Armistice Day, November 11, 1918

Many of Globeville’s immigrants came to America during the 1890s to escape the political unrest, constant territorial wars and changing borders in Europe. Young men wished to avoid conscription -  a six-year term in the military of the empire that had absorbed and erased your nation. But war eventually caught up with Globeville, exploding during the summer of 1914 following the assassination of Austria’s Archduke Franz Ferdinand. By August 1914, all Europe had chosen sides and mobilized their forces, hoping to settle old scores and regain territory lost in recent conflicts. The United States wanted to remain neutral and so did Globeville. But by 1917, Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare had destroyed Allied, neutral and civilian ships, cost innocent lives and changed public opinion. When Congress declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, the announcement was met with enthusiasm, patriotism and romantic notions. For some Globevillians, the war offered an opportunity to prove that they were loyal citizens. Others sought adventure or wanted to fight for their adopted country. By the time the Armistice was reached, the world and the Globeville neighborhood would be forever changed. 
On November 11,1918, Poles in Globeville felt enormous pride in the restoration of their homeland. Their country had ceased to exist for more than a century after Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia carved it into three sectors in 1792.
Yugoslavia, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, was created in 1918.
The Russian Revolution in March 1917 meant Russia was out of the war and helped the allies. But it meant Holy Transfiguration lost contact with Orthodox Church officials, credentials and records. The church had been funded by Czar Nicholas II and lost its financial backing.
After the Revolution, German Russians were caught in a new conflict - regarded with suspicion by Bolsheviks, by Germans and the Allies. Their lands were seized by the new collectives and many were imprisoned in Siberia.
Although America had been triumphant, attitudes had changed and Americans turned inward. There were severe restrictions on immigration after the war, and citizens of Globeville found it difficult to bring family members to this country. Many lost touch with relatives and friends. The war also fostered suspicion of anyone who might be a Communist, Socialist, or anarchist. A Red Scare in the 1920s questioned the loyalty of Globeville’s people. By the end of the Great War, seeds were already planted for the next war.

Armistice Day Parade, 1918 Denver Public Library

With Our Men in Service

Volume II, Number 14. The weekly bulletin from Holy Rosary Parish was packed with information about the upcoming carnival, a Sunday ham dinner and bingo event, and notices of Men’s Sodality and Ladies Altar Society meetings. But during World War II, the news most appreciated was from those in the armed services. Tidbits were gleaned from letters home and shared among parishioners.
Members of the First German Congregational Church formed the Blue Star Letter Writing Committee to keep the congregation’s 175 service members informed about church activities, and a newsletter called “The Minister's Mailbag” to keep the men in contact with each other as well.
The students at Garden Place School collected scrap and saved their pennies for bond drives, while the young women of Holy Rosary Young Ladies’ Sodality volunteered at the Catholic USO at 16th and Logan. The Polish Harmony Club, a young-people’s group affiliated with the Polish National Alliance, entertained servicemen at Fitzsimons Army Hospital and sponsored weekly dances at the Polish Hall for military personnel.
Mary Canjar joined the Red Cross and attended classes to become an air raid warden. She was issued a uniform with a shirt, pants, helmet and armband, and made sure that windows were covered and lights turned off during blackout periods. Canjar won an award for persuading every family on Logan Street to purchase War Bonds.
Victory gardens, meatless meals, grease collection and scrap drives all supported the war effort. Women filled vacancies in factories when men left for the service. Carol Christensen worked on aircraft (including Eleanor Roosevelt’s plane) at McClellan Field near Sacramento.
On both V-E and V-J Day, church bells, factory whistles and car horns sounded. Twelve young men from Globeville lost their lives in the war; the nation and the neighborhood were forever changed by the conflict. Globeville honored its veterans from World Wars I and II with a memorial in Argo Park, dedicated August 25, 1948. Joseph Zalar, a casualty of the Korean War, would be added later.

 

The memorial in Argo Park honors veterans

from World War I, World War II and Korea.

Photo ® Mary Lou Egan

Lester Samuel Riedel, Frank E. Tezak, Henry Weber

Lester Samuel Riedel was born on June 10, 1921 and enlisted in the Army in August, 1942. Riedel received training at Fort Bliss, Texas, Indio Desert, California, and Richmond, Virginia before departing from Fort Devins, New York, for England to participate in an assault on the European mainland. With 531st Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Battery C., Riedel invaded France on "D Day plus ten" and was killed in action July 11, 1944, near Cavagney, France. Riedel was awarded the Purple Heart, European Theater and American Theater Medals, the Good Conduct and World War II Victory Medals. Riedel was survived by his parents, Mr and Mrs. John Riedel, brothers Lee, Alvin,  John Jr., and Ralph Riedel, and sister Caroline Haubert.

