Lost Purple Heart Returned to WWII Veteran’s Family in Illinois

After an exhaustive search, a long-lost Purple Heart medal has been returned to the family of a World War II soldier.

Honoring a Fallen Hero in Illinois

According to a press release from the Illinois Treasurer's office, the Purple Heart was reunited with the niece of WWII Army Private Stephen J. Grabowski, decades after his sacrifice in combat.

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The medal was returned during a ceremony at VFW Post 1301 in Marion, Illinois, and marks the 16th lost Purple Heart recovered and returned through "Operation Purple Heart," a statewide initiative to ensure military honors are rightfully restored to families of Illinois veterans.

A Soldier's Sacrifice in Italy

Grabowski, a Chicago native and the son of Polish immigrants, fought in Italy during Operation Grapeshot, the final Allied push against German forces in April 1945, according to the press release.

At 27 years old, Grabowski served in Company B of the 473rd Infantry and was paralyzed from the waist down when a German grenade struck his bunker.

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Just weeks later, Germany surrendered to Allied forces, marking the beginning of the end of the war in Europe.

According to the press release, Stephen J. Grabowski lived at Hines VA hospital after the war until he died in 1974 at the age of 56.

Medals Preserved and Returned

Alongside the Purple Heart, the Illinois Treasurer was also able to return Grabowski's Bronze Star, European-African-Middle Eastern campaign medal, Good Conduct medal, American Campaign medal, and World War II victory medal.

The medals had reportedly been locked in a Chicago bank safe deposit box belonging to Grabowski's nephew, who is now in a nursing home, according to the report.

Safeguarding Illinois History

The Illinois Treasurer's Office received the safe deposit box in 2010 as part of its role of managing unclaimed property.

Military medals are among the most difficult items to return because there is no federal database of recipients.

Illinois Treasurer Frerichs urged the public to help by checking the state's list of unclaimed Purple Hearts. "This is an honor that deserves to be in their loving hands, not the cold, dark vault in my safe," he said.