Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Seeks Additional Help with Operation Purple Heart

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May 23, 2024, 13:54 ET

10 Purple Hearts Returned in Unprecedented Mission To Honor Soldiers and Bring Closure to Families; Four Additional Purple Hearts Turned Over for Safekeeping Until They Can Be Returned

CHICAGO, May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As Memorial Day approaches, Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs is urging people to help with Operation Purple Heart, 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, duty. We call today on the citizens of Illinois to help us return these medals into the loving care of their families," Frerichs said.

The Treasurer's Office hopes upcoming remembrances to honor Memorial Day will spark a memory or provide a clue so that these medals can be returned. Frerichs' office has an unparalleled record in returning military honors, especially 10 Purple Heart medals. Four additional Purple Heart medals have been received by the office.

"Our ask is simple. If you recognize a name, and you know they had contact with the city, then reach out to them or their relatives because maybe we have their Purple Heart," Frerichs said. "You also can reach out to my office through operationpurpleheart.org."

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.

In an effort to find the rightful owners, the Illinois State Treasurer's Office is releasing 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.

Each of the Purple Heart medals was inside a bank safe deposit box. Banks 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 State Treasurer's Office.

A list of Purple Hearts to be returned and the 10 that have been returned is available online. Video from today's press conference will be available here.

SOURCE Illinois State Treasurer's Office