World War II Honoree

Leonard M. Niedbalski

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

South Bend, Indiana

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps May 14, 1943 with induction at Indianapolis, Indiana. He completed basic training with the Sixth Recruit Battalion Recruit Depot; Marine Barracks Parris Island, South Carolina. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp, he was transferred to Camp Geiger, North Carolina for combat training. He served as an Automatic ‘BAR’ Rifleman, assigned to Baker Company, First Battalion, Twenty-Eighth Marine Regiment, an element of the Fifth Marine Division Location: Western Pacific Theater of Operations. His division participated in the amphibious assault on the Volcanic Island of Iwo Jima and occupation (Battle Dates: February 19-March 26, 1945) Code Name: Operation Detachment. Saturday March 3, 1945 he was killed in action, during offensive operations against the Imperial Japanese forces. Personnel from a Graves Registration Company buried him in the Fifth Marine Division Iwo battlefield cemetery. In the post-war era, this Marines’ family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Notre Dame, Indiana. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.