Lt. Leonard L. Hellstrom O-809802,

Lt. Leonard L. Hellstrom O-809802, US Army Air Corps KIA. He was born on February 12, 1923 the son of Mrs. Anna Hellstrom, formerly of Mina, and brother of Lt. John A. Hellstrom. Leonard enlisted at Aberdeen on January 7, 1942. Qualifying for training in the Army Air Corps, he received flight training at a number of air fields; and he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant as a bomber pilot at Turner Field, Georgia, in August, 1943. He was shiped overseas from a Louisiana port, and he arrived in England in March 1944. He served with the 598th Bomber Squadron, 397th Bomber Group, Medium 8th Air Force, his first combat mission, was on June 6, 1944 when he engaged in the air assault of Normandy on D-Day. On August 10, 1944, his plane was destroyed by anti-aircraft fire near St. Margite, France. He was buried at Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. He was awarded the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters the Purple Heart Medal, The American Theater of operations, the European Theater of Operations Medal ETO with 2 battle star, and the World War Two Victory Medal.

 

Edmunds County in World War Two