ALDEN V. BARTZ:
An Inventory of His World War II Letters at the Minnesota Historical Society
Manuscripts Collection
OVERVIEW
| Creator: | Bartz, Alden V., 1919-1945, creator. | |
| Title: | Alden V Bartz World War II Letters. | |
| Dates: | 1939-1945. | |
| Language: | Materials in English. | |
| Abstract: | Letters home from a Lincoln County, Minnesota man who served with the United States Navy during World War II and was lost at sea when his ship, the U.S.S. Bismarck Sea, was sunk in a kamikaze attack near Iwo Jima in the closing days of the war. Includes a commencement program from Ivanhoe High School (1939), enlistment papers, five digital photographs, and a letter from the commanding officer of the Bismarck Sea informing Bartz' parents of the loss of their son. | |
| Quantity: | 0.25 cubic feet (1 folder in 1 partial box); and 5 image files: JPEG (9.88 MB). | |
| Location: | See Detailed Description for shelf locations. |
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Alden Verden Bartz was born in Lincoln County, Minnesota and lived on the family farm near Arco, when he enlisted with the Navy in 1939. He saw service on the U.S.S. Yorktown, the U.S.S. California, and the U.S.S. Bismarck Sea, where he served as chief electrician's mate. On February 21, 1945 the Bismarck Sea was struck by two Japanese kamikaze airplanes near Iwo Jima, causing an uncontrollable fire onboard that resulted in the aircraft carrier sinking with Bartz and 317 others lost at sea out of a crew of 923. The Bismarck Sea was the last U.S. Navy aircraft carrier to be lost in World War II. Bartz' body was not recovered.
SCOPE AND CONTENTS
The collection consists of letters describing Bartz' enlistment and training as an apprentice seaman at the U.S. Naval Training Station at Great Lakes, Illinois, his service onboard ship, his training to be a fighter pilot at the U.S. Naval Flight Preparatory School at San Luis Obispo, California, and combat service aboard the U.S.S. Bismarck Sea. Includes a commencement program from Ivanhoe High School (1939), enlistment papers, and a letter from the commanding officer of the Bismarck Sea informing Bartz' parents of the loss of their son.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Availability:
The collection is open for research use.
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Alden V. Bartz World War II Letters. Minnesota Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
Accession Information:
Accession number: 17,368
Processing Information:
Processed by: David B. Peterson, January 2020
Catalog ID number: 9989772039104294
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
| Box | |||||||||||
| 123.I.2.10F | 1 | Ivanhoe High School commencement program, 1939. | |||||||||
| Enlistment papers, 1939. | |||||||||||
| Correspondence and papers, 1939-1945. 7 folders. | |||||||||||
| Alden Bartz lost at sea, 1945. | |||||||||||
| Internet | Photographs, approximately 1940. 5 image files: JPEG (9.88 MB). | ||||||||||
Alden Bartz_1.jpg
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Alden Bartz_2.jpg
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Alden Bartz-4.jpg
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AldenBartz670.jpg
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Bartz Family(1).jpg
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CATALOG HEADINGS
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
- Topics:
- Iwo Jima, Battle of, Japan, 1945.
- Kamikaze airplanes.
- Sailors -- Minnesota -- Arco.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Casualties.
- Organizations:
- Bismarck Sea (Aircraft carrier).
- United States. Navy.
- Document Types:
- Photographs.
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