Purple Heart medal returned to veteran’s family 80 years after his death

The Brief

  • The Purple Heart was found in a Georgia junkyard. The junkyard turned the meal over to a local VFW post.
  • The medal belonged to a World War II veteran who died 80 years ago.
  • The medal is now with a family member of the veteran’s who lives in Bolinas.

NOVATO, Calif. On Wednesday evening, VFW Post in the North Bay held a ceremony to return a medal won at great cost by a fighter pilot killed in World War II to a family. The ceremony took place in Novato.

Found in Georgia junkyard

The Purple Heart is a medal awarded in the name of the president to those wounded or killed while serving in the military. This Purple Heart was found in a Newnan, Georgia auto salvage lot under the seat of a forklift.

“I would say it’s a minor miracle that it ever got found in the first place,” said Novato VFW Post 7816 Commander Richard Saber.

The salvage yard employee turned the metal over to a local VFW post.

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