Connecticut treasurer returns unclaimed military medals to families
Photo By Timothy Koster |
Connecticut Treasurer Erik Russell talks to family members of veterans who had awards......read moreread more
Photo By Timothy Koster | Connecticut Treasurer Erik Russell talks to family members of veterans who had awards held in the state's unclaimed property program during a ceremony at the State Office Building, Hartford, Conn. June 30, 2026. see less
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Connecticut treasurer returns unclaimed military medals to families
Connecticut State Treasurer Erik Russell, in collaboration with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Brig. Gen. (ret.) Ron Welch, commissioner of the Connecticut state Veterans Affairs, and Maj. Gen. Francis J. Evon, the adjutant general of the Connecticut National Guard, presented military awards held by the state's unclaimed property program to family members of the service members who earned them during a ceremony at the State Office Building, Hartford, Conn. June 30, 2026.
The awards presented today included a Purple Heart for World War I Army veteran Pellegrino Matteis, A National Defense Service Ribbon and Apollo 9 Commemorative Medallion for Navy veteran John Crain Haley, and a Silver Star medal for Korean War veteran Army Cpl. Edmund F. Dobek.
“One of the great privileges of my service as State Treasurer is being able to reunite Connecticut residents with lost or abandoned property through the state’s Unclaimed Property Program,” said Russell. “Today we are reuniting two Connecticut families with prestigious and cherished military medals that were earned by their relatives. These medals have been jointly safeguarded by the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs and the Office of the Treasurer.”
“Military medals carry deep meaning,” said Welch. “They represent service, sacrifice, and a commitment to our nation that deserves lasting recognition. We recognize the importance of preserving this legacy and returning these medals to the families to whom they belong.”
According to Welch, Pellegrino Matties was awarded the Purple Heart following his service in World War I, where he was also held in captivity as a prisoner of war.
The Purple Heart is the United States’ oldest military decoration, tracing its roots back to General George Washington’s Badge of Military Merit, established in 1782.
John Crain Haley, a native of Portland Connecticut, was a Navy veteran who served on board the USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7), an Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship that also served as the primary recovery ship for the Apollo 9 mission. After the spacecraft splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean on March 13, 1969, the crew of the Guadalcanal secured the rocket’s command capsule and the three astronauts aboard.
U.S. Army Cpl. Edmund F. Dobek was a native of New Britain, Connecticut. He earned the Silver Star for his valiant service during the Korean War. At the age of 22, Dobek was killed in action when he stepped on a landmine while attempting to carry a wounded comrade to safety.
Dobek was awarded the medal posthumously for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Headquarters Battery, 69th Field Artillery Battalion, 25th Infantry Division, in action against the enemy in Korea on or about 25 September 1951.”
Present during the ceremony to accept the medals and awards was Sonja and Christopher John Haley, the wife and father, respectively, of John Crain Haley, as well as Ted Kozlowski and Claire Murphy, the nephew and niece of Edmund Dobek. Treasurer Russell and Commissioner Welch spoke with Linda Pouliot, granddaughter of Pellegrino Matties on the phone prior to the ceremony to inform her she’d be reunited with his purple heart later this week.
Also in attendance at the event was Brig. Gen. Michael Sipples, assistant adjutant general for the Connecticut Army National Guard, and Command Sgt. Maj. (ret.) John Carragher, deputy commissioner for the Connecticut Veterans Association.
If you believe you may have unclaimed property through the state of Connecticut, including military awards and decorations, you can visit ctbiglist.gov and complete a simple, free search of the state’s database.
