From War Department, 1945

This folder contains correspondence from the War Department and military officials to Elmer Jr's parents. There are letters from chaplains, a personal affairs officer of Birmingham Hospital, the General Accounting Office, the Veterans Administration, and the Army Effects Bureau of Kansas City. Most of the correspondence is details regarding his death at his parent's request. It is revealed that his family was notified about Elmer's death through a wire but was not given any details. Gathering details from the war department was not easy but it is evident that individuals that the family came across cared and tried their best to direct them to the right people. By chance, Edward Lawrence (Elmer Kern's cousin) was the assistant of a chaplain who helped the family get into contact with the chaplain that officated Elmer's funeral, Chaplain Samuel Givler Jr. In Givler's letter dated May 24th, discussing the details of Elmer's funeral and baptism he received a few weeks prior. He shares the story of his baptism in vivid details, how they used a tent as the chapel and shipping boxes as the altar. There is also the letter of the notification of Elmer's death included. It gives a small insight to how the War Department and other militay offices handled the details and logistics of his death. There are sixteen items in this folder.