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Kennesaw veteran's Purple Heart found after decades, being sent to family

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Updated  May 24, 2024 9:35am EDT
Kennesaw
FOX 5 Atlanta

Purple Heart to be returned to veteran

A Purple Heart that was separated from its owner who lived in Kennesaw is on its way back to his family. The medal will be put on display once it is received.

KENNESAW, Ga. - Just in time for Memorial Day, a World War II veteran from Kennesaw will finally be reunited with his Purple Heart medal. The medal is currently en route to Smyrna, where it will be presented to the family of Private Ives Louis Smith.

Private Smith enlisted in the Army in 1942 and served as a truck driver in an infantry unit in Europe. During the war, he was wounded and awarded the Purple Heart, but the medal was lost somewhere along the way. Private Smith passed away in 1990, never having been reunited with his medal.

This year, the Purple Heart unexpectedly turned up at a flea market in Vidalia. Once it is reunited with Smith's family, they plan to display it at the Smyrna American Legion, Post 160, and formally present it on Memorial Day. This reunion will honor Private Smith's service and sacrifice, ensuring his legacy is remembered.