JOLIET, Ill. (WAND) - A Purple Heart was returned to to the family of a WWII soldier who was killed in action.
Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs presented the medal to the family of First Lieutenant Walter Ingledew, Jr. He was killed in action in Europe during WWII.
Ingledew's niece, Barbara Martens, accepted the medal during a ceremony at the Stone City VFW Post 2199 in Joliet.
Ingledew, a Chicago native, enlisted in the Army Air Forces in 1942. He served in the 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group, and Ninth Army Air Force as a Fighter Pilot.
He was in action over Normandy on D-Day. He was shot down over France on Aug. 14, 1944 when he was just 23 years old.
His Purple Heart Medal was put in a bank safe deposit box belonging to his family, but was later lost and surrendered to the treasurer's office as unclaimed property.
The family also received his two Air Medals with four oak leaf clusters that he received for acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight and two Campaign Starts.
