World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Leonard Porter
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Kansas City, Kansas
Honored By
Missouri DAV Chapter 67
HE WAS A B-24 BOMBER PILOT IN THE PACIFIC. ON ONE MISSION, LOW ON FUEL, HE DIVERTED HIS BOMBER FROM THE FORMATION AND WENT LOOKING FOR AND FOUND ANOTHER BOMBER WHO WAS IN SERIOUS TROUBLE. HE AND HIS CREW GUIDED BOTH BOMBERS TO SAFE LANDINGS ON SAIPAN. MANY OF HIS BOMBING MISSIONS WERE AGAINST THE BONINS, AN ISLAND GROUP THAT INCLUDES IWO JIMA. HE AND HIS CREW COMPLETED 28 COMBAT MISSIONS. HE WAS AWARDED NUMEROUS MEDALS, AWARDS AND CITATIONS.