Today, I salute the organization ‘Operation Purple Heart’ and World War II Army Veteran James Bennett. James was wounded twice during World War II, once in France and once in Germany. After the war, James volunteered with the local fire and police departments and repaired toys for children with disabilities. His Purple Heart ended up in an unclaimed safe deposit box. Fast forward to when Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs took over the office, and one day, in the vault, he found a framed Purple Heart and wondered who it belonged to. That discovery inspired Frerichs to launch what’s now known as “Operation Purple Heart,” a state program that tracks down lost medals and returns them to veterans’ families, and that is how he was able to deliver the Purple Heart to James’ niece, since James, his wife, and their daughter have passed away. Thank you, Operation Purple Heart, for doing the important work, and THANK YOU, James, for your service.