Russell F. Trask letters

Collection

Identifier: MSS-1993

Scope and Contents note

This collection consists of 197 letters, the majority of which are written to Russell F. Trask, E.M. 1/c aboard the U.S.S. Apollo (AS-25) by his wife, LeElda “Lee” Trask of Wausau, Marathon County, Wisconsin. Some of the letters are written to Trask by his mother and other family member. Twenty-eight of the letters are written to Lee by Trask. The letters are generally full of news from home, but one letter from his mother (dated February 15, 1945) included a somewhat prophetic statement. “Well the big 3 conference is over I see by the papers, all I can say is the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Communism will come out strong after this war. I am sure it will hold sway in Europe. I wonder if that will be our next evil that we will have to fight it seems so now.” There are also three newspaper clippings, one of which is an article about the death of Ernie Pyle, the reporter. There are four postcards in the collection also. Two are to Trask, one is blank, and the other has no apparent connection to the Trask letters, dated 1919.

Dates

1945

Biographical/Historical note

Russell F. Trask was born on January 7, 1920 to Jessie H. and Erna B. Zahn Trask of Wausau, Marathon County, Wisconsin. He served on the U.S.S. Apollo (A.S. 25), a submarine tender in the Pacific Ocean during the last year of the war. He married LeElda M. “Lee” Kufahl (1919-2004) on August 30, 1941. They had four sons, Fredric (“Freddie” mentioned in the letters), Mark, Tom, and John. He died on January 4, 2002 in Fond Du Lac, Fond Du Lac County, Wisconsin.

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Extent

0.4 Linear Feet (197 letters, 3 clippings, 1 booklet, 4 postcards)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Letters written mainly to Russell F. Trask, E.M. 1/c aboard the U.S.S. Apollo (A.S. 25) by his wife, LeElda “Lee” Trask of Wausau, Marathon County, Wisconsin. Some of the letters are written to Trask by his mother and other family member. Twenty-eight of the letters are written to Lee by Trask.

Provenance

Gift of Wade Hall, 2005

General

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