Kravik, Leon B. (Second World War correspondence), 1942 December 22 - 1946 October 28

Printable guide [HTML]

Summary

Title:

Leon B. Kravik Second World War correspondence and personal papers

Dates:

1942 December 22 - 1946 October 28

Creators:

Kravik, Leon Bruce, Private First Class, 1924-1943 and Hansen, Fern

Abstract:

This collection contains correspondence and other materials pertaining to the accidental death of PFC Leon Bruce Kravik, USAAF, during training in 1942 during the Second World War.

Containers:

box: WWII 21
folder: 9-10
folder: 1-2

Extent:

.1 Linear Feet (2 folders)

Language:

English .

Preferred citation:

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Leon B. Kravik Second World War correspondence and personal papers (2017.272.w.r), Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.

For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains correspondence from PFC Leon B. Kravik, USAAF who enlisted in 1942 at the age of 18 and was killed in a boating accident only a few months later. The first letter also contains a birthday card and a Christmas card. The collection also includes newspaper clippings about the accident, two western union telegrams on the event of his death, one condolence letter from General George C. Marshall, a birth certificate, a death certificate, social security cards and one dog tag.

The correspondence predominantly discusses training, meals and uniforms, as well as asking about home.

Biographical / historical:

Private First Class Leon Bruce Kravik, United States Army Air Force (10/15/1924 - 4/24/1943) was born in Seattle, Washington to John Edwin Kravik and Florence Marguerite Kravik and enlisted in the Air Force at the age of 18 on December 10, 1942. PFC Kravik first began his training with Training Support Systems (TSS) in Fresno, California. He then moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota where he wrote home about the meals and uniform regulations. Lastly, he was with TSS at Truax Field in Madison, Wisconsin.

At Truax on April 24, 1943, just short of five months into training, PFC Kravik and a friend, Private First Class Jack Childers, United States Army Air Force rented a canoe and went out onto a rough lake, Lake Mendola. The canoe capsized and the two men, held afloat by life jackets, washed ashore the next morning after an exhaustive search, deceased due to exhaustion and exposure on the lake. PFC Kravik's sister Fern donated this collection and in 2017 was the last surviving member of the family.

His father John received telegrams concerning his son's death and arrangements for the body, as his dog tag, social security card, and a letter from General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff United States Army.

Acquisition information:

Gift of Fern Hansen.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged by material type:

Folder 1: Correspondence, death notifications, photograph, personal papers; Folder 2: Clippings, telegrams

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:: Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945)
World War (1939-1945) -- Newspapers
World War (1939-1945) -- Homefront
World War (1939-1945) -- Christmas
World War (1939-1945) -- Casualties
Death notification
Last letters before death
War -- Death notification
Basic training (Military education)
Military training camps
Photographs
Names:: Hansen, Fern

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:: Andrew Harman
Date Encoded:: This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2022-04-09 15:54:54 -0400 .

Access and use

Restrictions:: This collection is open for research.
Terms of access:: 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.