John W. Leonard, Jr. papers, 1999.

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John W. Leonard, Jr. papers, 1999.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56833317

General description of the collection: The John W. Leonard, Jr. papers include a memoir written in two parts in June 1999 titled: Army brat 1920's to 1940s and World War II. In Army brat, he discusses extensively his life in Tientsin, China in the 1930's, the threat from the Japanese in the northern provinces and from Chiang Kai Shek coming from Canton. These threats, he explained, caused a need for guards for the children at all times in order to thwart kidnappers. He outlines daily live on Post for children and the activities they enjoyed including horseback riding, swimming, baseball, golf, and boxing, many of which they were taught by the enlisted men. He spent his childhood summers on the Gulf of Chili at Camp Burrows. During his father's tour with the National Guard in Maryland, he enjoyed dancing classes run by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). He returned to Maryland for prep school and describes spending vactions in the field with his father's unit. After his service in Italy, Leonard got a job at Camp Cook hearding German prisoners of war (POWs) who were mapping the post. When his family moved to Fort Knox, he got a job with the post engineer while finishing university. Throughout the memoir, he emphasizes the cocooned atmosphere enjoyed on Army posts in the 1930's and 1940's. In World War II, he gives the background to the exerpt and talks about life with a British Tank Battalion at Casola Valsenio.

1 folder.

U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7757362

U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center

Related Entities

There are 2 Entities related to this resource.

American Field Service

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6255gtm (corporateBody)

The American Field Service (AFS) was founded in 1914 as a volunteer ambulance corps. It served with the French Armies in World War I. In 1939 the American Field Service volunteer ambulance service was reactivated. It served first with French forces in France, then with British forces in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and India/Burma. From the description of World War II records, [ca. 1939-1945] (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 155490917 The American Field ...

Leonard, John W., Jr.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6w1161j (person)

John W. Leonard, Jr. was the son of a career Army officer and lived in Tientsin, China, Frederick, MD, Fort Sam Houston, TX, Fort Reiley, KS, and Fort Knox, KY while he was growing up. Rejected by the draft, he joined the American Field Service. He landed in Italy on 12 August 1944 and remained there through 1945. He attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1943. From the description of John W. Leonard, Jr. papers, 1999. (US Army, Mil Hist Institute). WorldCat record i...