Missing information?

Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?

Submit

Personal info

Full name
LEANO, Joseph A
Date of birth
16 January 1914
Age
30
Place of birth
New York
Hometown
Watertown, Jefferson County, New York

Military service

Service number
32936045
Rank
Technician Fifth Grade
Function
Medical Aidman
Unit
Medical Detachment,
10th Infantry Regiment,
5th Infantry Division
Awards
Silver Star,
Bronze Star,
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
7 October 1944
Place of death
In the vicinity of Fort Driant, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine
Tablets of the Missing
* This soldier has been accounted for. A rosette has been placed next to his name.

Immediate family

Members
Dominick Leano (father)
Mary F. Leano (mother)
Grace Leano (sister)
Carmella Leano (sister)
Josephine Carmella (sister)
Angelina Leano (sister)
Mary Leano (sister)
Rose Leano (sister)

More information

T/5 Joseph A. Leano worked in a foundry.

He enlisted in Syracruse, New York on 15 May 1943.

According to a report of 2nd Lt Goell, B Company was ordered to attack a section of Fort Driant on 7 October 1944. The platoon of S/Sgt Pihera was surrounded in a concrete shelter were they had assembled for re-organization and were killed by enemy small arms and artillery fire. No attempts could be made to evacuate the remains of casualties incurred in this action due to the tactital position of the enemy. Field investigations were conducted in the area in May 1948 and January 1950 with negative results.

On 2 July 2001 the Central Identification Laboratory-Hawaii (CILHI, now DPAA) identified the remains of T/5 Joseph A. Leano.

He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

He is also remembered on a statue at Fort Driant.

Source of information: Leo Minne, Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com – 1920/1930 Census / Headstone and Interment Record / Jackson Family Tree, A footsoldier for Patton / Michael C. Bilder James G. Bilder, The 5th Infantry Division in the ETO

Photo source:
www.findagrave.com - Michael V Drachman, Le Fort Driant (Facebook)