Fond memories return with lost wallet after nearly 70 years

CNN ^ | 2010-06-04 | Matt Cherry

[rabscuttle385]

Sometimes, good things are worth waiting for. Even almost 70 years.

Just ask Robert Judson Bell. The 88-year-old World War II Navy veteran was reunited this week with the wallet he lost way back in 1941 while undergoing naval training in Chicago. It may not have contained any money, but its value to Bell and his family can't be understated. Inside were two photographs of his first wife, who had died in a 1948 car crash.

"I'm just overwhelmed at everything that's happened," said Bell in an interview with CNN Radio. Bell lost the wallet while getting training for hydraulics at what is now the Chicago Vocational Career Academy. How he lost it is anyone's guess -- including his own.

"It must have dropped on the floor or something. There was no robbery. It was just lost, period," said Bell.

[rabscuttle385]

*Ping!*

[VeniVidiVici]

The wallet's other contents included Bell's Social Security card, a Masonic Lodge card and even a little comic strip. Bell says he recalls he had money in the wallet, but that was long gone.

"Seven or eight dollars, not much," Bell (the wallet's owner) said. "I had just bought some U.S. government bonds, because if you bought bonds you got the day off."

Nowadays with Obama in charge, you can still get the day off but instead of buying bonds you have to pay them off.

[GeronL]

7 or 8 dollars was a sizable amount in those days

[SoConPubbie]

Thanks Rabs, good story!

[Amberdawn]

A wallet returned without money-The Chicago Way....

[hoosiermama]

4 HHH AM

[boop]

Yes, but what would you do with 4 $2 bills?

[GeronL]

lunch?

[tubebender]

Great story in this day and age...

[SuziQ]

Bump for later reading