Finding Aid for the Friesz Brothers Second World War and Korean War correspondence and clippings 2018.041.w.r
Andrew Harman
Center for American War Letters Archives
3/19/2019
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Friesz Brothers Second World War and Korean War correspondence and clippings
source:
Glaser, June Friesz
Creator:
Friesz, Robert Pershing, Lieutenant Commander, 1918-1947
Creator:
Friesz, John Roy, 1914-1991
Creator:
Friesz, Walter Eugene, Staff Sergeant, 1924-1985
Creator:
Friesz, Elmo Wallace, Lieutenant, 1922-1992
Identifier/Call Number: 2018.041.w.r
Physical Description:
.025 Linear feet
(1 folder)
Date (inclusive): 1936 March 16 - 1951 June 4
Abstract: This collection contains correspondence and clippings pertaining to the Friesz brothers of Keytesville, Missouri during the
Second World War and Korea, including: John R. Friesz, LCDR Robert P. Friesz, USN, Lt. Elmo W. Friesz, USMCR, and SSgt. Walter
E. Friesz, USMC.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWII 146
Container: 16
Container: 1
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of June F. Glaser.
This collection is arranged by material type and chronology. The correspondence is arranged chronologically, regardless of
author, and the clippings are arranged separately in chronological order.
The Friesz brothers were born in Keytesville, Missouri to Arthur L. and Mabelle Voss Friesz. They moved with their family
to Salisbury, MO shortly before the war. The brothers who served, in order from oldest to youngest, are as follows:
- John Roy "Johnny" Friesz (12/21/1914 - 12/19/1991)
- Lieutenant Commander Robert Pershing Friesz, United States Navy (5/18/1918 - 11/20/1947)
- Lieutenant Elmo Wallace "Buddy" Friesz, United States Marine Corps Reserve (12/19/1922 - 9/14/1992)
- Staff Sergeant Walter Eugene Friesz, United States Marine Corps (12/11/1924 - 12/1985)
They had an older brother named Bradley, and sisters Jennie, Eleanor, June, Nancy, and Carolyn.
LCDR Robert Friesz graduated from Keytesville Hight School in 1940 and enlisted on February 7, 1941 in Kansas City and in
1944 married Elizabeth Hanna Johnson. He trained at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida and later in Norfolk, Virginia.
He served on the USS Hornet and USS Bunker Hill and earned a Distinguished Navy Cross. He was killed in a plane crash in November
1947 testing a jet plane for the Navy in Maryland.
John "Johnny" Friesz served with Company 1721 of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930s. Lt. Elmo "Buddy" Friesz
served as a naval aviator for the Marines in the Pacific and in the Philippines flying Corsairs with the "Flying Deuces."
SSgt. Walter Friesz served with the Marines as an electric turret maintenance man, training in several locations before being
stationed at Cherry Point, North Carolina. According to the his sister he also served in the Aleutian Islands and China. Later,
Walter served during the Korean War with Marine Ground Control Intercept Squadron 2, Marine Air Control Group 3 at Camp Del
Mar, California.
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Friesz Brothers Second World War and Korean War correspondence and clippings
(2018.041.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.
This collection contains three correspondence from LCDR Robert P. Friesz, USN to his mother and sister Jennie during the Second
World War, as well as four photocopies of clippings and two book jacket flaps pertaining to his death. Also included are correspondence
from Johnny R. Friesz before the war, Lt. Elmo W. Friesz, USMCR during the war, and SSgt. Walter E. Friesz, USMC during the
Korean War, all to their sister June. The envelope for one letter from Walter has Robert's name written on it in red pen by
the donor by mistake. Two of the clippings include a sketch drawing of LCDR Robert Friesz.
Johnny wrote to his sister June in 1936 and discusses her growing up and helping their mother.
Walter wrote to June in March 1943 from San Diego expecting to move out soon, thought unsure where. He wanted to go to Los
Angeles and Hollywood to see Harry James, a musician, but will be leaving the next morning. He then wrote from Camp Del Mar
in June 1951 during the Korean War while training. He had been to Camp Pendleton and was soon to go to San Clemente Island
for maneuvers. It was June's Birthday.
Elmo, or "Buddy," wrote to June from Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Florida on January 2, 1944. The postage stamp says
June 10, 1946, though his handwritten date is 1944. He mentions getting a haircut and compares his look to that of a black
man. He also mentions receiving a letter from Robert who said he had just returned from 55 days out.
Robert wrote his mother in March 1942 from Bombing Squadron 8 on the USS Hornet. He left San Diego "some time ago" but cannot
say much else. He likes the new planes, though they are a little "trickier" but says he will not be able to write for a while
and cannot say why. He tells her "beware of bad news + keep your mouth shut...," continuing on in a seemingly paranoid manner.
In November 1942, there is a photocopy of a typed letter, unsure if transcribed, that Robert writes Jennie explaining the
story of the USS Hornet from its commission in Norfolk, VA until its sinking in the South Pacific. Included is its travel,
the Battle of Midway and the heavy losses experienced by Torpedo 8 (VT-8). He has high regard for the Hornet as the fastest
ship with the best crew, compared to "Grandma Battleship [that] didn't know much about this kind of fighting." They returned
from repairs in Pearl Harbor after Midway to the South Pacific, a place they called "Torpedo Junction" where the Hornet was
sunk because of "mistakes and promises" and the disaster "could have been averted." The Navy, he says, "has 30,000 aviators
but 600 are fighting the war - so we stay out here," referring to the lack of reinforcements. He also discusses at some length
the problem with the administration of new plane manufacturing, blaming in part Harry Truman.
In March 1943, Robert writes to his mother again from aboard his new ship, the USS Bunker Hill docked in Norfolk. He is bitterly
writing about needing young men to fight the war, but does not want those that want to "hang back." If he does than "he is
not my brother...they value their necks too highly." He then briefly discusses the weather changes in port and how he likes
his new squadron and skipper.
The clippings are all photocopies and include:
"The Hornet Near its Last Hours," with picture, The Kansas City Times, January 12, 1943.
"The Friesz Brothers," an article on the three brothers' experiences, including photos, from the Chariton Courier in Keytesville,
MO, April 6, 1945.
Two obituaries for Robert Friesz from different papers, attached to one sheet.
Two book jacket flaps, front and back, from
Helldiver Squadron: The Story of Carrier Bombing Squadron 17 with Task Force 58 written by Robert Olds, Dodd Mead and Company, 1944.
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.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Air pilots, military
United States. -- Navy
World War (1939-1945) -- Pacific Area
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
Korean War -- (1950-1953) -- Correspondence
World War (1939-1945) -- Marine Corps
World War (1939-1945)
World War (1939-1945) -- Newspapers
Newspaper clippings
Glaser, June Friesz