Guide to the Witwicki Family Collection (1890s – 1970s)

Kazimir Mikolaj Alojzy Witwicki (1888-1948) served in two armies spanning two world wars. He lived on three continents before finally settling in Santa Cruz in the late 1940′s. Kazimir was born in Kiev, Russia (now Ukraine), but considered himself and his family to be Polish. He served three years in the Russian Army before immigrating to the US in 1913. In 1917, he enlisted in the US Army. After World War I he continued to serve, eventually attaining the rank of Master Sergeant in the Army Air Corps. During his 26 years in the military he was stationed in the Philippines, Panama, Langley Field in Virginia, and March Field in California. In 1923, he married Ruth Roberts (1896 – 1975) of West Newbury, Massachusetts. During World War II, Kazimir primarily served on the west coast of the United States as a Provost Marshall. He was medically retired in 1944. He and Ruth moved to Santa Cruz in 1947, where they lived at 451 May Avenue. They were members of the Santa Cruz post of the American Legion. Kazimir died shortly thereafter on March 15, 1948. Ruth remained in Santa Cruz for the next 30 years. Kazimir and Ruth are both buried at the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno.

SERIES I.  PHOTOGRAPH ALBUMS (1920s)

Two (2) Photograph Albums

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains two (2) 5” x 8” cloth covered binder notebooks used as photograph albums. One of the photographs is labelled ‘1928.’ Based on this date and Kazimir’s enlistment records these photographs are likely of Panama. Kazimir was with the 25^th Bomb Squadron from April 1925 to April 1928. (104 x photos).

Box ID #/Folder ID #

1

SERIES II.  LARGE SIZED PHOTOGRAPHS (1890s – 1940s)

One (1) Box

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains large sized photographs of friends and family of the Witwicki’s. Several of the photographs are from March Field, California. Most of these photographs are not with names and/or dates. (43 x photos).

Box ID #/Folder ID #

1

SERIES III. SMALL SIZED PHOTOGRAPHS (1890s – 1940s)

Four (4) Boxes

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains small sized photographs of friends and family of the Witwicki’s. There appears to be photographs from the Philippines, Langley Field, and March Field correspondence and newspaper clippings related to the Seating at Ocean View Park and to the DiPasquale’s Fiberglass Indian. The correspondence includes letters, handwritten notes, and petitions. The newspaper clippings include articles and letters to the editor from multiple points of view. (600 x Photos)

Box ID#: Folder ID#

2-5

SERIES IV. NEGATIVES

One (1) Folder

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains negatives for many of the Witwicki Family photographs. (103 x Negatives)

Box ID#: Folder ID#

6: 1

SERIES V. TINTYPES

One (1) Folder

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains six (6) tintypes. One of the tintypes is in very poor condition, it may be a group photo. (6 x Tintypes)

Box ID#: Folder ID#

6: 2

SERIES VI. DOCUMENTS

Two (2) Boxes, ten (10) Folders

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains important documents for Kazimir and Ruth Witwicki. The documents include papers from when he served in the Russian Army, and in the US Army Air Corps.

This series is divided into four subseries:

Subseries VI.A. Russian Army Documents
Subseries VI.B. U.S. Army Air Corps Documents
Subseries VI.C. Ruth Witwicki Documents
Subseries VI.D. Five Year Diary

SUBSERIES VI.A. RUSSIAN ARMY DOCUMENTS (1910 – 1913)

Two (2) Folders

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains documents from the when he served in the Russian Army. These documents are in Russian, Cyrillic. They appear to be discharge paperwork and paybooks.

Box ID#: Folder ID#

6: 3-4

SUBSERIES VI.B. U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS DOCUMENTS (1920s – 1940s)

Four (4) Folders

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains documents from when he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps. These documents include his discharge paperwork, enlistment records, his marriage license, and his Memorial Record. In the folder for his memorial record there is an envelope from White’s Mortuary containing Flower Cards. There is one folder that contains aerial navigation maps of Central America.

Box ID#: Folder ID#

6: 5-8

SUBSERIES VI.C. RUTH WITWICKI DOCUMENTS (1920s – 1970s)

Three (3) Folders

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains documents for Ruth Witwicki. These documents include letters and other correspondence from friends and family. There is also a copy of the “March Field Social Club Constitution.

Box ID#: Folder ID#

7: 9-11

SUBSERIES VI.D. FIVE YEAR DIARY (1923 – 1975)

One (1) Folder

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains a white hard cover Five Year Diary. Most of the pages do not have any entries. In the back are some favorite recipes.

Box ID#: Folder ID#

7: 12

SERIES VII. NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS

One (1) Folder

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains newspaper clippings collected by the Witwicki’s. Contains recipes, cartoons, events, or comments about friends or family. There is also a copy of the Inglewood Daily News from Wednesday February 25, 1942.

Box ID#: Folder ID#

7: 13

SERIES VIII. EPHEMERA

One (1) Folder

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains ephemera collected by the Witwicki’s. Included in this is a recruitment pamphlet from the U.S. Army Aviation Cadets, a pamphlet titled “Information for Soldiers Going back to Civilian Life”, a leather cover for Kazimir’s Honorable Discharge (one of his dogtags is attached), and a newsletter titled “National Defense: To Our Country Ever Faithful.”

Box ID#: Folder ID#

7: 14