The Seven Valleys Museum in Callaway is the recent recipient of a very special item. The museum has received a wallet as a donation from Shirley Howard. The wallet, it turns out, has a very interesting story.
Shirley found the wallet in the belongings of Glen Johns. The exact owner is unknown. The only clue is that the wallet is engraved “Christmas Greetings 1944, From Your Home Town Friends At Callaway Nebraska”.
“I believe these wallets were sent to servicemen from the Callaway area in 1944 from the Callaway Canteen Committee,” said Callaway resident Jo Chesley.
She and her husband Dave have in their possession a newspaper clipping from the Loup Valley Queen. It is a letter sent to the paper from Dave’s father, Elgin Chesley who served in the Army in England as an Electrical Specialist on B-17 bomber planes. Elgin is thanking the community for the “swell” wallet he received. The letter, dated December 21, 1944, reads as follows:
“Dear Folks: It is about time I was writing to you and letting you know I have been getting the Queen fairly regular. It has been so long since I last wrote to you that I’m afraid you are beginning to think I don’t appreciate it. I do though, and enjoy reding it very much. I especially enjoy the letters written by the other fellows in service. It seems that there is at least one fellow from Callaway in every theater of operations.
It is getting near the holiday season now. It makes a fellow think of home and all his friends that much more. The Christmas packages are coming in every day now. As yet, the only one I have received is the swell billfold sent to me by the Callaway canteen committee.
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone that helped make that gift possible. It makes me feel really proud of my home community to show my wallet to my friends and tell them who sent it.
About a month ago I was on a 48-hour pass trying to find a fellow I knew while in A.M. school and I ran into Bill McCreary. He is the only person from Callaway I have seen in England. We had a good visit even though we didn’t have much time.
I have a seven-day furlough starting in a couple of days now. I hope to meet a few fellows I went through A.M. school with.”
Chesley said museum members appreciate receiving unique local items, especially when they can tie a story to the item. The wallet will soon be on display at the Seven Valleys Museum. Please note that all items offered to the Museum are voted on. Consideration is given to space needed for displaying, duplication, uniqueness, and local interest.
