Operation Purple Heart

Posted on November 3, 2021

*Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs. (Dave Dahl/WJBC)*

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – As Veterans Day approaches, Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs hopes the talk at your household veers to any military service in the family – and a possible Purple Heart.

Frerichs’ office, which maintains a vault of unclaimed property surrendered from old safe deposit boxes and the like, is holding eleven of these medals, plus countless other medals and honors.

Here is the web site for the unclaimed property program.

Last names and last known cities connected to the eleven:

Cawthon, Portland OR
Wilson, Chicago
Burns, Homewood
Moore, Peoria
Smith, Oak Park
Gorski, Darien
Tuttle, Decatur
Alexander, Channahon
Isbell or Shayer, Chicago
Steward of VanHasselacre, Round Lake
Wiest, O’Fallon

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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