Operation Purple Heart
Returning Purple Hearts to Illinois Veterans and Their Families
Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs launched Operation Purple Heart in November 2021 to help return unclaimed Purple Heart medals to their rightful owners and families. Each medal was found in a bank safe-deposit box that the bank determined to be abandoned because the owner had not accessed it for several years. As a result, the contents of each box were turned over to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office.
Military medals are among the hardest items to return because neither the U.S. Armed Forces nor the federal government maintains a single, complete list of all recipients. The Treasurer’s Office holds more than 100 unclaimed military medals. These medals are never auctioned and are kept until their owners, or family members can be found.
World War II Medals Returned
Russell J. Reilly
Russell J. Reilly lost his right leg in combat during World War II. When his daughter later asked what happened, he offered a simple explanation: He was saving a friend. Reilly died from service-related causes on St. Patrick’s Day in 1980 at age 60.
Returned Purple Heart to the daughter of Army Private First-Class Russell J. Reilly, who lost his right leg in combat during World War II. Little is known about how Reilly suffered the catastrophic injury other than the simple, short explanation he offered his daughter: saving a friend. Mr. Reilly, a proud Irishman, died on St. Patrick’s Day in 1980 while in the VA Hospital in Maywood. He was 60. His death is considered service-related. His only child, daughter Patti Barnstable, accepted the Purple Heart.
James R. Bennett
James R. Bennett was wounded twice while serving in Europe—first in France in August 1944 and again in Germany that December. He returned home to Oak Lawn, where he raised his daughter, Susan, with his wife, Ann. The medal was presented at the Johnson-Phelps VFW Post 5220, where Bennett had served as post commander.
Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs returned a Purple Heart to the niece of James R. Bennett. Bennett was wounded twice in Europe, first on Aug. 13, 1944, in France, and again on Dec. 13, 1944, in Germany. He returned to the United States in December 1945 to his wife, Ann, and they made Oak Lawn their lifelong home. A few years after the war, the Bennetts had a daughter, Susan. She suffered from encephalitis and developed disabilities so severe that she was not expected to survive beyond early childhood. Susan was their only child, and she lived into her 50s. Bennett died in 1990 at age 76. His wife died seven years later. Bennett’s niece, Patty Knies, became Susan’s legal guardian. Frerichs presented the Purple Heart to Knies during a ceremony at the Johnson-Phelps VFW Post 5220 in Oak Lawn. Bennett previously served as a post commander in Oak Lawn.
Stephen J. Grabowski
Stephen J. Grabowski was wounded on April 15, 1945, during the final Allied campaign in Italy. A German grenade struck his bunker and buried him in debris, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. The Chicago native, who was also awarded the Bronze Star, died in 1974 at age 56.
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John L. Moore
John L. Moore survived D-Day but was wounded by shrapnel several weeks later. After recovering, the 20-year-old returned to the front lines and continued serving in Europe. He later raised five children with his wife, Grace, worked in several trades, and remained active in veterans’ organizations.
Returned Purple Heart to the brother and granddaughter of Army Private John L. Moore, one of two brothers to serve their country in the war. A D-Day survivor, Moore was wounded a few weeks later by shrapnel in his right wrist, left knee, and lower right leg. The 20-year-old recovered and returned to battle on the front lines, including in the Rhineland. However, nerve damage diminished the use of his hand, and he returned to Illinois in 1946, going back to Peoria, where he grew up. The war injuries caused Moore chronic pain, especially in his legs. Nevertheless, he worked in the trades doing carpentry and roofing. He also spent time as a truck driver, postal worker, and maintenance supervisor before retiring in 1986. He was very active in military organizations and served as a past commander of posts in Peoria Heights and East Peoria. He died at 78 in 2002 after suffering a heart attack.
Edward Gorski Jr.
Edward Gorski Jr. fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was later wounded during a nighttime mortar attack on May 2, 1945. The 19-year-old suffered injuries to his face and nearly lost an eye. The Chicago native survived the war and died in 1993 at age 67.
Returned Purple Heart to the grandson of Army Private First-Class Edward Gorski Jr., who fought in the Battle of the Bulge. On May 2, 1945, Gorski Jr. was seeking refuge in a foxhole when a fire lit by his fellow soldiers for warmth drew enemy fire. The 19-year-old survived despite wounds to his face and the loss of an eye. A native of Chicago, Gorki Jr. died in 1993 of a heart attack at his Westmont home. He was 67. The medal was returned to grandson Shawn Gorski, also an Army veteran.
Henry Van Der Noord
Henry Van Der Noord was one of four brothers who served during World War II. He was wounded by shrapnel on May 3, 1945, while helping liberate the Philippines. After the war, he became a police officer and started a construction company with one of his brothers.
