World War II Honoree

Leon C. Durgerian

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Baltimore, Maryland

Honored By

Joseph A. Bligh

Relationship

Buddy

SERVED AS RIFLEMAN WITH COMPANY B, 59TH ARMORED INFANTRY BATTALION, 13TH ARMORED 'BLACK CAT' DIVISION, IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. LANDED IN LE HAVRE, FRANCE IN JANUARY 1945 AND SERVED WITH THE 3RD SQUAD, 1ST PLATOON UNTIL JULY, 1945. FOUGHT IN THE 1ST ARMY'S RHINELAND CAMPAIGN (BATTLE OF THE RUHR POCKET) AND THE 3RD ARMY'S CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGN (BAVARIA TO AUSTRIA). AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE AND 2 BATTLE STARS. RE-DEPLOYED TO US TO PREPARE FOR THE MARCH 1946 INVASION OF HONSHU, JAPAN 'OPERATION CORONET' WHERE THE BLACK CATS WERE TO LEAD THE 8TH ARMY'S ASSAULT ON TOKYO. HOWEVER, TWO ATOMIC BOMBS FORCED JAPAN TO SURRENDER IN LATE SUMMER 1945.