William F. Leonard

William F. Leonard
Born (1913-08-09)August 9, 1913
Lockport, New York
Died August 4, 1985(1985-08-04) (aged 71)
Lockport, New York
Buried at Cold Springs Cemetery
Allegiance  United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Rank Staff Sergeant
Unit Company C, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division
Battles/wars World War II
Awards

William F. Leonard (August 9, 1913 – August 4, 1985)[1][2] was U.S. Army veteran of World War II and a recipient of the Medal of Honor.[3]

Medal of Honor action

According to Leonard's U.S. Army's biography,[3] then-Pfc. William F. Leonard received the Medal of Honor to recognize his valorous actions while serving as a squad leader with Company C, 30th Infantry, on November 7, 1944, near St. Die, France. Leonard's platoon was reduced to eight men by blistering artillery, mortar, machine-gun, and rifle power. Leonard led the survivors in an assault over a tree-and-shrub-covered hill, continuously swept by automatic fire. Killing two snipers at ranges of 50 and 75 yards, he disregarded bullets that pierced his back to engage and destroy a machine-gun with rifle grenades, killing its two-man crew. Despite being stunned by an exploding bazooka shell, he continued his relentless advance to knock out a second a machine-gun and capture the roadblock objective.

Leonard was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama in a March 18, 2014 ceremony in the White House. The award came through the Defense Authorization Act which called for a review of Jewish American and Hispanic American veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War to ensure that no prejudice was shown to those deserving the Medal of Honor.[4]

Honors and awards

Leonard received the Medal of Honor, the Bronze Star Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one Bronze Service Star, the World War II Victory Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Honorable Service Lapel Button-World War II.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Zremski, Jerry. "Lockport veteran to be posthumously awarded Medal of Honor". Buffalo News. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  2. ↑ Find a Grave
  3. 1 2 3 "Staff Sergeant William F. Leonard". Army.mil. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  4. ↑ Daniel Rothberg (2014-02-21). "Obama will award Medal of Honor to 24 overlooked Army veterans". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2014-02-21.
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