Veterans Honored with Returned WWII Medals

Veterans Day has seen families of war veterans honored with the return and recognition of military medals. In Saginaw, Michigan, the family of the late Captain James McClain was awarded the Silver and Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart posthumously, presented by U.S. Senator Gary Peters. Similarly, Carolyn Peckham, the daughter of WWII veteran Private First-Class Delbert Tuttle from Illinois, was reunited with her father's Purple Heart, a testament to his bravery during the Battle of Saipan. Tuttle's medal was returned as part of Illinois' Operation Purple Heart initiative, highlighting the state's commitment to honoring war heroes. The medals, preserved since 2018, were found in an abandoned safe deposit box and returned to Tuttle's family by Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs. These events underscore the ongoing efforts to recognize and honor the sacrifices of veterans and their families.