PVT John Bateman, US Army, was an infantryman. During World War II, he was assigned to the 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division.<\/p>\n
Bateman was assigned to the unit as a replacement. He joined the unit in Mindanao in the Philippines.<\/p>\n
One of the first people he met on arriving was John Trinca.\u00a0 Both were from Chicago. \u00a0So they chatted a bit, then went on patrol.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, not long after meeting Trinca \u2013 on June 3, 1945 – PVT John Bateman was KIA. Trinca was with him when he died.<\/p>\n
Bateman was awarded a posthumous Purple Heart.<\/p>\n
In the 1950s, Bateman\u2019s Purple Heart was found by Tom McAvoy in the basement of a Chicago apartment building. It was on the floor in the basement of his apartment building – where the janitor was sorting igarbage.<\/p>\n
McAvoy, who was only a child at the time, removed the medal from the garbage and gave it to his mother. Being a child, he then forgot about it.<\/p>\n
A few years ago, one of McAvoy’s brothers mentioned to him that he\u2019d found the medal in some of their late mother\u2019s effects. McAvoy then realized that was the medal he’d found as a child – and decided to try and find the medal’s rightful owner.<\/p>\n
To make a long story short: eventually, McAvoy ended up in contact with Purple Hearts Reunited. Purple Hearts Reunited found Bateman’s son.\u00a0 And this weekend, the medal is being returned to it’s rightful owner – the late PVT John Bateman’s surviving son, his NOK.<\/p>\n
That in and of itself is great \u2013 but isn\u2019t what makes this case unique.<\/p>\n
In the process of finding Bateman\u2019s son, Purple Hearts Reunited also located the man who was with Bateman when he died \u2013 John Trinca.<\/p>\n
Trinca will also be at the ceremony returning Bateman\u2019s Purple Heart to his son. After 69 years, Bateman’s son will have the chance to meet and speak with the man who was with his father when he died.<\/p>\n