Purple Heart Found in Colorado Linked to San Angelo Native

Ten years ago in a suburban neighborhood in Denver, Colorado, Steve Jankousky and Tom Unterwagner took in a stray lab mix named Smuckers who loved to dig. Smuckers loved to dig so much that one day, she decided to dig a hole about 10 inches wide and a foot deep in the backyard of her new home. Upon discovery of Smuckers handy work, Jankousky began the daunting task of filling in the hole. In the process of this he noticed a hint of purple color in the dirt; brushing the soil around it he discovered it was actually a medal, a Purple Heart.

A Purple Heart medal is awarded to any member of the U.S. military, in the name of the president, to warriors who are wounded or killed.

Jankousky and Unterwagner both have father’s that served in the military, so they recognized the importance of the medal immediately, and wanted to locate the rightful owner. The problem was that the only thing they had to go on was the name, Richmond Litman, which was engraved on the backside of the medal.

“I went to the phone book and called all of the Litman’s in there, and no one knew anything about it,” said Jankousky. “So, I went to the old guy that lived down the block, and he didn't know anybody by that name, and so we just put it away for 10 years.”

Over the years Jankousky tried to figure out how to find the recipient, but was unsuccessful in his plight, until he heard about Purple Hearts Reunited.  “I happened to see a news story on Purple Hearts Reunited last fall and I e-mailed them, they got back to me [immediately],” explained Jankousky.

 Purple Hearts Reunited was established in 2012 to reunite misplaced or stolen Purple Hearts to their rightful owners or the relatives of the original recipient.  According to the PHR website, Zachariah Fike started the non-profit organization. Fike himself is a veteran that has earned a Purple Heart, and is a Life Member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. PHR has returned over 100 service medals and is currently working on returning 200 displaced medals

It turns out that the Purple Heart medal belonged to Corporal Richmond L. Litman who at one point in time lived three blocks away from where Smuckers and Jankousky uncovered it. How it ended up so far away from Litman’s former residence is a mystery.

CPL Litman was born in San Angelo on March 4, 1926 and enlisted in the U.S. Army on April 26, 1948. CPL Litman served in the Korean War with the 2nd Infantry Division, and was wounded in action in Sept. of 1950. CPL Litman passed away in Oct. of 1990 and is buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, aside his beloved wife, Ida.

In order to honor CPL Litman and in hopes of contacting a living relative, PHR and the Military Order of the Purple Heart will hold a small graveside ceremony on Sunday, March 22 in Denver at 11 a.m.

A Purple Heart is awarded to any member of the United States Armed Forces who while serving is wounded or killed in the line of duty. It has been in existence since 1782; it was originally called the Badge of Military Merit and was established by George Washington.

If you have any information pertaining to CPL Richmond L. Litman or any of his living relatives please contact PHR by e-mail at:  [email protected]  

You can also contact them by mail at Purple Hearts Reunited, P.O. Box 2121, Georgia, VT 05468