Coweta man finds Purple Heart in garbage bin, reunites medal with family members

COWETA, Okla. — A trip to the garbage bin turned into the discovery of a hidden treasure.

Michael Smith and his wife live in an apartment complex in Coweta with their dog, Steve. Michael was taking the garbage out when he spotted a milk carton in the bin.

He grabbed it, thinking it would be a good chair for the kids while they’re out hunting. “Curiosity killed the cat, so I took the whole thing and I brought it up,” said Smith.

He found a locked box inside the crate.

“My dad was a locksmith, so I had some knowledge of doing that,” said Smith. “I picked that lock off.”

“It freaked me out,” said Smith. “I couldn’t believe I found it in the trash. It’s a Purple Heart, it belonged to someone who served, a veteran.”

Smith found more medals in the box, along with an old phone book filled with numbers.

There was also a name, John E. Phillips. “I’m just glad to get it back, and it didn’t go to the trash, to an incinerator, or covered up somewhere,” said Smith.

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According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, the Purple Heart is one of the most recognized and respected medals awarded.

Smith thought of his own father, who is a veteran. He knew that he wanted to return the medal to the right owner.

He checked with the apartment complex, and it turns out that an older woman had just moved out to live with her daughter. Lots of items were thrown out during the move.

The Purple Heart belonged to her husband, a World War II veteran. A treasure that they believed was lost forever.

Until Smith found it.

Smith says a reunion is in the works.

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