(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — With Memorial Day in mind, one elected official is asking people to help in his mission to return Purple Heart Medals to the service members they belong to.
Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs held a press conference this week urging people to assist with Operation Purple Heart, an initiative aiming to return Purple Heart medals to their rightful owners.
Illinois residents are encouraged to play detective and help find homes for several unclaimed Purple Heart Medals.
The Treasurer says twelve metals were submitted to his office for safe-keeping.
“Those medals could have been sitting in a safe deposit box for decades. And someone was paying the rent for those, but when they stopped, often when they were deceased, they get turned over to us.”
Frerichs hopes the Memorial Day weekend will encourage residents to check out their website, Operation Purple Heart, and see if there's a name attached to a military medal they recognize.
“They recognize they deserve to be in the warm embrace of family, rather than sitting in a cold vault in Springfield,” Frerichs said.
The office has successfully reunited ten Purple Hearts with their owners or family.
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