World War II Honoree
Killed In Action
Leonard Zimmerman
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
Charleston, West Virginia
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
Rank: Seaman Second Class. Inducted into the United States Navy on June 20, 1940 at Richmond, Virginia. Following the completion of his basic military training at the U.S. Naval Training Station Norfolk, Virginia. He was later transferred to the USS Houston Cruiser II (CA-30) for duty. The Cruiser and her shipmates participated in the Naval Battle of Sunda Strait, Dutch East Indies Campaign Location: Southwest Pacific Theater of Operations. Saturday, February 28, 1942 the Houston and an Australian Cruiser engaged a major Imperial Japanese Naval Force. Sunday, March 1, 1942 he was reported missing in action, lost at sea when his Warship was sunk by torpedoes, fired from the Enemy’s Heavy Cruisers. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines. His missing in action status was amended, to read killed in action Saturday, December 15, 1945. In his Memory and Honor, this American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice.