World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Leo E. Pichler
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Elk County, Pennsylvania
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
RANK: CORPORAL. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE U.S. ARMY FEBRUARY 7, 1942 AT HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA. SERVED AS A SQUAD LEADER AND GUNNER IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ASSIGNED TO THE U.S. ARMY, HOTEL COMPANY, 1ST BATTALION, 502ND PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT, 101ST AIRBORNE ‘SCREAMING EAGLES’ DIVISION. KILLED IN ACTION SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 1945 IN THE VICINITY OF BASTOGNE, BELGIUM DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE CAMPAIGN. HE IS BURIED IN THE LUXEMBOURG AMERICAN CEMETERY, LUXEMBOURG CITY, LUXEMBOURG. DECORATIONS AND MEDALS: BRONZE STAR, AWARDED FOR BRAVERY, ACT OF MERIT AND MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT AND THE PURPLE HEART. HIS DIVISION WAS AWARDED A PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM, BELGIAN CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM, BELGIAN FOURRAGERE OF 1940 AND THE ORANGE LANYARD OF THE ROYAL NETHERLANDS ARMY FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION AGAINST THE GERMAN ARMED FORCES.