By Michael W. Frerichs, Illinois State Treasurer
As Memorial Day approaches, I am reminded of Operation Purple Heart. Operation Purple Heart is an unprecedented mission to return Purple Heart medals to their rightful owners. The military honors were submitted to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office for safekeeping and return as part of the Unclaimed Property program, also known as I-Cash or missing money.
These medals personify honor, sacrifice, and duty. We respectfully ask the citizens of Illinois to help us return these medals into the loving care of their families.
Military medals are among the most difficult items to return because neither the Armed Forces nor the federal government maintains a comprehensive list of awardees.
We hope that Memorial Day gatherings will spark a memory or provide a clue so that these medals can be returned. We have an unparalleled record in returning military honors, especially the Purple Heart, as a direct result of friends reaching out to friends and asking a simple question: “Did you see the story about missing Purple Hearts and could that be your Dad’s?”
That is exactly what happened earlier this year, when we returned a Purple Heart an Army Specialist earned in Vietnam. A friend heard about our efforts and contacted the soldier’s youngest daughter and asked, “Could this be your Dad’s?”
In an effort to find the rightful owners, the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office has released additional information that the owners or their relatives might recognize. A thorough vetting of inquiries will occur once an electronic claim is made at www.illinoistreasurer.gov/icash.
Misrepresenting oneself in an effort to recover unclaimed property is a crime, will not be tolerated, and the State Treasurer’s Office will seek prosecution to the fullest extent of the law, especially with regard to military honors.
Each of the Purple Heart medals was inside a bank safe deposit box. Each bank determined the safe deposit box was abandoned because the owner(s) of the box had not touched it in several years. As a result, the contents of each safe deposit box were turned over to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office.
In most cases, the conflict in which the Purple Heart was awarded, such as World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, or Desert Storm, is unclear or unknown.
We have made great strides in recent years when it comes to returning Purple Hearts to their rightful owners. Yet we have further work to do. We continue to pursue leads and to ask for the public’s help so we can return additional Purple Hearts.
The names below are the names associated with the bank safe deposit box and might not be the name of the awardee. The dates below correspond to when the contents of the bank safe deposit box containing the Purple Heart were turned over to the Treasurer’s Office, not when the Purple Heart was earned or awarded:
Robert Cawthon, submitted to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office Nov. 1, 1992, from Fifth Third Bank in Oak Park. There is conflicting information about where Robert lived. Information suggests the awardee was in the infantry.
Raymond Wilson, submitted to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office Nov. 13, 1995. Raymond lived in Chicago and banked with Chicago Community Bank, which subsequently was sold.
Lawrence M. Burns, submitted to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office Nov. 5, 1997. Lawrence lived in Homewood and banked with Advanced Bank in Homewood. Information also suggests a financial relationship with Homewood Federal Savings and Loan. Today, there is information to suggest Mr. Burns chooses to live in a remote area in California.
Linda K. Moore, submitted to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office Oct. 17, 2001. Linda lived in Peoria and banked with National City Bank in Peoria, which subsequently was sold. Information suggests a relationship with John L. Moore.
Bernice Smith, submitted to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office Nov. 18, 2002. Bernice lived in Oak Park and banked with MB Financial Bank in Oak Park. The bank subsequently was sold.
David Gorski, submitted to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office Oct. 30, 2003. David lived in Darien and banked with Hinsbrook Bank & Trust. Contents suggesting a relationship with World War II also were present, although it is difficult to determine if that is when the Purple Heart was earned.
Vincent G. Tuttle, submitted to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office Oct. 25, 2018. Vincent lived in Decatur and banked with Busey Bank in Pekin. Information suggests Mr. Tuttle’s father, Delbert Gleason Tuttle, is believed to be the Purple Heart recipient. Vincent might be experiencing unsecure housing. Years ago, he frequented House of Miracles Pentecostal Church in Decatur.
Toni Alexander, submitted to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office Oct. 26, 2018. Toni lived in Channahon and banked with First Midwest Bank in Shorewood. Channahon straddles Grundy and Will counties and is near Morris. A Bible also was in the safe deposit box. Information suggests Toni was the owner of the safe deposit box and the Purple Heart recipient was Private Charles J. Alexander, who earned the honor for wounds received against the enemy in the Central Pacific area on July 30, 1944. He might have been a Marine and might have been wounded during battle on Marianas Island.
Isbell Servina, or Mary A. Shayer, or Vincent P. Shayer, submitted to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office Oct. 31, 2018. It is believed they lived in Chicago. Each name was on the safe deposit box. A will for Mary and a trust for Vincent also were in the safe deposit box.
Michelle Steward or Patricia VanHasselaere, submitted to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office Oct. 31, 2018. It is believed they lived in Round Lake. A will for Patricia also was in the safe deposit box.
To these heroes, and to all who have served on Memorial Day and every day we express our deepest gratitude on Memorial Day and every day.
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