484th Bombardment Group
Veterans--Florida
World War, 1939-1945
Ten uniformed soldier of the 484th Bombardment Group pose in front of a plane around 1943. A cartoon drawing of a man wearing a top hat and tuxedo appears on the side of the plane along with the caption, "Stew Bum".<br /><br />
A notable solider who appears in the photograph is Sidney J. Malatsky (1924-1944). Born in 1924 in Chelsea, Massachusetts, Malatsky's parents were Russian Jewish immigrants who had came to the United States around the turn of the century. Malatsky attended Chelsea High School, where he made the honor roll and was active in band, orchestra, the school yearbook, and debating club. In 1942, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps Reserves and entered the service in January of 1943. He served in the 827th Bombardment Squadron, 484th Bombardment Group, Heavy, and rose to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. His plane was hit during a mission in November 1944, and the crew crash-landed the plane in the Adriatic Sea. The plane broke in half and Malatsky was killed in the crash at the age of twenty. He was awarded the Air Medal and Purple Heart, and is recognized on the Tablets of the Missing at Florence American Cemetery and Memorial in Italy, as well as at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.<br /><br />
In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s <a href="https://vlp.cah.ucf.edu/">Veterans Legacy Program Project</a>. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Digital copy of original black and white photograph
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Gulfport Youth Who Saw Service
World War, 1914-1918
Veterans--Florida
A newspaper article published in <em>The Gulfport Daily Herald</em> on February 19, 1919. The article describes the capture of Alexander Roberts by German troops, his subsequent imprisonment and his safe return home.<br /><br />
Born on October 13, 1895 in Mexico City, Mexico, Roberts grew up in both Gulfport, Mississippi, and Havana, Cuba, traveling between the two cities. Roberts enlisted in the aviation branch of the United States Army when the United States entered World War I. His plane was shot down over Belgium and he was captured on his first mission. Roberts worked as a pilot during the interwar years. He was drafted in 1942 and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He served as an official aide and aviation advisor to the United States Army. He died in Tampa, Florida, on July 23, 1988, and is buried at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.<br /><br />
In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s <a href="https://vlp.cah.ucf.edu/">Veterans Legacy Program Project</a>. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Gulfport Daily Herald
Digital reproduction of original newspaper article: “Gulfport Youth Who Saw Service: Alexander M. Roberts Returns After An Exciting Time on the Front.” <em>Gulfport Daily Herald</em>, February 19, 1919.
Gulfport Daily Herald
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Gulfport, Mississippi
Mississippi A&M (now Mississippi State University) Yearbook
Yearbooks
Veterans--Florida
A page from the Mississippi A&M (now Mississippi State University) yearbook around 1917. The page features the the yearbook's name, The Reveille, along with a list of seven Junior classmen with their majors and their photographs.<br /><br /> A notable student pictured is Alexander Miguel Roberts, who appears in the last photograph in the left column. Born on October 13, 1895 in Mexico City, Mexico, Roberts grew up in both Gulfport, Mississippi, and Havana, Cuba, traveling between the two cities. Roberts enlisted in the aviation branch of the United States Army when the United States entered World War I. His plane was shot down over Belgium and he was captured on his first mission. Roberts worked as a pilot during the interwar years. He was drafted in 1942 and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He served as an official aide and aviation advisor to the United States Army. He died in Tampa, Florida, on July 23, 1988, and is buried at the Florida National Cemetery.<br /><br /> In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s<a href="https://vlp.cah.ucf.edu/"> Veterans Legacy Program</a>. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
<a href="http://www.msstate.edu/" target="_blank">Mississippi A&amp</a>
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Digital reproduction of original yearbook page.
<a href="http://www.msstate.edu/" target="_blank">Mississippi A&amp</a>
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Mississippi A&M, Starkville, Mississippi
Surgery Movies for Instruction
World War, 1939-1945
Veterans--Florida
A magazine article published by <em>The Air Force Official Service Journal</em> in May of 1943. The article describes an instituted policy of filming important surgical operations performed at the Base Hospital at Wendover Field, Utah. The first filmed operation was on William Woznak (1919-1997).<br /><br />
Born on August 5, 1919, in Montreal, Canada, William Woznak's family immigrated to Michigan. He enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps on January 6, 1942, serving on the Repair Squadron at Wendover Field in Utah. After the war, Woznak returned to Michigan and married Elizabeth Beatrice Genick. He fathered three children, named Marian, Bill, and Walter. By the 1970s, the family moved to Naples, Florida, where Woznak worked as a realtor and building consultant. He died on January 28, 1997, in Naples, and is memorialized at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.<br /><br />
In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s <a href="https://vlp.cah.ucf.edu/">Veterans Legacy Program Project</a>. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
<a href="http://www.airforcemag.com/Pages/HomePage.aspx" target="_blank">Air Force Magazine</a>
Digital reproduction of original newspaper article: "Surgery Movies for Instruction." <em>Air Force Magazine</em>, Wendover Field, Utah, May, 1943.
<a href="http://www.airforcemag.com/Pages/HomePage.aspx" target="_blank">Air Force Magazine</a>
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Wendover Air Force Base, Utah