Purple Hearts Reunited was contacted in early 2015 by a Mr. German Serna and Mr. Camillo Santomero, whose family owns a number of retail buildings in the Danbury, CT area. One of the buildings contained a pawn shop, which went out of business and turned over their stock as payment.

Two lost medals belonging to SSG Raymond Ferrer, along with other medals and ribbons, were in a box inside the pawn shop. Mr. Santomero was eager to get the medals back to Ferrer’s family, and reached out to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, who referred him to our organization. We were able to locate Ferrer’s granddaughter, Amy (Dalen) Garry, who advised Mr. Serna to return the medal to her parents in Estero, FL.

SSG Raymond Ferrer was born in April of 1910, and died on 15 October 1992. He served in World War II from. 07 April 1941 to 03 August 1945, was first listed as a POW on 20 December 1944 and released on 18 May 1945. Ferrer was in Stalag 11B Fallingbostel Prussia (Work Camps) 53-09 in Germany.

In addition to the Purple Heart, SSG Ferrer’s other decorations include a Prisoner of War Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Europe-Africa-Middle-East Service Medal with 1 silver service star (Ardennes, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Central Europe), Marksman Badge with Rifle bar, Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star Medal, WWII Victory Medal, and Honorable WWII Service Lapel Button. Ferrer is pictured here with his wife, Angelica.