2-6-05- The mystery of a purple heart, awarded to an Oklahoma Marine during World War II, has been solved. The medal turned up in Texoma several years ago and today, it was reunited with the family of the man who gave his life to earn it.

Seven years ago, Linda Halliburton found the medal in a safe inside the the Sherman business she had just purchased. On the back was inscribed the name "Private Reece Sharp" and Halliburton has spent the last seven years searching for the family of its rightful owner.

Two weeks ago, after posting her story on the internet, Halliburton got an email from Reece Sharp's nephew, Richard, who lives in Moore, Oklahoma.

Sunday, the Sharp family drove hundreds of miles to claim the medal and even brought pictures and records about Reece, who was killed in World War II at age 18. The medal, with a 1945 postpark, had been mailed to Luci Sharp at an Oklahoma City address. She was the young private's mother. Richard Sharp is not sure how the medal ended up in Sherman, but says it might have been brought to the area by Reece's grandfather, who once lived in the Sherman area.