Monday, May 30, 2022

Ladislaw Frank Kowalski, World War II Veteran on This Memorial Day; Research Report, the As It Is Series

Copyright 2022, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Today being America's Memorial Day, I felt it appropriate to highlight one of the men that died during the World War II conflict.   His service and loss are recorded in several different military databases, used by family researchers.

This continues a series of posts, done in a very efficient (make that speedy fast) manner to share some research on the ancestors.  This is NOT intended to be the end all to end all report.  

Meet - - Ladislaw Frank Kowalski.


Wadeslawa Kowalski
in the 1920 United States Federal Census
Name: Wadeslawa Kowalski
[Wadislawa Kowalski]
Age: 1
Birth Year: abt 1919
Birthplace: Michigan
Home in 1920: Detroit Ward 7, Wayne, Michigan
Street: Alexandrine Ave E
Residence Date: 1920
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Daughter  ** This does indeed indicate a daughter, not a son.
Marital Status: Single
Father's Name: Joseph Kowalski
Father's Birthplace: Russia;Poland
Mother's Name: Mary Kowalski
Mother's Birthplace: Russia;Poland
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members Age Relationship
Joseph Kowalski   34 Head
Mary Kowalski   24 Wife
Theodore Kowalski   5 Son
Roman Kowalski   3 Son
Wadeslawa Kowalski 1 Daughter

Wladytav Kowalsky
in the 1930 United States Federal Census
Name: Wladytav Kowalsky
Birth Year: abt 1919
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age in 1930: 11
Birthplace: Michigan
Marital Status: Single
Relation to Head of House: Stepson (Step Son)
Home in 1930: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, USA
Map of Home: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan
Street Address: Forest Ave E.
Ward of City: 9th
Block: 504
House Number: 2267
Dwelling Number: 74
Family Number: 62
Attended School: Yes
Able to Read and Write: Yes
Father's Birthplace: Poland
Mother's Birthplace: Poland
Able to Speak English: Yes
Household Members Age Relationship
Thomas Tracy   42 Head
Mary Tracy   32 Wife
Anna Tracy   3 Daughter
Helen Tracy   1 Daughter
Theodore Kowalsky   14 Stepson (Step Son)
Roman Kowalsky   13 Stepson (Step Son)
Wladytav Kowalsky 11 Stepson (Step Son)
Wanda Kowalsky   8 Stepdaughter (Step Daughter)

Ladislaw Frank Kowalski
in the U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
Name: Ladislaw Frank Kowalski
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 24
Relationship to Draftee: Self (Head)
Birth Date: 5 Jan 1919
Birth Place: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Residence Place: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Registration Date: 15 Jun 1943
Registration Place: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, USA
Employer: Ray Kowalski
Height: 5 7
Weight: 150
Complexion: Dark
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Gray
Next of Kin: William Kolodziejczak
Household Members Relationship
Ladislaw Frank Kowalski Self (Head)


Ladislaw F Kowalski
in the U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946
Name: Ladislaw F Kowalski
Race: White
Marital Status: Single, without dependents (Single)
Rank: Private
Birth Year: 1919
Nativity State or Country: Michigan
Citizenship: Citizen
Residence: Wayne, Michigan
Education: 4 years of high school
Civil Occupation: Stenographers and typists
Enlistment Date: 15 Feb 1944
Enlistment Place: Detroit, Michigan
Service Number: 36467016
Branch: No branch assignment
Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men)
Source: Civil Life
Height: 00
Weight: 000

Ladislaw and Lorraine were married in a Catholic church.

Mr Ladislaw F Kowalski
 in the Michigan, U.S., Marriage Records, 1867-1952
Name: Mr Ladislaw F Kowalski
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 25
Birth Date: abt 1919
Birth Place: Detroit, Michigan
Marriage License Place: Wayne
Marriage Date: 22 Jul 1944
Marriage Place: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, USA
Residence Place: Detroit, Michigan
Father: Joseph Kowalski
Mother: Herrann Waellowska
Spouse: Loraine Gehrke
County File Number: 634563
State File Number: 314992

