YOUNG NEW MILFORD YOUTH MEETS DEATH OVER GERMANY

Lieut. Garry I. Leonard Is Reported Killed In Mission 20 Days After Reaching England

Second Lieut. Garry Leonard, age 19, of New Milford, navigator of a Flying Fortress, met his death in a bombing raid over Germany on Feb. 6, only 20 days after his arrival in England from this country, according to a War department telegram received last Saturday, and a confirming letter received Tuesday by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James I. Leonard, of 191 Holland avenue, River Edge Manor section of New Milford.

An only son, Garry was born in Hackensack on June 19, 1925, and attended kindergarten in Dumont. When he was six years old his family moved to New Milford, where he attended Steuben School and Junior High School, graduating with the class of 1940.

He next attended Hackensack High School where he graduated with the class of 1943 and was an acknowledged leader in many of the school's activities. He was a two-letter man in athletics, being a member of the track and soccer teams; a member of the school cabinet, dramatic club and speakers bureau; won second prize in the American Legion county oratorical contest, and during his senior year was president of the Bergen County Student Council Association, and president of his high school P.N.E. fraternity.

SCOUT LEADER IN NEW MILFORD

In his home community Garry was loved and admired by all who knew him. He took an active interest in many community affairs beyond what would have been expected of one of his years, particularly being a leader in Boy Scout work, attaining the honor of being a Star Scout and becoming junior assistant scoutmaster of troop 78. In these scout activities he was closely associated with Pvt. Georges Fermery, who was killed in action during the invasion of Southern France last September.

At the age of 17 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. And was called to active service on July 13,1943, shortly after his 18th birthday. He was trained at Miami Field Fla., Gettysburg College and Nashville, Tenn., where he qualified as a pilot, navigator and bombardier, but decided to become a navigator. He received further training as a navigator at Maxwell Field, Ala., Fort Meyers, Fla. and Valdosta, Ga., and received his commission at San Marcos Field, Texas, in September,1944.

After being stationed for a short time at Lincoln Neb., he was assigned to the crew of a Flying Fortress at Dyersburg, Tenn., and left for overseas on Jan.7, of this year, arriving in England on Jan.17, where he was attached to the army Air Forces. The mission in which he and the bombardier of his crew met their death, but the pilot escaped injury, must have been one of the first on which he was sent.

TWO SISTERS –ONE IN WAC

Besides his parents he leaves two sisters—Marion, who lives at the Holland avenue home and Adrienne (Mrs. Neal V. Southwick) who is a corporal in the Woman's Army Corps stationed at Gowen Field, near Boise Idaho . His grandmother Mrs. W.H. Newcomb, of Clinton, N.Y. has proudly worn his wings for him since he received them. His mother is salvage chairman of the New Milford Defense Council and has been active for years in Y.W.C.A.

Garry's serious and devoted turn of mind is best illustrated by the following poem entitled Nowhere But Here, which he wrote on February 1941, when he was between fifteen and sixteen years of age.

NOWHERE BUT HERE

On what land on earth are men as free, as they are in this USA .

Where men are friends on land and sea, where anyone can have his say?

On what land on earth can a man live and play the game of life,

And win or lose to take or give happiness and in strife?

On what land on earth can a man be born in a cabin by the sea,

Or work in the fields of wheat and corn, and later a president be?

On what land on earth is as lucky as ours, have as its pride and joys

Railroads and telephones, busses and cars and schooling for girls and boys?

Where in this world can one run and play whether its winter summer or fall?

Or where can one stand and hear them say: liberty and justice for all?

Nowhere but here.

Note: This article appeared in a local newspaper probably a few weeks after Garry I. Leonard was killed in action on February 6, 1945. There is no reference to the article or date because it was obtained from Alfred Bliss's scrap book. He served in the Army in the Pacific Theater during WWII and lived in New Milford his whole life.