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Once bartered for beer, wartime souvenirs now prized part of museum collection
McCOOK, Neb. — The Museum of the High Plains recently welcomed a collection of military memorabilia donated by McCook native Charles “Chuck” Real of Omaha, shedding light on the intriguing historical artifacts and the captivating narrative behind their acquisition.
The treasure trove of military memorabilia that Real contributed to the Museum of the High Plains carries a poignant family history. Real shared that his Uncle Bud, Leland Real, gave the WWII items to his father, Charles Sr. Real explained, “Most of those items had been collected from ex-servicemen after WWII when they would barter them for drinks or food at Real’s Bar (owned by Uncle Bud) when it was located on West B Street and then later by the Bison Drive-In theater.
“My father passed the items on to me when I bought my first house.”
Among the fascinating pieces in Real’s donation is a Japanese Non-Commissioned Officer (NC)) sword, Real humorously shared, “When I was at East Ward Elementary in the early 50s, they held an annual Story Book Parade. Students came dressed up as their favorite storybook characters. One year, I wanted to be Black Beard, the pirate. To complete the costume, I wanted to wear the sword. As I left for school, my mother’s parting words were: ‘Don’t hurt anyone.’ Can you imagine what would happen now if a 10-year-old walked into school with a military sword?”
He hoped to have the donated items passed through his granddaughter (age 17) to the next generation. But after discussions with her and her mother, he felt it would be better to donate to a museum.
“I have been a big fan of the Museum of the High Plains since its onset.,” Real said.
“I still remember the hours I spent at the then Carnegie Library as a student in the McCook schools. As a historian, I’ve visited well over a hundred museums of all sizes in the States and countries like England, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Japan. I think the Museum of the High Plains is one of the better ones because of the size of the community.” he explained that after working with Linda Buck, Site Manager, and noting her enthusiasm for the museum and its collection, he worked out an agreement with the High Plains Historical Society for his donation.
Real has an undergraduate degree in Education from the University of Nebraska-Kearney, where he majored in History and Political Science, and a graduate degree in History from the University of Nebraska at Omaha/Lincoln. He taught high school history and government in the Albion Public Schools. Following retirement after 30 years in the home office operations of several major insurance companies in California and Nebraska as a corporate vice president, he became an adjunct History instructor at Omaha’s Metro Community College, where he taught both credit and non-credit business and history courses, including Irish and Celtic History, American History, History of World Civilizations, and Military History.
He served as a U.S. Marine Corps sergeant and is a Vietnam veteran. Real is a member of the Omaha Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, American Legion, and the Marine Corps League. He is a registered speaker for Humanities Nebraska. He holds memberships in the General Order of the War of 1812, Sons of the American Revolution, and Sons of Civil War Union Veterans. His daughter is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Real has memberships in First Families of Nebraska, Society of First Families of Vermont, First Settlers of the Shenandoah Valley, and Descendants of Founders of New Jersey. His most recent published essay appeared in the 2022 Journal of the Lough Gur (Limerick, Ireland) Historical Society.
Real shared another fun story about ‘The Order of the Arrow sash’ being donated. While attending Boy Scout Camp Kataki near Wellfleet, he was tapped out to become a member of the Order of the Arrow for selected campers. While standing in a circle around a roaring bonfire with a hundred other campers several of the older scouts dressed in Indian attire ran around the inside of the circle. As he watched the ceremony one of the Indian dressed scouts came up to him and suddenly with force hit him in the chest making him fall backward where he was immediately caught and taken to a related ceremony. “The ersatz Indian that night was future governor and U.S. senator, Ben Nelson.” Real shared as he showed the memorabilia from his youth.
As the Museum of the High Plains prepares to showcase these relics, each item represents a fragment of History and a poignant chapter in the life of a dedicated educator and veteran. Charles “Chuck” Real’s donation is a testament to the enduring legacy of historical artifacts and their personal narratives, bridging the past with the present for generations to come.