World War II Honoree

Leonard E. 'Link' Berry

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Bowman, South Carolina

Honored By

Joe Arsena

Relationship

Baseball Fan

HE WAS A MINOR LEAGUE PITCHER WHEN HE ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE WITH THE ARMY IN JUNE 1942. SERVED WITH COMPANY B, 264TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 66TH INFANTRY DIVISION. ARRIVED IN ENGLAND IN NOVEMBER 1944. ON CHRISTMAS EVE 1944, SERGEANT BERRY WAS AMONG 2,235 AMERICAN SOLDIERS FROM THE 66TH INFANTRY DIVISION WHO BOARDED THE TROOPSHIP SS LEOPOLDVILLE BOUND FOR FRANCE. IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT, AND JUST FIVE MILES FROM THE PORT OF CHERBOURG IN FRANCE, THE LEOPOLDVILLE WAS SPOTTED BY GERMAN U-BOAT U-486. OBSERVATION LIEUTENANT GERHARD MEYER LAUNCHED TORPEDOES AT THE HUGE VESSEL. 763 AMERICAN SOLDIERS DIED THAT NIGHT, INCLUDING SERGEANT LEONARD BERRY, MAKING THIS THE WORST LOSS AN AMERICAN INFANTRY DIVISION SUFFERED FROM A U-BOAT ATTACK DURING THE WAR. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART.