It is an enriching experience to hear stories from our Syracuse history. The Syracuse Museum is filled with items that bring us closer to the past and help us discover some real heritage heroes. One of these heroes is Edwin Edmonds Gailey born December 3, 1894 in South Hooper, Utah.

His granddaughter, Joan Nakaishi, wrote the following about a portion of his life: “The war broke out in 1917 and Grandpa was drafted into the army and sent to Fort Lewis, Washington for training. He was there for 2 weeks and then put into the hospital with typhoid and pneumonia. While in the hospital he got word that his father had passed away. Grandpa didn’t have enough money to travel home for the funeral, but his captain told him to plan on going home. The men at the barracks got together and gave him $90 to travel with. 

“Grandpa returned to the camp January 1918. At that time, he went to France. While in the service he was shot in the leg. He never reported the shooting. Instead he took out his pocket knife and dug the bullet out himself.”

Edwin Edmonds Gailey lived his life with a piece of that bullet remaining in his leg. The other piece can be found in the Syracuse museum. Thanks to Edwin Edmonds Gailey for his example of seeing what needed to be done and doing it!