World War II Honoree

Leslie E. Portnoy

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

St. Louis, Missouri

Honored By

Gloria & Family

Relationship

Wife, 3 Daughters, Grandchildren & Great Grandchild

BOMBARDIER-NAVIGATOR, ARMY AIR CORPS, 756TH BOMB SQUADRON, 459TH BOMB GROUP. 2ND LIEUTENANT. HE WAS A B-24 LIBERATOR BOMBER CREW MEMBER THAT WAS SHOT DOWN SEPTEMBER 15, 1944 OVER YUGOSLAVIA. TOGETHER WITH THREE CREW MEMBERS, HE LANDED IN GERMAN TERRITORY AND WAS CAPTURED. HE BROKE HIS ANKLE WHEN HE LANDED ON A STONE WALL AFTER EJECTING FROM THE BOMBER. HE WAS FORCED TO MARCH WITH OTHER PRISONERS FROM YUGOSLAVIA TO A PRISON CAMP IN AUSTRIA. HE WAS THEN SENT TO STALAG LUFT III AT SAGAN, POLAND. DUE TO ADVANCING RUSSIAN TROOPS IN JANUARY 1945, SENT ON A FORCED MARCH FOR SEVERAL DAYS AT NIGHT IN SNOW AND SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES TO STALAG 7A IN MOOSBERG, GERMANY. LIBERATED BY GENERAL GEORGE PATTON IN APRIL 1945. RELEASED ON APRIL 29, 1945. AWARDED A PURPLE HEART AND A BRONZE STAR.