Chicago, IL – A Chicago soldier’s missing Purple Heart has been reunited with his family just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, marking a record-breaking achievement for the state’s unclaimed property program.
According to Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, the medal belonged to the late Russell J. Reilly, a World War II veteran and Private First Class who earned the distinction after losing his leg in combat. Frerichs announced the return Friday, noting that this is the 18th medal returned under “Operation Purple Heart,” an initiative dedicated to reuniting military honors with their rightful owners.
The medal was discovered in a bank safe deposit box that was turned over to the Treasurer’s Office in 2018 after being deemed abandoned. Reilly, who lived in Chicago’s South Austin neighborhood before serving three years in the Army, allegedly lost his leg while saving a friend on the battlefield. After being honorably discharged in 1945, he returned to Illinois, where he worked as a police clerk and courthouse deputy.
According to Reilly’s daughter, Patti Barnstable, her father was a “typical Irishman” who never missed a chance to celebrate his heritage. In a poignant turn of events, Reilly passed away at the age of 60 on St. Patrick’s Day in 1980. Barnstable shared that while her father rarely spoke of the war, the physical scars remained a constant part of their lives, including the wooden prosthetic leg he wore for decades.
Frerichs emphasized that military medals are among the most difficult items to return because federal records are often incomplete. He urged residents to check the Operation Purple Heart website to see if other medals belong to their ancestors.
“If you recognize a name, please reach out to them or their family. This is an honor that deserves to be in their loving hands, not the cold, dark vault of my office,”
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