Edmund Frank Ukleja was born 9/27/1921 to Frank and Mary (Birgier/Bargiel) Ukleja, themselves immigrants from Poland. He had three siblings (Henry, Chester, and Phyllis). Edmund was a lifelong resident of Chicopee, MA, and served in the U.S. Navy in World War II, first stationed at the Waller Airforce Base in Trinidad and Tobago, and then aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard in the Pacific theater. He returned home in 1945. Following his Naval service, Edmund was a toolmaker at the Eastern Etching Company for 18 years. Edmund married Adella J. Urban (1927-2021) in 1951 at St. Stanislaus. He was a communicant of St Stanislaus Basilica Church in Chicopee, and belonged to their Holy Name Society and St. Michael’s Society. Upon his death on 8/11/1991, he was buried in the St. Stanislaus Cemetery in Chicopee.

The scrapbook is comprised primarily of photos and newspaper clippings, with assorted other ephemera, all contained within a scrapbook assembled by Edmund. Approximately half of the items relate to Edmund’s service in the United States Navy during WWII, and those include several graphic photos of war casualties as well as depictions of and language describing Japanese people that are considered racist by today’s standards, but would have been common views at the time. The second half of the collection follows Edmund’s life after he returned home from the war, and includes photos of local parades and festivals, as well as weddings, christenings, and other family events. 

This collection is primarily in English, with one item in Polish and some foreign currency. Some content (or its descriptions) found in this collection may be harmful and difficult to view. These materials may be graphic or reflect biases. We provide access to these materials to preserve the historical record, but we do not endorse the attitudes, prejudices, or behaviors found within them.

To view individual scans of items, go here