World War II Honoree

Leonard McGuire Anstine

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Wichita, Kansas

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veterans, Inc.

Relationship

Shipmates

MOTOR MACHINIST'S MATE SECOND CLASS, PETTY OFFICER. KILLED WITH ALL HANDS ONBOARD USS POMPANO SS-181 ON OR ABOUT AUGUST 29, 1943. DECORATIONS: PURPLE HEART. POMPANO LEFT MIDWAY ON AUGUST 20, 1943 TO START HER SEVENTH WAR PATROL WITH LIEUTENANT COMMANDER W. M. THOMAS IN COMMAND. POMPANO WAS NEVER HEARD FROM AGAIN. HER ORDERS WERE TO PATROL OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU FROM AUGUST 29TH TO SUNSET OF SEPTEMBER 27, 1943, AND THEN TO RETURN TO PEARL HARBOR FOR REFIT, STOPPING AT MIDWAY EN ROUTE FOR FUEL. BY OCTOBER 15TH, ALL HOPE WAS ABANDONED AND POMPANO WAS REPORTED AS PRESUMED LOST IN ENEMY WATERS. THE ENEMY MADE NO ANTI-SUBMARINE ATTACKS DURING THIS PERIOD IN POMPANO’S AREA, SO ENEMY MINES PROBABLY DESTROYED THE SUBMARINE. USS POMPANO SS-181 WAS LOST WITH 77 OFFICERS AND MEN.