WWII Veteran looking for medal of honor lost on Santa Cruz Wharf

UPDATE 02/07/19 5:18 p.m. WWII Veteran, Sgt. Frank Rimicci, walks the Santa Cruz Wharf several times a week, but came home the other day missing something important from his coat.

“Every time I looked it was in good shape, holding on real good then this time I looked at it and out of the clear sky it was gone,” says Rimicci.

Roughly two years ago he was awarded a French Legion of Honor Medal for his outstanding service as a train conductor helping bring French Refugees back to France during the Battle of the Bulge.

This is the highest honor you can receive from France and Rimicci says he’s not only missing it for himself. “It’s the highest medal I’ve gotten so far, and I would like to leave it to my boys. That’s what makes me feel bad I can’t leave it to them if I don’t find it.”He believes it was knocked off of his jacket when he was trying to catch a wounded pigeon to help get the fishing line off it’s leg, something he does weekly at the wharf.

“I got in the habit of catching them, and I got a net to help me out. I hate to see them cripple like that, because I know I’ve had trouble with my legs since I got out of the army. So I know how they felt when they had that stuff tied on their legs.”

Kim Monack, a friend of Rimicci’s from the Santa Cruz County Veterans Service Office is also helping look for the medal. She’s posted on social media and also has printed out flyers asking the community to be on the lookout.

If you have seen the medal, or know anything you are asked to contact the Veterans Service Office at 831-454-7276.

Kim has also been in contact with the French Consulate in San Francisco to see if it’s possible to replace the medal. There are some for sale on ebay, but they can cost upwards of $100.

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WWII Veteran, Sgt. Frank Rimicci, walks the Santa Cruz Wharf several times a week, but came home the other day missing something important from his coat.

Roughly two years ago he was awarded a French Legion of Honor Medal for his outstanding service as a train conductor helping bring French Refugees back to France during the Battle of the Bulge.

This is the highest medal he says he’s ever received; and has worn it every day since then with pride, but sadly thinks he lost it on the wharf the other week.

He believes it was knocked off of his jacket when he was trying to catch a wounded pigeon to help get the fishing line off it’s leg, something he does weekly at the wharf.

He has now posted signs, and one of his friends from the Veterans Association in Santa Cruz is also helping look for the medal, or a replacement.

They are also asking the community to be on the lookout.

KION’s Ashley Keehn will have the story tonight at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.