State Rep. Mike Marron (R-Danville) is seeking the public’s help in returning 11 Purple Heart medals to their rightful owners or their families.
“The state of Illinois needs the public's help returning 11 Purple Heart medals,” Marron posted on Facebook. “The treasurer’s office received these medals as part of the unclaimed property program after the owners could not be found.”
Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs is now overseeing the search through Operation Purple Heart. The names on the list are Cawthon, Wilson, Burns, Moore, Smith, Gorski, Tuttle, Alexander, “Isbell or Shayer,” “Steward or Vanhasselaere,” and Wiest, and the medals were awarded between the years of 1992 and 2019 and at some point were left in a bank deposit box that went untouched for years.
Purple Heart medals are awarded to U.S. armed services members who are injured or killed in the line of duty.
“These medals personify honor, sacrifice, and duty,” Frerichs told WGN. “They belong in the loving care of families rather than hidden inside our cold basement vault.”
Meanwhile, top army officials are also reported to be weighing appeals from brain-injured soldiers who feel they have been unfairly blocked from receiving such distinction. A recent NPR and Pro Publica report details how several soldiers who sustained concussions were denied serious consideration for such awards.
"What was clear to us is that there's confusion about concussion and the Purple Heart," Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the Army’s second-in-command, said. "There's confusion on the part of commanders, and there's confusion even on the part of doctors."
In the wake of the reports, Chiarelli ordered officials at the Army's Human Resources Command to review whether Purple Hearts had been wrongly denied to those who have proven deserving. At the same time, Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) has asked the military to apply a uniform standard for awarding the medal.
Alerts Sign-up