Lieut. Leo A. Kiburz died 1918

KIBURZ

Posted By: CHERYL MOONEN (email)
Date: 11/15/2018 at 10:17:32

Evening times-Republican, Saturday, Nov 30, 1918, Marshalltown, IA, Page: 5

Escapes Peril of Air Fighting
But Falls Victim to Flu

Cedar Rapids, Nov. 30 – To have been in all conceivable dangers that present themselves to an aviator in active service and to emerge from them unscathed, only to fall victim to influenza, was the fate of Lieut. Leo A. Kiburz, who died in London early Thursday. A cable to the effect was received by his mother Mrs. Katherine Kiburz, 381 South Twenty-First Street, on Thanksgiving Day. No word had been received that her son was ill. When a letter was received about a month ago he was in good health, where he was on leave in London and was awaiting his papers appointing him to a place in Canada as an instructor. His death occurred at the home of a friend of his mother’s sister, Mrs. J. W. Stewart, of Vancouver, whose husband is director of electric railways in France and England. The knowledge that he was carried for by friends was a comfort to his mother here in her sorrow.

Lieutenant Kiburz enlisted in Canada in September 1915, where he received his training, attending an officer’s training school for aviators of British Columbia, from which he graduated with the commission of First Lieutenant. Immediately following the completion of this course he was spent for duty overseas.

During the last three years he saw active service in France, Belgium, Egypt and Scotland, having endured hardships and perils such as are almost inconceivable to those not acquainted with the actual dangers of aerial warfare. He has had his own plane shot down from under him and has brought down four German machines which had been credited directly to him, and has undergone untold thrilling experiences which beggar description, coming through them all without so much as a scratch so far as his family has known. Because of his skill and bravery he has won unusual recognition under his superiors and men, by whom he was greatly respected.

He was born in Monticello, Iowa 24 years ago, and there he spent his early youth. Later moving to Cedar Rapids he attended Washington High School. While a student there he was prominent in athletics, especially football, and was named half-back of the all-state team. He was a member of the Knight of Columbus and of the Immaculate Conception Church.

He is survived by his mother and two brothers, J. A. Kiburz and J. L. Kiburz, all of this city. Every effort by them to have the body sent here for burial if it can be at all possible.