Returned Purple Heart to the grandson of Army Cpl. Henry Van Der Noord was one of four brothers to serve their country in the war. He was wounded while fighting to liberate the Philippines under the direction of General Douglas MacArthur, whom he admired greatly. Mr. Van Der Noord was with the 39th Field Artillery Division on Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines. On May 3, 1945, he suffered a wound when he was hit in the back with shrapnel. He returned home, became a police officer, and started a construction company with one of his brothers. Van Der Noord’s Purple Heart was returned to his grandson, Christopher Reed, who is a veteran. Today, Reed lives in suburban Atlanta, Georgia. He grew up in Lansing, Illinois, and Batavia.
Delbert G. Tuttle
Delbert G. Tuttle earned the Purple Heart and Silver Star for his actions during the Battle of Saipan on June 15, 1944. After being wounded in the shoulder, he refused an order to leave the front line and continued delivering ammunition and directing tank fire until a second wound forced him to withdraw.
Returned Purple Heart to the daughter of Marine Corps Private First-Class Delbert G. Tuttle.
Mr. Tuttle earned the honor, along with the Silver Star, for wounds he suffered during the Battle of Saipan in the Pacific Theater on June 15, 1944. Tuttle was near the front lines, delivering ammunition and directing tank fire. He was wounded in the shoulder but refused an order to leave the line. A second wound that day forced him to the rear. Mr. Tuttle also had shrapnel in both legs. He returned stateside with the rank of Corporal. Mr. Tuttle lived in Decatur and worked as a machinist for the A.W. Cash Company. He died in 1972 at the age of 52.
Jerome “Jerry” Even
Jerome A. Even earned the Purple Heart after being wounded during the attack on Pearl Harbor, according to his son. Despite an injury to the back of his leg, the Park Ridge veteran continued serving in the Pacific during World War II. He died in 2014 at age 92.
Returned Purple Heart to the children of Army Air Force Master Sergeant Jerome A. Even. The veteran Park Ridge earned a Purple Heart during the attack on Pearl Harbor, according to his son. Mr. Even sustained a wound to the back of his leg but continued his military service during World War II in the Pacific. He passed away in 2014 at age 92.
Charles John Alexander
Charles John Alexander was wounded while serving as an infantryman during the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign in the Pacific. A bullet tore through his knee, causing him to walk with a limp for the rest of his life. He later worked for the Illinois Department of Transportation and was a lifelong member of Disabled American Veterans.
Marine Corps Private First-Class Charles John Alexander of Marseilles, Illinois, served as an infantryman during Operation Forager in the Pacific Theater during World War II. On July 30, 1944, a bullet tore through his knee, leaving him with a limp for the rest of his life.
Alexander rarely spoke about the battle or his service. After returning home, he married Dorothy Johnson in 1948, worked for the Illinois Department of Transportation, and remained a lifelong member of the Disabled American Veterans. He died at home in 1988 and is interred at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood.
Vincent Shayer
After serving during World War II, Vincent Shayer worked as a Chicago Transit Authority bus driver for 30 years. He was also a member of the Amalgamated Transit Workers Union and American Legion Edison Park Post 541. Shayer died in 2007 at age 87.
The Purple Heart of Army veteran Vincent Shayer was returned to his family, honoring both his military service and a lifetime of dedication to his community. After returning home, Shayer spent 30 years serving Chicago residents as a CTA bus driver. He was a member of the Amalgamated Transit Workers Union and remained connected to fellow veterans through American Legion Edison Park Post No. 541. Shayer died in 2007 at age 87, leaving behind a legacy of service that continued long after his time in uniform.
Walter B. Ingledew Jr.
Walter B. Ingledew Jr. served with the 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group, Ninth Air Force. The Chicago native participated in D-Day operations in Normandy and was killed when his plane was shot down over France on August 14, 1944. He was 23 years old.
The Purple Heart of First Lieutenant Walter B. Ingledew Jr. was returned to his niece, Barbara Martens, bringing an important symbol of his courage and sacrifice back to his family. A native of Chicago, Ingledew enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1942 and became a fighter pilot with the 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group, Ninth Air Force. He flew combat missions over Europe and took part in the Allied air campaign supporting the Normandy invasion on D-Day. On Aug. 14, 1944, just weeks after the invasion, Ingledew’s aircraft was shot down over France. He was killed in action at only 23 years old and was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. The return of his medal honors a young pilot who gave his life in service to his country and ensures that his legacy remains in the care of his family.
Edward H. Dunn
Edward H. Dunn served in Europe from 1943 to 1945. During his Army service, the Peoria veteran worked as a scout and rifle sharpshooter with Battery A of the 808th Field Artillery Battalion.
Born in Ransom, Illinois, and later a resident of Peoria, Corporal Edward Dunn enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943 at age 34. He deployed to Europe the following year with Battery A of the 808th Field Artillery Battalion, serving as a scout and qualified rifle sharpshooter.
