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Miller, Melissa (First World War, Second World War, and Korean War correspondence collection)
2017.280.w.r
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Melissa Miller First World War, Second World War, and Korean War collection
source:
Miller, Melissa
Creator:
Blind, George Philip
Creator:
Kluttz, Lewis Calvin
Identifier/Call Number: 2017.280.w.r
Physical Description:
0.5 Linear feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1917 October 1 - 1952 September 20
Abstract: This collection contains letters, photographs, military records, and funeral ephemera from 1st Lt. Lewis Calvin Kluttz during
the Second World War and Korean War as well as correspondence from Kluttz's uncle, Cpl. George Phillip Blind during the First
World War.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWI 13
Container: 1-8
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Melissa Miller
This collection is arranged chronologically by material type:
- Series 1, George Philip Blind First World War correspondence
- Series 2, Lewis Calvin Kluttz Second World War correspondence
- Series 3, Lewis Calvin Kluttz Korean War correspondence
George Phillip Blind was born in Los Angeles, CA in 1886. He was the fifth of seven children of Phillip Blind, a Civil War
Veteran, and Elizabeth Ellen Blind. The Blinds brought their family to California from Ohio around 1884 or 1885. By the 1910
census, George was living at home but working as a hotel waiter. He went back to Ohio in 1912 and married Anna Margaret Stenger.
By 1916 they had a son, George Phillip Blind, Jr. and were back in California. George volunteered for the military during
the First World War and served as a Corporal in Battery D, Reg #62, Artillery Corps. He wrote to his sister Helen Jennette
Blind and his sister Linnian E. Blind. George's brother, Charles Blind also served the First World War. George was discharged
in March of 1919. In the 1920 census he is listed as divorced and a Private at Camp Mead, Anne Arundel, Maryland. By 1924,
he was back in California, where he died in Letterman Hospital. He is buried in the National Cemetery in the Presidio in San
Francisco.
Lewis Calvin Kluttz was born in Douglas, AZ in 1927. He had an older sister named Katherine, who was born in 1925. His father
was Silas Lillington Kluttz (son of a Civil War veteran) from North Carolina who worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad.
His mother was Helen Jeanette Kluttz (sister of George Phillip Blind) from California who had come to Douglas as a teacher.
Lewis attended Douglas High School and played basketball and football. After graduation, he attended the University of Arizona
in Tucson as a pre-med student, for he wanted to be a doctor like his uncle Charles Blind, but his studies were interrupted
by the Second World War. He served for 18 months in Alaska before being discharged. He returned to the University and finished
his degree with a Bachelor of Science in 1949. He wasn't accepted into any medical schools resulting in him studying law.
He was in the Army Reserves when the Korean War began and he was called back into duty as a 1st Lt. He was killed on July
29, 1952 while leading his platoon on their third attempt to take "Outpost Kelly" held by the Chinese. He was shot in the
head by a sniper. He was nominated for the Distinguished Service Award and received the Purple Heart. (His cousin and son
of Charles Blind, Lee Penn Blind was killed while on active duty in July of 1953. He was a pilot and died during a training
accident). Lewis' funeral was held on September 20, 1952 at First Presbyterian Church/Calvary Cemetery in Douglas, AZ.
[Item title, Box number, Folder number], Melissa Miller First World War, Second World War and Korean War collection (2017.280.w.r),
Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.
This collection contains correspondence from Corporal George Phillip Blind to his sisters during the First World War. This
collection also contains correspondence from First Lieutenant Lewis Calvin Kluttz to his parents and sister during the Second
World War and during the Korean War. Kluttz died July 29, 1952 in Korea. This collection also contains military and government
documents concerning his death.
There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the
responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions. For further copyright information, please contact the archivist.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War (1914-1918)
Correspondence -- World War, 1914-1918
World War (1939-1945)
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
Korean War, 1950-1953.
Korean War -- (1950-1953) -- Correspondence
Last letters before death
Death notification
World War (1939-1945) -- Campaigns -- Alaska -- Aleutian Islands
Miller, Melissa