Missing WWII medals found in abandoned safe-deposit box in Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Four missing World War II military medals found in a Tennessee safe-deposit box have been returned to the soldier’s family.

COURTESY: TN Department of Treasury / Treasurer Lillard returns WWII Military Medals to family of Joseph R. Foster. (L to R) Colonel Glass, Denzel Washington, husband of Melisa Washington, David Foster, Melisa Washington, Treasurer Lillard, Commissioner Baker, Joseph Williams, Chief of Staff for Governor Bill Lee, John Gabriel, Director of Unclaimed Property Division

The Tennessee Department of Treasury Division of Unclaimed Property located Joseph R. Foster’s family with the help of a social media campaign launched about a year ago, the agency said in a news release.

Foster, who died in 2010, served in the U.S. Army in Germany during the war and was awarded the medals. He stored them in a safe-deposit box in a Nashville-area bank, and the medals were discovered in the abandoned box after his death and turned over to Unclaimed Property.

Foster’s children, Melisa Foster Washington and David Foster, were given the medals during a ceremony at the state Capitol.

The Tennessee Treasury holds unclaimed money and military medals. The state has $1.2 billion in unclaimed property waiting to be claimed, the agency said.

For more news across the state, click here.