Old wooden crate brings to life the story of a fallen Minneapolis WWII soldier

The wooden crate, filled with rusty tools and firewood, had rested undisturbed in a dark corner of Jill Griffiths' garage ever since she purchased her century-old home in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood of Minneapolis nearly 30 years ago.

A businesswoman, arts advocate and empty-nester mother of two, Griffiths started cleaning out the garage this fall, "shedding kids' bikes, sport equipment, extra hoses." In the process, she hauled out the old crate for the first time and flipped it over.

That's when she spotted the name "MYRON KUZYK" stenciled in white, along with a serial number and "LT. U.S.A."

"I thought, wow, this could hold real significance for a family," Griffiths said. "The box took on a new meaning and felt heavy and precious."

Griffiths plunged into the internet and learned that Kuzyk, the son of a Ukrainian immigrant who worked at a north Minneapolis box factory, was killed in action in Germany at 26 — just six weeks before the Allies declared victory in Europe during World War II.

Before joining the war effort, Kuzyk had served as social chair of the Ukrainian Folk Ballet of the Twin Cities, studied at what is now the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and attended the University of Minnesota, according to online newspaper archives.

With a little more computer sleuthing, Griffiths found a 1948 article about Kuzyk's remains being reburied at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. The story mentioned his brother Ernie, who was 15 when his only sibling was killed in action.

To her regret, Griffiths soon found out that Ernie, once co-owner of Franklin-Nicollet Liquors in south Minneapolis, died only three years ago at 89 in Milaca, Minn.

"I feel sad that I could have discovered this crate sooner and given this family relic to Myron's brother while Ernie was alive," Griffiths said.

But her frustration vanished as Griffiths used obituaries to track down Ernie's daughter, Randi Kuzyk Yankowiak, and Randi's two grown children. There was a chance these Kuzyk relatives in the Mora, Minn., area would shrug when told about the crate. But a Facebook search revealed that Randi, Myron's niece, had posted a photo of his Fort Snelling headstone adorned with a bouquet and American flag, along with the words: "In Remembrance of your service and sacrifice."

The family hadn't forgotten Myron; in fact, family members had followed in his Army boot steps. Doug Yankowiak, Randi's husband, served in Vietnam, and their son, Chief Warrant Officer Ryan Yankowiak, 36, flies Blackhawk helicopters and has served in the Army for 13 years, including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. All three generations of soldiers were trained at Fort Rucker, Ala.

"I have a shadow box with Myron's Purple Heart and Silver Star at home in New York where I'm stationed at Fort Drum," said Ryan, who was back home in Mora on a recent holiday leave.

According to his posthumous Silver Star citation for "gallantry in action," First Lt. Myron Kuzyk advanced alone from tree to tree against nine German soldiers — capturing one of them and shooting another — before he was shot and killed during a dawn attack near Heppenheim, Germany, on March 27, 1945.

Ryan's older sister, Kelsey Yankowiak, has created her own unique way of honoring soldiers like her brother, father and great-uncle Myron. Kelsey, who owns Bloom Barn Floral in Ogilvie, Minn., launched "Project Salute" during the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking nominations from customers, she delivers a free bouquet of flowers to active and retired military personnel in the Mora-Ogilvie area.

When Griffiths reached family members with word of Myron's crate, they were "speechless" at first but then talked past midnight, Kelsey said.

"I was just astounded and emotionally overwhelmed," said Randi, 70. "I just wish my father was still alive when we got the call."

In a text message to Griffiths, Kelsey said the family believes that her Grandpa Ernie, "who was always a child at heart," and his older brother Myron "are beaming from up there." She said the whole story reminds her "why we must all believe in magic and blessings and miracles."

Griffiths said she isn't sure how Myron's crate ended up in her garage. There's no record of him ever living in the house, though it's possible he rented a room there while attending the U, only a short walk away. She wonders whether the crate might have been sent there with his personal belongings after enemy fire killed him.

Griffiths plans to present the old crate to the Yankowiak family soon, "completing a circle and giving it back where it's always belonged."

Said Randi: "We're just lucky the crate ended up in the hands of someone who cared enough to pursue this."

Curt Brown's tales about Minnesota's history appear every other Sunday. Readers can send him ideas and suggestions at mnhistory@startribune.com. His latest book looks at 1918 Minnesota, when flu, war and fires converged: strib.mn/MN1918.