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American History Research Paper
The Kalasz Family
The Kalasz family sought out the American dream by making the long, strenuous voyage from Poland to the land of freedom. They participated in the early success of Ford Motor Co. the first year it began. They contributed to the agricultural growth of America. They experienced the repercussions of the Great Depression and participated in work programs created by the New Deal. Members of the Kalasz family also earned the highest award, the Purple Heart for sacrificing life and limb for WWII and the Korean War.
I found several interesting ways that my mother’s paternal side of the family contributed to the growth, protection and prosperity of the United States today. It all began with my second great grandfather Stanley Kalasz and my second great grandmother Pauline Wenderski. Stanley Kalasz was a soldier for the German army in Poland when he met Pauline Wenderski they married in Poland and had a child, Frank Kalasz. They like many other families from other countries sought out the freedom and prosperity of the United States. My family has no documentation concerning the length of time it took for their voyage from Poland to the United States, however, we do know one baby was still born and buried at sea while another Steven Kalasz was born on the ship in 1908. When they first arrived in the United States, they headed to Detroit Michigan. Stanley Kalasz went to work for Ford Motor Car in 1908, the same time that Henry Ford opened his first mass production plant in Detroit, Michigan and produced the Model T automobile. After a few years Stanley and Pauline saved enough money to move to the country and purchase the Kalasz farm in Belleville Michigan. The Kalasz farm still exists today, but is no longer in the Kalasz family. They had nine more children Emil Kalasz, Leonard Kalasz, Lottie Kalasz, Rose Kalasz, Stella Kalasz, Stella had a twin that died at birth, Theresa Kalasz, Walter Kalasz and my great grandmother Anna Kalasz who worked on the farm. The children sacrificed a formal education to financially support the family. The Kalasz family grew vegetables and transported them to Detroit for sale on the weekends. Most of their children stayed as adults and helped to build the farm, one son Anthony Kalasz my great grand uncle joined the United States Army. Anthony Kalasz never married and had no children; he went off to World War II and never came home. He like many others sacrificed every thing including his life to protect the freedoms that future generations still enjoy. Anthony Kalasz died July 13, 1944, he belonged to the 175th infantry, 29th division and his name is honored on the Belleville memorial and a monument in Normandy, France. Anthony Kalasz’s division was one of the first five divisions of the United States Army to be sent in the Normandy Invasion. Anthony Kalasz’s division landed on the Omaha beach on June 6, 1944. He received a Purple Heart and a gold star. My great grandmother Anna Kalasz was not married at the time she had my grandfather James E Kalasz Sr. Anna Kalasz gave her son her maiden name. Anna Kalasz later married Matt Platukas and had two more sons, Raymond Platukas and Robert Platukas. My great uncle Bob Platukas was also in the military stationed in Korea between the time of the Korean and Vietnam Wars, he encountered opposition but was not involved in an actual war. My grandfather James Edward Kalasz Sr. was born in 1931 during the great depression that started in 1929. The members of the Kalasz family were farmers, and although crops were plentiful, the crop prices were so low the farm was unable to support the family. James Kalasz Sr. and many of his cousins were put into work programs created after the New Deal, they went to work for other larger farms and the money they earned went back to help support the family. In 1952-1953 my first cousin twice removed Stephen Kalasz joined the Army and went off to the Korean War, he was one of ab
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