An American citizen who lost his wallet during his military service in the frozen continent, received the loss after more than half a century • "I could not believe my eyes," said the elderly man
Living and an item from the lost wallet // Photo: AP
In October 1967, Paul Grisham left Antarctica, having served there for more than a year as a weather forecaster for the U.S. Navy and the team of scientists on the island of Ross.
Grisham returned to warm California but left his wallet behind.
Last week, 53 years after the wallet was lost, the astonished Grisham received it and detailed to the Los Angeles Times its contents, reminiscent of a time capsule.
The wallet had no money, from the day there was nothing to buy at the remote base, but it had beer vouchers and bank transfer appendices that he used to transfer his salary to his wife.
Also in his wallet were his fighter certificate, his driver's license, a statement of exemption from paying taxes for service abroad and a recipe for a homemade cocktail. A soldier during the Cold War.
"I could not believe it, it just stunned me," Grisham said after accepting the forgotten loss.
The wallet was found in 20014 behind a locker at Murdoch base in Antarctica, during extensive renovations carried out at the site.
Finding the wallet was just the beginning of a long journey to return the lost to its next owner in days.
"There were quite a few people there who helped return my wallet. It was not so easy to locate me," says Grisham.
Indeed, the wallet came from the company that carried out the renovations to the organization that responds to lost items for United States Army fighters.
Grisham himself created the memories from the 13 months he spent in Antarctica.
"The winter there is so cold that if you leave a light can of cannon outside for more than a few minutes, it will explode," he says with nostalgia.
"I wanted to serve there, they had to drag me there," the elderly man said.