Purple Heart reunited with Malin family after 75 years

MALIN, Ore. — The Coos County Sheriff’s Office has been searching for the family of a hero. That’s after it found a Purple Heart that was separated from its rightful owner for over 75 years.

Friday, the award was finally reunited with the owner’s family.

“The sacrifice that they made really shouldn’t be forgotten and having a Purple Heart sitting on top of a file cabinet or in Goodwill is not where it should be,” said Captain Gabe Fabrizio, Coos County Sheriff’s Office.

With its vibrant purple ribbon and heart-shaped gold center, the Purple Heart is an award recognized across the world remembering men and women who are wounded or killed fighting for their country.

“[The] Purple Heart is one of those awards that nobody wants to give but everyone admires immensely because of the dedication and sacrifice that it signifies,” said Captain Fabrizio.

But at the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, one Purple Heart’s been sitting on top of a filing cabinet separated from its rightful owner “Emil V. Potucek” of Klamath County for over 75 years.

“He gave up so much for his country,” said Deputy Zachary Olander, Coos County Sheriff’s Office. “The fact that this it is sitting around and not being either kept by the family in remembrance or honored somewhere is unfortunate, so we’re really trying to rectify that.”

Potucek was a second lieutenant with the 8th Air Force division, 366th bomber squadron, 305th bomber group, heavy.

On October 17th, 1944, his plane was shot down over Reich, Germany and was last seen flying through the clouds out of control. Records say Potucek later died in a German concentration camp two days later.

“I looked up all his family members and his wife, father and mother, and sisters, and they had all passed away,” said Deputy Olander.

With few leads, the office finally decided to take their search to social media. And within hours of posting on their Facebook page Friday morning, something amazing happened.

Malin man Kirk Kirkpatrick, as it turns out, was searching for the Purple Heart too.

“Well, it did put a smile on my face because I knew a couple years ago there was a Purple Heart that existed,” said Kirkpatrick, Potucek’s nephew. “And it made me kind of sad because Marie, who was the husband of Emil, has been dead for several years. And that family and she probably never truly knew what happened.”

Kirkpatrick says he will be passing the family heirloom along to his son. But today, he’s just thankful after all these years, the family’s Purple Heart finally made its way back home.

“A lot of people out there that were children of World War Two veterans still remember that and that’s still really close to a lot of people’s hearts. And then there’s a lot of people out there who don’t have a clue because it’s so far removed, but a lot of people still think about it,” said Kirkpatrick.

The Coos County Sheriff’s Office says they’re overjoyed they were able to find Kirkpatrick and are now able to honor and keep Potucek’s story alive.

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