World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Leonard H. Chant
Branch of Service
U.S. Marine Corps
Hometown
Cleveland, Ohio
Honored By
Daughter
CORPORAL. JOINED AT AGE 17. STATIONED AT THE MIRAMAR NAVAL AIR STATION IN SAN DIEGO, WHERE HE QUALIFIED FOR SHARPSHOOTER WITH M1 RIFLE. HE WAS SENT TO THE PACIFIC THEATRE (ZAMBOANGA, PHILIPPINES), WHERE HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR RETRIEVAL AND MAINTENANCE OF UNARMED BOMBS THAT WERE DROPPED IN THE FOOT HILLS USED ON F4U CORSAIRS, HELL DIVERS AND AVENGERS. ASSIGNED TO THE 1ST AIR WING, 6TH DIVISION, MARINE AIR GROUP 32. SERVED AS GUARD OUTSIDE TSINGTAO, CHINA UNTIL AUGUST 1946. HE WAS ONE OF A HUNDRED SOLDIERS PICKED TO BE IN 'BACK TO BATAAN' STARING JOHN WAYNE AND ANTHONY QUINN.