During World War II, Dunn served in France, Belgium and Germany and participated in the Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns. In addition to the Purple Heart, he earned the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon with two Bronze Battle Stars, four service stripes, two overseas service bars and the Good Conduct Medal. Only his Purple Heart was found in the safe deposit box.
After the war, Dunn returned to Illinois and worked as an inspection foreman for Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery in Peoria. He also served as mayor of the Village of Bellevue from 1954 to 1969. Dunn died in 1970 at age 61.
Vietnam War Medals Returned
Kenneth R. Wiest
Kenneth R. Wiest earned the Purple Heart while serving with the Army in Vietnam. He died in O’Fallon, Illinois, in 1998 at age 48.
The Purple Heart of Army Specialist Kenneth R. Wiest was returned to his children, bringing home a lasting symbol of their father’s service and sacrifice. Wiest earned the medal while serving in Vietnam, where American service members faced the uncertainty and danger of combat far from home. Although the details of his wartime experience are not widely known, the Purple Heart speaks to the personal cost of his service. After the war, Wiest made his home in O’Fallon, Illinois. He died in 1998 at age 48.
Phillip Allen Morris
Phillip Allen Morris served with the 101st Airborne Division and was wounded in combat on January 13, 1966. The Harvey veteran served as an armor crewman and armor intelligence specialist before continuing his service in the Army Reserve.
Returned Purple Heart to Phyllis Furlough, daughter, and Kenneth Furlough, grandson, of Vietnam Veteran Private First-Class Phillip Allen Morris of Harvey. PFC Morris served in the Army (1964-67) in the 101st Airborne Division, A Company, 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry (when received Purple Heart) as an Armor Crewman and Armor Intelligence Specialist, and in the Army Reserves (1967-70). He was wounded in battle on January 13, 1966. PFC Morris passed away in 1997.
Andrew Gust Richard
Andrew Gust Richard served as a rifleman with B Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Marines. He was killed in action on June 19, 1968, during Operation Allen Brook in Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam.
Returned Purple Heart to Bertha Richard, niece of Vietnam Veteran Private First-Class Andrew Gust Richard of Elkhart. PFC Richard served in the Marine Corps (1968) in B Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Marines, 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Amphibious Force as a Rifleman. He was killed in action (KIA) 6/19/68 (age 21) in Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam, at Bac Dong Ban, Go Noi Island, while participating in Operation Allen Brook. His tour in Vietnam began on 2/26/68. He is buried at Camp Butler National Cemetery outside of Springfield.
Willie G. Riley
Willie G. Riley, formerly of East St. Louis, served in the Army from 1967 to 1969. The medal was later presented to his widow, Lori, and their children at Calverton National Cemetery in New York on Veterans Day.
Riley served in the United States Army from 1967-1969 and earned a Purple Heart for his service in Vietnam. Upon receiving the medal, Riley requested that his sister, the late wife of Tommie Turner, place the Purple Heart in her safe deposit box. The contents were surrendered to the treasurer’s office as unclaimed property after Riley’s sister passed away. Turner plans to give the Purple Heart Medal to Mr. Riley’s widow, who lives in New York.
Harold J. Walker
The Treasurer’s Office returned Harold J. Walker’s Purple Heart, Vietnam Service Medal, and National Defense Service Medal directly to the Vietnam veteran. Walker, formerly of Chicago, served in the Army from 1969 to 1970.
The Purple Heart, Vietnam Service Medal and National Defense Service Medal of Army Specialist Harold J. Walker were returned to him, restoring meaningful symbols of his military service. Walker, formerly of Chicago and now living in Vicksburg, Mississippi, served in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1970 with the 23rd Infantry Division during the Vietnam War. After retiring in 2002, he moved back to Mississippi.
Years later, while visiting Chicago, Walker tried to retrieve the medals from a bank, only to learn that the bank had been sold and their whereabouts were unknown. The medals were later transferred to the Treasurer’s Office as unclaimed property in 2007.
The office located Walker and arranged for their return. Determined not to lose them again, he drove to Illinois to receive the long-missing medals in person.
Korean War Medals Returned
John W. Naylor
John W. Naylor served in the Army during the Korean War. His Purple Heart and Combat Infantryman Badge were returned to his daughter during a ceremony in Springfield.
The Purple Heart and Combat Infantryman Badge of Korean War veteran Corporal John W. Naylor were returned to his daughter, Barbara Ann Reynolds. Naylor, a Springfield resident, served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953 and ended with an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty.
The safe deposit box also contained his military discharge papers, family birth, marriage and baptism certificates, a cemetery deed for the family plot, a gold ring, savings bonds and $1,000 from an insurance policy. The Treasurer’s Office Unclaimed Property Division also provided Reynolds with proceeds from a separate life insurance policy belonging to her father.