Charles Abrams Kowallis
| Charles Abrams Kowallis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 January 1913 Montpelier, Idaho |
| Died | 26 January 2007 Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Nativity | United States |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 39906108 |
| Enlisted | Salt Lake City, Utah |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Charles Abrams Kowallis (28 January 1913 – 26 January 2007) was an Idaho-born Ritchie Boy whose German language skills from an LDS mission led to Camp Ritchie training before a medical discharge.
Biography edit
Charles Abrams Kowallis was born on 28 January 1913 in Montpelier, Idaho, and grew up on a dry farm in Arbon Valley (Bannock), Power County, Idaho, before the family moved to Logan, Utah. He attended Logan city schools and Logan High School, where he lettered in several sports. From November 1931 to July 1934 he served an LDS mission in Germany and Austria. During the Depression he worked as a Civilian Conservation Corps company clerk, then in the family implement and hardware business. He married Nina Theo Green on 6 May 1941 in the Logan Temple.
Kowallis was inducted into the Army in January 1943 and sent first to Atlantic City with the Air Corps, then to Camp Ritchie because of his German. About six months later, in July 1943, he received a medical discharge.
After the war he and his brother Wilford operated Kowallis Hardware and Implements in Logan until retirement in 1978. He later lived in Salt Lake City and died there on 26 January 2007 at age 94.
Research notes edit
Gallery edit
-
Later-life studio portrait of Charles Abrams Kowallis (RB Archive CAK.png) -
Typed autobiographical summary mentioning Camp Ritchie (RB Archive FL14689312 scan)
Technical record edit
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Nara ASN | 39906108 |
| Nara Name | KOWALLIS CHARLES A |
| Nara State | 96 |
| Nara County | 5 |
| Nara POE | 9689 |
| Nara DOE | 40143 |
| Nara Grade Alpha | PVT |
| Nara Grade Code | 8 |
| Nara Branch Alpha | BI |
| Nara Branch Code | 0 |
| Branch | Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA |
| Nara Term or Enlistment | 5 |
| Term of enlistment | Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law |
| Defer. Date | 0 |
| Nara Source | 0 |
| Nara Nativity | 92 |
| Nativity.1 | IDAHO |
| Nara Year of Birth | 13 |
| Nara Race | 1 |
| Nara Race Description | White citizen |
| Nara Education | 4 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 72 |
| Nara Marital Status | 2 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 72 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 181 |
| row_source | demographics |
Timeline edit
- 28 January 1913 — Born in Montpelier, Idaho; later lived on Arbon Valley farm and in Logan, Utah.
- November 1931 – July 1934 — LDS mission, Germany and Austria.
- Depression years — CCC company clerk; family hardware / implement business.
- 6 May 1941 — Married Nina Theo Green in the Logan Temple.
- January 1943 — Inducted; Air Corps processing at Atlantic City, then Camp Ritchie (German language).
- July 1943 — Medical discharge.
- Postwar – 1978 — Operated Kowallis Hardware and Implements in Logan with brother Wilford.
- 26 January 2007 — Died in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Sources edit
- RB Archive folder “Charles Abrams Kowallis” photographs (portrait, autobiography scan)
- Autobiographical sketch by Charles Abrams Kowallis (RB Archive DOCX FL14689312_2275449_000467; private family copy, not uploaded)
- Allen Mortuaries — Charles Abrams Kowallis obituary (26 January 2007)
- Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
- Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
- NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
- 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-12-28 (1 post)