The Tezak family lived on 47th Avenue, right across from Holy Rosary Church. Frank was born on May 6, 1923 and enlisted in the Army Air Corps on March 18, 1943. Tezak received specialized training at Stephenville, Texas and was assigned to the 99th Division of the 395th Infantry- the Checkerboard Division. Tezak departed the US for the European Theater Setptember 23, 1944, was assigned to the First Army under General Hodges and participated in major European battles. Tezak was killed in action  March 1, 1945, near Cologne, Germany. Tezak received the Purple Heart, European Theater and American Theater, and World War II Victory Medals. Tezak was survived by his parents Mr. and Mrs. J. Tezak, and brothers Joseph, Anthony and Louis Tezak. Tezak is one of the men who is honored on the Colorado Freedom Memorial - Panel 9, Column, Row 19.

Colorado Freedom Memorial

When France fell to the Nazis in June 1940 many in the United States felt the conflict edging closer and may have motivated eighteen-year-old Henry Weber to enlist in the Navy in October. After receiving his basic training at San Diego, California, Weber was assigned to the USS California, one of the battleships sunk at her moorings during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Initially reported Missing in Action, Weber was later confirmed as wounded and assisted in the defense of Pearl Harbor. Weber was then assigned to the destroyer, USS Barton, which was sunk in the battle of Savo Islands, November 13, 1942. This time, Weber was confirmed Missing in Action. Weber was awarded the Purple Heart (2), American Defense, Asiatic-Pacific, American Theater, and World War II Victory Medals. He was survived by Mr. and Mrs. John Weber, sisters Molly Seegar, Pauline Wolf, Natalie Brantner, Amelia Campbell, and Matilda Weber and brothers Samuel, Reuben and Albert Weber.

Samuel Graff, Charles Arthur McClellan, Albert R. Metzger

Samuel Graff was 24 years old when he enlisted in the Army and traveled to Camp Roberts, California for basic training in November, 1943. Assigned to the 41st Division, 163rd Infantry, Company I, Graff participated in operations in New Guinea, Netherlands, East India and the Philippines. Graff was killed in action during an invasion of Mindinoa, Sambo Ango on March 19, 1945 and received the Purple Heart, Asiatic Pacific, American Theater and World War II Victory Medals. His family were members of the First German Congregational Church in Globeville and he was survived by his sisters Natalie Befus, Ruth Mitchell, Irene and Rosalie Graff, and brothers Carl and Alex Graff.

Charles Arthur McClellan was 25 years old and married when he enlisted in the Navy March 6, 1942. He did his basic training in San Diego, California and was assigned to LST-455, a repair ship, as an electrician's second mate. McClellan was reported "missing in action" September 12, 1943 as a result of a direct hit by enemy bombers during a bombing attack in the South Pacific. McClellan received Purple Heart, Asiatic Pacific, American Theater and World War II Victory Medals. He was survived by his widow, Mrs. Helen Kornafel McClellan, and his mother, Mrs. H. W. McClellan.

29-year-old Albert R. Metzger enlisted in the US Army Air Force January 6, 1941, before the United States entered the conflict and received his basic training with the 120th Observation Squadron of the National Guard.  Metzger was later assigned to 153rd Observation Squadron and departed the US in August 1942. As a Liaison Pilot in Bath, England, Metzger received orders to server as an observation pilot for the 190th Field Artillery and was killed in a crash near Market Livingston, England, June 27, 1943. Metzger was awarded the Purple Heart, American and European Theater Medals and was survived by his parents, Mr and Mrs. John Metzger, and sisters Gertrude Metzger and Mrs. Alma Hartfiel.

Frederick F. Dometrovich, Theodore Dorak, Lawrence Goreski

There is a stained glass window above the altar in Holy Rosary Church that was donated in 1920 by the Dometrovich family, immigrants from Croatia. How proud they were to have son Frederick complete school at North High, then graduate from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. At age 34, married, and the father of two children, Dometrovich would have been exempt from the draft, but enlisted in the Army Medical Corps in August, 1942. Dometrovich served as a physician in the South Pacific, including Oro Bay, New Guinea and Gilbert Islands and died as the result of typhus contracted in the line of duty. Survived by his wife, children Margo and Fred, Jr., mother Mrs. Anna Dometrovich, brothers Frank and John, and sister Mrs. Mary Hamilton, Dometrovich received the American Theater Medal, and the Asiatic Pacific Medal and Citation.

