Leon B. Kravik Second World War correspondence and personal papers

Collection — Box: WWII 21, Folder: 9-10, Folder: 1-2

Identifier: 2017-272-w-r

Staff Only

Content Description

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.

Dates

Creation: 1942 December 22 - 1946 October 28

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

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.

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 well as his dog tag, social security card, and a letter from General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff United States Army.

Extent

.1 Linear Feet (2 folders)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

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.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by material type:

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