'Operation Purple Heart': Illinois Treasurer asks for help returning Purple Heart medals

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - There's a mission underway in Illinois to return symbols of sacrifice and bravery to those who earned them. 

The Illinois Treasurer is asking for help with "Operation Purple Heart."

"In honor of Veteran's Day, we're asking citizens in the state of Illinois to help us return Purple Heart medals. These are medals that are earned for some of the highest sacrifices to our country, and they belong back in the warm embrace of their family, not in our cold vault in Springfield," said Treasurer Michael Frerichs.

Frerichs say the medals ended up in the Treasurer's Office vault as unclaimed property after being found in abandoned bank safety deposit boxes.

"I saw these Purple Hearts, and we deputized our staff made them private detectives to go out and find the owners. We've returned seven so far. They've been seven of the best experiences as a Treasurer. We have 11 more we'd love to return," he said.

There's no comprehensive government or armed services list of who received the medals and returning the remaining 11 purple hearts if proving trickier.

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"You don't have to know the actual person but if you have any clues, any tips you can give us we would really appreciate them."

The Treasurer's Office has names associated with each bank safe deposit box where the Purple Hearts were found, but those names may not be that of the recipient.

Here's the information they hope can spur more leads in "Operation Purple Heart":

• 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 of Mariana Islands.
• 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 was 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.
• Kenneth Wiest, submitted to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office Oct. 23, 2019. Kenneth is believed to have lived in O’Fallon, the second-largest city in the Metro East region and Southern Illinois. It is five miles from Scott Air Force Base and 18 miles from Downtown St. Louis. Information suggests a potential connection to Desert Storm and Vietnam.

The Illinois Treasurer's Office says a thorough vetting of inquiries will occur once an electronic claim is made at www.illinoistreasurer.gov/icash.

Frerichs also says his office will seek prosecution to the fullest extent of the law if anyone misrepresents themselves to get a Purple Heart that doesn't belong to them .