Purple Heart found by dog to be returned to family

DENVER, March 24 (UPI) -- A charity that seeks to reunite veterans with lost war medals said a purple heart dug up by a Colorado dog will be reunited with the family of its recipient.

Capt. Zachariah Fike of the Purple Hearts Reunited group said the purple heart belonging to Cpl. Richmond Litman, a Korean War veteran, was dug up by a dog in a Denver family's back yard about a decade ago.

"About 10 years ago their dog, Smuckers, dug a Purple Heart medal, of all things, out of the ground," Fike told KCNC-TV.

He said the group received a call Sunday from a woman who says she is Litman's daughter. "We are currently setting up a future return ceremony in the next week or two," Fike said.

Purple Hearts Reunited said it has returned about 150 lost Purple Hearts to veterans and their families during the past three years.