Corporal Leonard “wire stringer” Sokolove
Corporal Leonard “wire stringer” Bernard Sokolove 13200552 US Army. He was born on December 24, 1925, the son of William Alexander Sokolove and Anna M Berman of 1328 Steinser Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Central High School. He entered the US Army on January 14, 1944 in New Cumberland Pennsylvania at the age of 18. He was assigned to M Company 253rd Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division, on April 19, 1944. He was transferred to Headquarters Platoon (HQ), Company F, 253rd Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division and served in Combat with Company F. His main job was to string the telephone wire from platoon to platoon and from Fox Company to the other units in the 63rd Infantry Division. Because of this being his main job his nickname from the men in F Company was”wire stringer.”
On March 1, 1945 near Auersmaoher Germany Sokolove earned a Bronze Star medal. During a German mortar barrage when a man from F Company was seriously wounded Sokolove left his cover to give aid to the wounded man. He then made his way under enemy fire to the command post to summon litter bearers.
On April 6, 1945 Sokolove was wounded at Buchhof Germany. When the 63rd Division was disbanded he was transferred to the 100th Infantry Division on August 24, 1945. He was discharged on March 25, 1946 at Fort Dix New Jersey. He married Doris Dot Kessler in 1947. They had three children during their marriage. Sokolove was a Bucks County Pennsylvania Common Pleas Court Judge from 1981 -1999. He died on November 3, 2014, in Newtown, Pennsylvania, at the age of 88.
On March 1, 1945 one of these men were the one that he saved:
Richards, George F. Seriously wounded in action abdomen and lower lip
Biazzo, John H. Seriously wounded in action Shell wound to Uper left Leg
Zito, John Slightly wounded shell wound lower right leg
https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=all&tf=F&q=13200552&bc=sd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=803936
the 1930 United States Federal Census
the 1940 United States Federal Census
Temple University Philadelphia Pa 1951 Yearbook
Pennsylvania, Veteran Compensation Application Files, WWII, 1950-1966
U.S., WWII Jewish Servicemen Cards, 1942-1947
in the Pennsylvania, Marriages