In honor of Veterans Day 2014, Purple Hearts Reunited returned a Purple Heart to Annette Knotz of Minneapolis, MN. The medal was earned by Knotz’s great-grandfather PFC Hilmer Dalton Timm, a WWII Infantryman.

Hilmer Dalton Timm was born on 17 MAY 1901 in Hennepin County, MN. He served in WWII with the 387th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division. He was wounded in battle on 22 NOV 1944 in the town of Metz. Against heavy resistance, the 95th Infantry Division captured the forts surrounding Metz and captured the city. The Division pushed toward the Saar on 25 NOV 1944, and entered Germany on 28 NOV 1944. The 95th seized a Saar River bridge on 3 DEC and engaged in bitter house-to-house fighting for Saarlautern. Just three days later, on 06 DEC 1944, Timm lost his life in combat in France. He is buried in the Lorraine American Cemetery in St. Avole (Moselle), France, in Plot D, Row 36, Grave 30. For Timm’s sacrifices and service, he was awarded his second Purple Heart posthumously.

PFC Timm’s Purple Heart medal arrived anonymously in the mail to Purple Hearts Reunited in Georgia, VT on 26 JAN 2014 and was catalogued and marked for future research. Amazingly, just two days later, Ms. Annette Knotz reached out to Purple Hearts Reunited via Facebook with the following inquiry: “Hello I was wondering how I would go about find[ing] out if anyone has found my great grandfather hilmer d. timm[’s] purple heart.” The organization’s founder, Zachariah Fike, quickly responded with news that the medal had just been turned in. Purple Hearts Reunited was honored to be able to get the medal back to Ms. Knotz in time for Veterans Day.