By Todd Wineburner

State Treasurer Dan Rutherford wants military honors taken out of the state's Unclaimed Property vaults and returned to the veterans who earned them. Rutherford's office is updating the lists for Operation Reunite to do just that.

Operation Reunite is designed to identify the rightful owners or heirs of military objects in the vaults under the state capitol. Recently two purple hearts were returned to a Rockford woman whose relatives earned the medals, and a bronze star was returned to Tommy Fenton of Mt. Vernon, as well. Rutherford says returning these objects is a particularly rewarding part of his job.

A list of names associated with Operation Reunite is available at the treasurer's website--www.treasurer.il.gov.