Personal Narrative Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Software, E-Resource Audio Recording Leonard John Kovar Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army Air Forces/Corps
- Unit of Service: 727th Bomb Squadron, 451st Bomb Group, 15th Air Force
- Location of Service: San Antonio, Texas; Stamford, Texas; San Angelo, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona; Italy; Stalag Luft III, Germany; Miami Beach, Florida
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/33917
Leonard John Kovar Collection
Phonograph recorded message (side one) "To Lloyd, Don't play in mixed company. Len" [9/5/1945]
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Leonard John Kovar Collection
Phonograph recorded message (side two) "To Lloyd, Don't play in mixed company. Len"
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Leonard John Kovar Collection
Phonograph recorded message (side one) "For Lorraine, Two [?] and a Peep"
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Leonard John Kovar Collection
Phonograph recorded message (side two) "For Lorraine"
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Leonard John Kovar Collection
Phonograph recorded message (test) "For Lorraine"
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Leonard John Kovar Collection
Audio Interview
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About this Item
Title
- Leonard John Kovar Collection
Names
- Cross, Coy F.
- Kovar, Leonard John
- Beale Air Force Base
Home State
- California
Headings
- - Kovar, Leonard John
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army Air Forces/Corps.
- - Prisoner of War -- United States
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Race
- White
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army Air Forces/Corps
- Unit of Service: 727th Bomb Squadron, 451st Bomb Group, 15th Air Force
- Location of Service: San Antonio, Texas; Stamford, Texas; San Angelo, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona; Italy; Stalag Luft III, Germany; Miami Beach, Florida
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Dates of Service: 1943-1945
- Prisoner of War: Yes
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
- Service History Note: Leonard John Kovar was born on 10/24/1922 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1940 and was in college at the outset of World War II. With what he describes as "mediocre grades," Kovar decided to leave school and enlist in the military. He entered active duty in the Army Air Forces in 1943. Kovar was selected for pilot training at the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center (SAACC), Texas. He successfully completed pre-flight training in San Antonio and was then sent to the Stamford Flying School, Texas, to complete his training. Kovar "washed out" out of pilot training in 05/1943, but was reclassified as a bombardier. He was reassigned to SAACC before moving on to bombardier training at San Angelo Army Air Field, Texas. Kovar completed additional training with his crew at Davis-Monthan Field in Tucson, Arizona, before being sent overseas in the summer of 1944. Kovar and his crew were assigned to the 727th Bomb Squadron, 451st Bomb Group, in Italy. Their 11th mission was on 08/22/1944 and their target was in Vienna, Austria. Before reaching the target, their plane was shot down by enemy fire. Kovar successfully ejected from the plane, but was later picked up by Hungarian civilians who turned him over to German soldiers. Kovar was a prisoner in Stalag Luft 3 until 04/1945 when the camp was liberated by General Patton's forces. During his time as a POW, Kovar was able to correspond with his family at home. He returned to the States in the summer of 1945 and, after taking leave at home Minnesota, he was sent to Florida where he awaited orders for the Pacific Theater. These orders never materialized and, when the war ended, Kovar was honorably discharged. During his time in the service, Kovar resolved to go back to school and, upon his return to civilian life, he accomplished this goal. He attended seminary and was ordained a minister. He and his wife, Lorraine, lived in Hardin, Montana, where he presided over the First Congregational Church.
Materials
- Audio: Audio Cassette [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2003-11-13)
- Audio: Audio Disc [3 items] -- Audio correspondence (collected 1945)
- Manuscript: Civilian papers (certificates, forms, wills, etc) [ item] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected unknown)
- Manuscript: Clippings [ item] -- Typewritten document (collected unknown)
- Manuscript: Correspondence [183 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1943-1955)
- Manuscript: Correspondence [32 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1939-1945)
- Manuscript: Correspondence [25 items] -- Handwritten document (collected 1945)
- Manuscript: Correspondence [47 items] -- Handwritten document (collected 1944-1945)
- Manuscript: Correspondence [6 items] -- (collected 1943-1945)
- Manuscript: Correspondence [17 items] -- (collected 1944-1945)
- Manuscript: Creative works [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 1945-06)
- Manuscript: Creative works [1 item] -- (collected unknown)
- Manuscript: Diaries and journals [1 item] -- Handwritten document (collected 1944)
- Manuscript: Military papers (orders, personnel/201 files, etc) [ item] -- Typewritten document (collected 1943-1945)
- Manuscript: Mixed (Multiple types of manuscripts) [ item] -- Typewritten document (collected unknown)
- Manuscript: Periodicals [3 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1943-1955)
- Manuscript: Unit histories [3 items] -- (collected unknown)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- (collected unknown)
- Photograph: Original photographic print [59 items] -- Photograph (collected unknown)
- Computer File: Floppy Disk [1 item] -- Electronic file of manuscript (collected 2003; 2003-12-03)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/33917
Cite as
- Leonard John Kovar Collection (AFC/2001/001/33917), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- audio
- image
- online text
Additional Metadata Formats
IIIF Presentation Manifest
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
- Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona
- Italy
- Miami Beach, Florida
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- San Angelo, Texas
- San Antonio, Texas
- Stalag Luft III, Germany
- Stamford, Texas