Kowalski, Ladislaw F
U.S. WWII Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954
Full Name   Kowalski, Ladislaw F
Race   White, includes Mexican
Admission Date   Nov 1944
Admission Type of Injury   Casualty, battle
Military Service Number   36467016
Rank   Enlisted Man
Branch   Infantry, General or Unspecified
Injured in Line of Duty   In line of duty
Medical Diagnosis   
Second Location: Knee joint; ; CausativeAgent: Artillery Shell, Other or Unspec to Blast, Fragments, Debris
Medical Treatment  Elevation of depressed fragments for skull fracture
Discharge Type   Died
Discharge Date   Nov 1944
Conflict Period   World War II
Served for   United States of America

WWI, WWII, and Korean War Casualty Listings
Name: Ladislaw F. Kowalski
Death Date: 7 Nov 1944
Cemetery: Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery
Cemetery Burial Plot: Plot F Row 4 Grave 24
Cemetery City: Henri-Chapelle
Cemetery Country: Belgium
War: World War II
Awards: Purple Heart
Title: Private First Class
Rank: Private First Class
Service: U.S. Army
Service ID: 36467016
Division: 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division Data Source:World War II Honor Roll

U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945
Name: Ladislaw F Kowalski
Gender: Male
Race: White
Religion: Catholic
Cemetery Name: Henri-Chapelle Permanent Cemetery, Belgium
Grave Number: f 4 24
Disposition: According to next of kin
Service Branch: Army
Rank: Private First Class
Service Number: 36467016

World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas
Name: Ladislaw F Kowalski
Inducted From: Michigan
Rank: Private First Class
Combat Organization: 112th Infantry 28th Division
Death Date: 7 Nov 1944
Monument: Henri-Chapelle, Belgium
Last Known Status: Buried
U.S. Awards: Purple Heart Medal

Ladislaw F Kowalski
 in the U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949
Name: Ladislaw F Kowalski
Gender: Male
Rank: PFC
Residence Place: Michigan
Death Date: 7 Nov 1944
Cemetery: Henri-Chapelle
Burial Place: Henri-Chapelle, Belgium
Next of Kin: Mrs Lorraine Kowalski



From the Detroit Times, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, published on January 21, 1945:
    "Honor Roll
     Official Casualty List
     The latest casualty list received from the war department lists 2,808 U.S. soldiers wounded in action.  Of these, 111 are from Michigan, 48 from the Detroit area.  In all cases, next-to-kin have been notified and have been kept informed of any change in status.
     ARMY WOUNDED
     (European Area)
     Detroit
     KOWALSKI, PFC. LADISLAW F. - - Mrs. Mary Kowalski, mother, 1815 E. Alexandrine."           

From the Detroit News, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan published on March 11, 1945:
     "24 Detroiters Dead on Latest War List
     20 From City Wounded, One Captures; 102 Michigan Casualties Reported
     Twenty-four Greater Detroit servicemen killed, 20 wounded and one prisoner were among the 102 Michigan was casualties reported Saturday by next of kin and the Army.
     One of the death, a father, had been named as a German prisoner last spring by the Red Cross.  The War Department now declares the report was in error.  May of the other dead had been listed previously as wounded or missing. One of the wounded has been injured for the third time.
     Fifty-seven outstate residents also have been killed.
     The Army announced 2, 250 Unites States combat dead.  All those from the Detroit area were in Western Europe, unless otherwise stated.
     Killed
     KOWALSKI, Pfc. Ladislaw F., son of Mrs. Mary Kowalski, 1815 Alexandrine east; reported Jan. 21 as wounded."

Ladislaw has a Find A Grave memorial, see # 56282811.

Thank you for your service Ladislaw Frank Kowalski.



* Disclaimers, I use Find A Grave, Ancestry dot com, FamilySearch, several newspaper subscriptions, free sites, such as Virginia Chronicles, Virginia Chancery Cases online at the Library of Virginia and more to research my ancestors.  I pay for subscriptions, full price.

** My judgements may or may not be correct.  Transcriptions may or may not have errors.

*** Links, URL's, for the most part will not be included henceforth on my posts, as so many of them change and then I have to come back and try to re-discover and relink.  Frankly folks, I have no desire to spend my limited time here on this side of the sod with those kinds of do overs.  As researchers, or just members of the internet community, sites such as Find A Grave are easy to find, some are free to use and with the information I am sharing with you, hopefully, you can duplicate the research/findings. That said, I have seen memorials at Find A Grave be removed.  If you have questions, I suggest you leave a nice comment for me. OR find the method I have outlined on my blog for contacting me.

.

No comments: