War’s Echo in the Body

The Medical Legacy of World War II Service

As Veteran’s Day approaches I felt called to look into the service of my great uncle, Frank J. Kokoska. My mom told me Uncle Frank had a lot of health issues, mostly in his hands and feet, due to his World War II service. Until the last few days, I really had no idea what those might have been. Although I assumed at least one disease, malaria, based on the fact he served in a Combat Engineer unit in the Pacific Theater. I always tell students it’s never a good idea to assume anything in military or family history research, and so far I’ve not found evidence of malaria but I have found a couple of other diseases.

Frank J. Kokoska

My great uncle Frank was born in Chicago, Illinois on 17 August 1906.¹ In 1940 just before World War II began, he worked as a Conductor and Motorman for Rapid Electric Transit Line (’L’) in Chicago.² At the age of 34, he enlisted in the U.S. Army.

The family story was that Frank enlisted as a way to help “keep his nephew Frank J. Winkler” safe. He promised his sister Jenny Kokoska Winkler, that he would make sure Frank made it through the war.

No one could have promised that. It was unrealistic but probably made Jenny feel better that her son was going to war and someone would take care of him. Frank had been drafted in October 1943 after starting college. He was the family’s only son which made him the favorite son and grandson.

Frank Winkler ended up training at Camp Wolters, TX, an Infantry Replacement training center before being shipped to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), where he joined the 115th Infantry Regiment, 29th Division on 23 June 1944 and was Killed In Action within 24 hours near La Fossardiers, France. His date of death was 24 June 1944.³

You can read Frank Winkler’s story in my book, Stories of the Lost. While Frank Winkler was shipped to the ETO, his uncle Frank was shipped to the Pacific (PTO) to serve in C Co. 108th Combat Engineer Bn.⁴

Frank Kokoska’s Health Issues

While I’m still in the process of researching Frank’s service, here is what I know about his health issues once overseas.

12 September 1944 – 19 September 1944 Frank was admitted to the 161st Station Hospital base section “F” with FUO (fever of unknown origins) which was later diagnosed as Dengue Fever. Dengue fever is an illness spread by the bite of mosquitos infected with a dengue virus.⁵

I wondered what was the difference between Dengue Fever and Malaria if both are transmitted by mosquitoes. Apparently, the two diseases are spread by two different types of mosquitoes. Dengue is caused by the dengue virus while Malaria is caused by the Plasmodium parasite. Dengue fever usually presents as: a high fever along with nausea, vomiting, rash, headache, and body aches. Malaria often presents as: fever, headache, and chills. I’ve often heard veteran families say that their veteran suffered the rest of their life from Malaria. I wonder if that is because the parasite infection was not properly treated and the parasite removed? I’m no doctor so I’m not sure.

9 November 1944 – ? Frank was admitted to the 237th Station Hospital at Finschaffen, New Guinea for dermatitis eczematoid on both hands. Dermatitis may result in different types of skin inflammation, typically characterized by itchiness, redness and a rash.⁶

6 December 1944 – ? Frank was again admitted to the 237th Station Hospital at Finschaffen, New Guinea for dermatitis eczematoid.⁷

March 1945 – Frank was admitted for Prostatitis, chronic (non-gonococcal); Diagnosis: Arthritis, Chronic, osteo-(hypertrophic degenerative), according to a Hospital Admission Index Sheet. A few months later, in July 1945 when Frank left the hospital he was processed for discharge.⁸

As you can see I have a lot of research to do on Frank’s service. But his health issues did make me think about the impact of service on a veteran and the family’s health.

Veteran Health Impacts the Entire Family

In conversation about the health of our nation’s veterans, we often hear people talk about issues and diseases related to Agent Orange and Vietnam service. I think we forget about our veterans who served prior to that and the chemicals, bugs, and conditions they endured which impacted their health.

I hear many clients tell me their dad served during the Battle of the Bulge and had trench foot. His feet were never the same the rest of his life. It impacted his ability to walk, withstand cooler or colder temperatures, and live a healthy, “normal” life.

Other clients whose fathers were Prisoners of the Japanese and endured Beri beri, malaria, dengue fever, malnourishment, and an assortment of other diseases, were impacted the rest of their lives. Perhaps they had malarial issues surface now and then. They had trouble keeping weight on or eating.

We know from World War I and gas attacks that the chemicals used to defeat the enemy (also used in World War II and other wars) created a host of illnesses within the veteran while in service and afterward. Those illnesses may have created changes in their DNA, eggs or sperm, which would have resulted in children born with potential issues.

We have learned throughout the years that chemicals absorbed or breathed into the body can create impacts on egg and sperm and therefore create generational health issues. Studies have been done on this and the stress and trauma related to military service that get passed down. This article is not a study on this and those article are easy to locate online if you are interested.

This article is however an invitation for you to ask deeper questions. Go beyond, the ‘what did grandpa do in the war’ type of questions to ‘how did the trauma, stress, weather, bugs, and chemicals’ impact his health? How did that impact the family when he returned home? How did it impact his descendants?

The Impact on the Family

Not only might have children inherited potential issues as a result of service and what the veteran was exposed to, but the entire family had to process and deal with the changes in the returning veteran.

The diseases and illnesses suffered overseas may have continued once the veteran was home and trying to resume a “normal” life. Hospital visits and stays were common among many families whose veterans had endured a lot of illness. Changes in family routines to accommodate illness, health, movement, and other issues had to be addressed. Families often also endured an early death of their veteran due to his exposure while in service.

These are issues we rarely touch on. Issues we need to address so our families can process and heal the trauma of war.

I certainly have a lot more research to do on Frank and my other family’s veterans, but this gives me a lot to think about. Have you explored these issues in your family history? What did you discover?

© 2025 World War II Research and Writing Center

1. National Archives and Records Administration, U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 (Name: The Generations Network, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2005;), Database online. Ancestry.com, Social Security Death Index (Name: The Generations Network, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2007;), Database online. Number: 349-09-5303; Issue State: Illinois; Issue Date: Before 1951. ↩︎
2. Ancestry.com, 1940 United States Federal Census (Name: The Generations Network, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2002;), Joseph Kokoska Year: 1940; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: m-t0627-00777; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 16-145. ↩︎
3. Army Morning Report, 115th Infantry Regiment dated 4 July 1944. Entry for Frank J. Winkler, ASN 36695605. National Archives, RG 64, National Archives, College Park, MD. ↩︎
4. Frank J. Kokoska Letters, , letter from overseas about war bonds and monthly paycheck. Lists C Co 108th Engineer Bn and ASN 20617411. Letter date 24 April 1944. ↩︎
5. National Archives and Records Administration, “Morning Reports ca. 1912-1946. RG 64 Records of the National Archives and Records Administration,” digital images, NARA, NARA Catalog (https://catalog.archives.gov : download 1 November 2025), A&D Sheet Number 137, 161st Station Hospital dated 12 and 20 Sept 1944; citing entry for Frank J. Kokoska. ↩︎
6. National Archives and Records Administration, “Morning Reports ca. 1912-1946. RG 64 Records of the National Archives and Records Administration,” digital images, NARA, NARA Catalog (https://catalog.archives.gov : download 1 November 2025), C Co 108th Eng Bn (C) dated 9 March 1944 entry for Frank J. Kokoska. ↩︎
7. National Archives and Records Administration, “Morning Reports ca. 1912-1946. RG 64 Records of the National Archives and Records Administration,” digital images, NARA, NARA Catalog (https://catalog.archives.gov : download 1 November 2025), A&D Sheet dated 7 Decmeber 1944 for 237th Station Hospital; citing entry for Frank J. Kokoska. ↩︎
8. “U.S., World War II Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954,” digital images, National Archives and Records Administration; Hospital Admission Card Files, ca. 1970 – ca. 1970; NAI: 570973; Record Group Number: Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army), 1775-1994; Record Group Title: 112, Ancestry (https://ancestry.com : viewed/copied 18 August 2021), entry for Frank J. Kokoska; ASN 20617411; Mar 1945-July 1945 Convalescent Hospital Stay. ↩︎