.

Nathan Wills has been leading the effort to recover the tank as the Nitro Historic Commission vice president.

"Everybody sees the elephant in the room," Wills said. "We know where it is and what has happened. I'm embarrassed for the United States government. the military, TACOM. I'm embarrassed for the city of Nitro that both of these organizations don't want to push this so that we could have a formal hearing. Everyone looks at the proof of what we don't have. But they will not take into consideration the proof that we do have."

After several attempts, Eyewitness News established contact with the U.S, Army's Tank-automotive and Armaments Command in Michigan and asked if the tank's ownership could be confirmed.

Following a short period, we got our answer from TACOM's Director of Public and Congressional Affairs, Donna Edwards:

Thank you very much for reaching out the U.S. Army Tank-automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM). This matter was brought to our attention in 2017, and the situation has not changed. TACOM lacks sufficient documentation to support legal claim to the M1917 in question. To contest ownership, the City of Nitro will need to identify the Department of Defense agency that conveyed the asset and produce documentation evidencing the terms of the conditional conveyance. We hope this information is beneficial.

With the ball firmly in Nitro's court, Eyewitness News reached out to the place where the city acquired the tank: Alexandria, Virginia's Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 609.

We talked with the post's commanding officer about the situation. After reviewing the few documents he could find, Commander Gerald Kreuger shared what they said:

The tank automotive command had it stored at Fort Meade, Maryland, before it was given to the VFW in Alexandria. There's no records that they could come up with showing a transfer documents for that being loaned, if you will, to our VFW in Alexandria. Under that sort of suggestion, parenthetically, my comment would be we never owned the tank. So probably, the tank was the tank automotive command in Michigan property but stored at Fort Meade I would think hand-receipted, I'll use that word advisedly, to somebody at our VFW in Alexandria. Long since gone, we don't even know their names.

Kreuger's comments echo those of the former director of TACOM's donation program which lends items like the tank to cities and organizations to use as memorials.

But just like TACOM today, 17 years ago Ed Wolverton could not find the original 1941 transfer order which sent the tank from Maryland's Fort Meade to the Alexandria VFW post.

In an April 22, 2007, story in the Washington Post, Wolverton was asked about the M1917's ownership status.

He is quoted in the article saying, "We don't give stuff away. It's a conditional donation. We feel the rightful custodian of the tank is the City of Nitro and the VFW post in Nitro. Right now, it basically falls on [Nitro] to go after Mr. Moody's heirs and retrieve it."

As we've told you previously, Nitro Mayor David Casebolt said the city is no longer interested in getting the tank back. He once again declined our request for an on camera interview to explain his reasoning.

Despite the city waving the white flag, Wills said he will persevere.

"I believe it's what's right," Wills said. "I just cannot imagine in the United States of America that someone could drive into a town, an American town on Saturday afternoon with everybody in the world out strolling around, and load up the city's most valued artifact and drive off with it. And then when they say you took it, bring it back. And they say, no. And the city basically and TACOM says, okay. I just cannot. It's just hard for me, that sticks in my craw."

While it appears the saga of Nitro's long-lost missing World War One tank may finally be closed, we'll keep and eye on the situation. Should something happen requiring an update, we'll make sure to get it to you.