What's in a wallet returned to WWII veteran after being lost for 70 years?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 22:41:12 -0400

A wallet was returned to a WWII veteran 70 years after it was lost overseas, according to KFSN-TV.

Eligio Ramos, 91, of Fresno, California, fought with the 250th Field Artillery and helped free starving prisoners. When his battalion took shelter in an Austrian farmhouse in 1945, he lost his wallet.
Ramos’ son said his father never gave it much thought because he had more important tasks at hand.
“They went through so many little villages and stuff and he didn’t even think about the wallet anymore. They had other problems,” Rosando Ramos, Eligo’s son, said.
The family received a letter in June that the wallet had been found by a doctor, whose late grandfather owned the farmhouse where the soldiers stayed.
Dr. Josef Ruckhofer, of Salzburg, Austria said he found the wallet while removing some of the wooden planks, and found Eligio based on his old Army ID card.
"I was looking for the whole U.S., and I found one with the birth year there in California and I thought the name was right and the birth year is right so if he's still alive, I will try my luck and send him a letter,” said Ruckhofer.
The wallet was filled with dozens of family photos that Rosando said will be displayed in their home and cherished for generations.
"This wallet, if it could only talk. It's been through a lot so we're going to frame everything that was inside, all the pictures, all the military paperwork he had in there. Everything will be on exhibit at our house,” said Rosando.

http://www.wpxi.com/news/news/local/wallet-returned-wwii-veteran-after-being-lost-70-y/nnDtd/

Response by SSG Ricardo Marcial made Aug 6 at 2015 11:21 PM

SSG Ricardo Marcial — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 23:21:58 -0400

A real treasure for the family. There are some good people in this world. :-)

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Aug 7 at 2015 12:10 AM

SSgt Terry P. — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 00:10:46 -0400

Nice post. Really hard to believe someone would do that after 70 years .

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 7 at 2015 12:11 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 00:11:21 -0400

Thanks for sharing such a great story

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 7 at 2015 1:24 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 01:24:13 -0400

Fantastic Post! One of the best I have seen on RallyPoint. What are the odds of something like that happening? Thank God he didn't have a picture of his girlfriend in there if his wife is still around, ESPECIALLY if he was married at the time.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 7 at 2015 3:38 AM

PO1 John Miller — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 03:38:14 -0400

Thanks for sharing. There are still good people left in the world!

Response by SMSgt Bryan Raines made Aug 7 at 2015 7:58 AM

SMSgt Bryan Raines — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 07:58:16 -0400

Awesome story. Glad there are still folks out there with a sense of honor.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Jul 1 at 2018 1:57 PM

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 13:57:09 -0400

I'm sure that meant a lot to not only the Veteran but His family as well. It was great that not only was it found but that someone took the trouble to find the owner.

Response by SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM made Aug 4 at 2019 7:11 PM

SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 19:11:28 -0400

Quite a story!