State officials want veterans to check Pa. Treasury’s vault for military decorations, memorabilia

PITTSBURGH — Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity wants veterans to help get military decorations and memorabilia in the agency’s vault back to the original owners.

“On this Veterans Day, I want every one of Pennsylvania’s nearly 800,000 veterans to know they are appreciated and respected for their selfless service to our country,” Garrity said. “As a veteran myself, I have seen first-hand the sacrifices made by our service members and their families to ensure the freedoms we all enjoy. To each one of them, I say thank you.”

Treasurer Garrity and Sen. Stefano also encouraged Pennsylvanians to search Treasury’s database of unclaimed military decorations and memorabilia to help return priceless medals – including Purple Hearts and Bronze Stars – to the veterans who earned them.

Since taking office, Treasurer Garrity has returned more than 225 military decorations and memorabilia which were housed in Treasury’s vault as part of the state’s unclaimed property program. Another 500 are in the process of being returned.

“Returning military decorations and memorabilia is my favorite part of being Treasurer, and absolutely the most rewarding,” Garrity said. “Our first goal is to return the items to the veteran who earned them. If the veteran has passed, we return them to a family member. Sometimes it can take quite a bit of detective work to find the rightful owners. It’s one small way we can show our gratitude to these veterans and their families.”

Military items most often come to Treasury as contents of abandoned or forgotten safe deposit boxes. Most tangible property is auctioned due to space restrictions after being held for three years, with the proceeds remaining to be claimed by a rightful owner any time. However, military decorations and memorabilia are held in perpetuity until Treasury can get them back to the veteran who earned them or their family.

Anyone can search Treasury’s military database here: https://patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property/medals/.

Ceremony held at National Cemetery of the Alleghenies to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice

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