Identified Envelope

Sgt. Michael J. Leonard Jr.

Sergeant
Michael J. Leonard Jr.

Sergeant Michael J. Leonard Jr.

Michael John Leonard Jr. was born on August 2, 1919, in Hamilton, Scotland to Sarah Kelly and her second husband Michael John Leonard. Sarah Kelly married her first husband Hugh Connor in 1904 and they had five children between 1905 and 1914 of which the last one was born on October 28, 1914 and named to his father Hugh Connor. Sadly baby Hugh would never know his father as when he was just 6 month old when he was Killed In Action on March 12, 1915 at Neuve Chapelle during the first World War. Sarah Kelly was re-married on July 26, 1917 to Michael John Leonard who was also a widower. They went to have two children of their own including Michael "Mike" Leonard, also named to his father, and a daughter Sarah Leonard (1920-1980). The family emigrated from Scotland to the United States in 1926. Two of Sarah's sons, Hugh Conner and Michael Leonard Jr. served in World War Two.

Michael J. "Mike" Leonard Jr. (#36110846) entered the service as a draftee on April 16, 1941 at Detroit, Michigan. The Morning Report of July 11, 1944 listed Leonard Michael J. Jr. as assigned and joined from 92nd Replacement Battalion to Co M of the 330st Infantry Regiment. The After Action Reports of January 1945 listed Leonard Michael J. Jr. Sgt. as Missed In Action (MIA) on December 5, 1944. This was only the third day 3rd battalion of the 330th Infantry Regiment was in their positions in the woods near Grosshau and Schafberg, Germany. Both the 330th and German troops didn't take any offensive actions. However, the american troops suffered greatly from the constant shelling they received. It is thus highly likely that Michael Leonard went missing and was Killed during one of these artillery barrages. The booklet "History of Company M" lists Michael J. Leonard as Killed In Action (KIA), without a date. The 'Application for Headstone or Marker', shown below (from Ancestry), lists him as KIA on December 5, 1944.