Treasurer Stacy Garrity Honors Veterans with Military Decoration Returns

Harrisburg, PA - Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity today announced that 57 military decorations have been returned to Veterans and their families so far in 2025. Returns this year include two Purple Hearts, Treasury's first-ever Gold Star Widows and Pilgrimage Medal and Civil War buttons and epaulettes.

"As state treasurer, I'm tasked with safeguarding more than $180 billion in state assets, but one of my favorite parts of this job isn't about the money at all, it's honoring my fellow Veterans by returning the military decorations that find their way to Treasury's vault in Harrisburg."

Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity

Treasury has a dedicated database to help reunite military decorations with Veterans or their families. There are nearly 500 decorations, including medals, dog tags, pins, buttons and more remaining in Treasury's care. They represent every branch of military service and nearly every major conflict. Anyone can review the available decorations online at patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property/medals.

"I urge the public to search our military decoration database to see if they have information to help us reunite the priceless decorations in our vault with the Veterans who earned them or their families."

Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity

Since taking office, Treasurer Garrity has returned 533 military decorations, including 13 Purple Hearts, three Bronze Stars and one Gold Star Medal.

"This year included incredibly moving in-person returns, including the return of two Purple Hearts, and the Gold Star Medal. Meeting the families of the Veterans is impactful because they add so many details about the bravery, determination and good character of the Veteran who stood in the defense of our great nation."

Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity

In April, Treasurer Garrity returned a Gold Star Widows and Pilgrimage Medal to Christine Morrison, the great-niece of Private First-Class Joseph William Morrison.

PFC Morrison was in the 554th Army Ambulance Service during World War I. He was killed in action on November 1, 1918, ten days before the end of the war. His bravery was also recognized by the French government, which awarded him the Croix de Guerre.

The Gold Star Treasury returned had been presented to PFC Morrison's mother, Agnes Morrison, when she visited the grave of her son in France in 1933. The full return ceremony can be seen here.

On Purple Heart Day, Aug. 7, Treasurer Garrity returned a Purple Heart to James Morgan, the son of the late Ray Alvin Morgan, an Army Veteran who was wounded in the Vietnam War. Private First-Class Morgan served in Company A, 4th Supply and Support Battalion, 4th Infantry. He was presented with the Purple Heart at Valley Forge Hospital during his recovery. The Purple Heart return ceremony, which took place at Fort Indiantown Gap, can be seen here.

"Each medal, pin or button that comes to Treasury is a piece of someone's story and returning them is a way to honor a Veteran's service and show our gratitude for their sacrifices. I extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation on this Veterans Day to all Veterans and their families for all they have done for every Pennsylvanian and every American."

Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity

Tangible unclaimed property, like military decorations, finds its way to Treasury most often as the contents of forgotten safe deposit boxes. State law requires unclaimed property to be reported to Treasury after three years of dormancy.

There is also more than $5 billion in unclaimed property, including old bank accounts, checks, rebates, insurance policies and more available to claim. More than one in ten Pennsylvanians has unclaimed property, and the average value of a claim is more than $1,000.

To search for unclaimed property, visit patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property.

Images of military decorations can be found here.