Theodore Kenneth Dorak was one of many young men who enlisted in the Navy December 8, 1941, the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. After training at San Diego, California, Dorak was assigned to the Naval Air Force aboard the USS Yorktown. A later assignment took Dorak to the aircraft carrier USS Franklin, where he participated in air raids over Marcus, Wake, Kwajalein, Truk, Saipan, Palau, Hollandia, and the Japanese mainland. Killed in action March, 1945, during a battle off the Japanese coast, Dorak was remembered with a plaque on the east side of St. Michael's Chapel at Riverside Cemetery. Dorak was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Dorak, brothers Edward J. Jr. and Daniel Dorak, and sister Mary Ellen Dorak. Dorak was awarded the Purple Heart, Asiatic Pacific Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, and the American Theater, Good Conduct and World War II Victory Medals.

Lawrence Goreski was 27 years old, married to Margaret and had a young daughter, Laura Jean when he enlisted in the Army Air Force January 11, 1942, a month after Pearl Harbor. Goreski entered flight training at Ellington Field, Houston, Texas, and received his commission as 2nd Lieutenant at Victorville, California. Assigned to combat flight duties in England October 28, 1942, Goreski was reported Missing in Action December 30, 1942, while participating in a bombing mission of a submarine base in Lorient, France. Besides his wife and children, Goreski was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Pete Goreski, and a brother, Paul Goreski. Goreski received the Purple Heart, European Theater, American Theater and World War II Victory Medals. 

Daniel Baker, Charles A. Carbone, Stanley Marion Czajowski

The young men smiling from the pages of the booklet published by the Globeville Veteran's Club are the sons of immigrants, confident and eager to take on the world in defense of America. Many had never been farther than their home state of Colorado when they enlisted, but would give their lives for their country in remote parts of Europe, the Pacific and the United States. The first three men from World War II are: 
Daniel Baker, one of eight children of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Baker, enlisted in the Army July 14, 1943, and received his basic training at Fort Logan, Colorado, Georgia and Virginia. Assigned to Company L, 317th Infantry Regiment, 80th Division, Baker was killed in action in the vicinity of Cologne, France, November 10, 1944. Baker was awarded the Purple Heart, Good Conduct, American Theater and European Theater Medals.

Charles A. Carbone's home town is listed as New Haven, Connecticut where his parents, four brothers and two sisters lived. His enlistment in the Army in December, 1939 suggests that he was one of many young men who chose military life as a temporary career solution at a time when the United States was still recovering from the Great Depression. Perhaps he met a Globeville girl, Betty Tanko, while in basic training at Fort Carson, or when he was assigned to the 102d Infantry of the Colorado National Guard. When the United States entered the conflict, Carbone was assigned to Company C, 16th Infantry, 1st Army and participated in operations in France, Belgium and Germany. Carbone died February 26, 1945 as a result of wounds received in action,was buried in the American War Cemetery at Henri-Chapelle, and was awarded the Purple Heart. He was survived by his wife Betty Tanko Carbone and daughter Charlene. 

Stanley Marion Czajowski, one of eight children, was born in 1913, enlisted in the Army in June, 1939 and served with Company F, 1st Infantry Division. Czajowski died July 20, 1940, while on maneuvers at Lake Shamineau, Little Falls, Minnesota. Czajowski was buried from St. Joseph's Polish Church, and was listed by his Polish name, Stanislaw Marion Czajkowski, in the parish ledger. Czajowski was awarded the American Defense, the American Theater and World War II Victory Medals.

Lest we forget

The veterans memorial in Argo Park is dedicated to those servicemen from Globeville who lost their lives in service to their country. Two of those men, Martin Clements and John Wysowatcky, were killed in the last weeks of World War I. Martha Kulik Birch remembered, “We all came down in the hallway at Garden Place School and Smitty [John] Wysowatcky and Albert Metzger were standing in their uniforms with their big hats, and we gave them a concert before they left for war. We sang, ‘Tenting tonight, tenting tonight, tenting on the old camp ground.’ Before it ended, Smitty was killed with only two more weeks until the armistice. His mother said she knew something was wrong, even before they got the official notice, because a bird came in the house and flew all around the upper part of the ceiling and went out. John used to light the chandelier in the church before services. It was an omen.”

Martin John Clements was born in 1893, enlisted in the army in May, 1917 and attained the rank of sergeant with the Medical Corps of Field Artillery of the American Expeditionary Forces. He died August 23, 1918 as a result of wounds received in action near Chateau Terra.

John Wysowatcky was also born in 1893 and enlisted in the army in April, 1917. Serving in the infantry with the American Expeditionary Forces, he was killed in action in Argonne Forest, October 23, 1918 and is buried in Riverside Cemetery.

Photo, top, Veterans Memorial, Mary Lou Egan

Middle photo, Martin John Clements, from Globeville Veterans Club booklet

Bottom photo, John Wysowatcky from Globeville Veterans Club booklet