PVT Eugene Pearl Leach Jr.

courtesy of Evelyn Bobo Housum

PVT Eugene Pearl Leach Jr. was born 4 Aug 1924 probably in Washington Court House, Ohio the second of seven children of Eugene Pearl and Urtha Rayne (Cox) Leach. The senior Eugene worked as a truck driver in road construction and maintenance with a reported 1939 income of $160. The family rented their home for $10 a month and sister Betty contributed $32 to the family income in 1939.

Eugene was working as a roofer when he was drafted in April 1943.  Completing basic training he was sent to England and assigned to B Company 116th Infantry.  He probably did not have enough time with the unit in England to undergo much of the intense amphibious training the unit had experienced since it arrived there in 1942.  PVT Leach landed on 6 Jun 1944 on Omaha beach with his unit and fought with them until he was killed in action on 18 Jun 1944.

PVT Leach was repatriated in 1948 and re-interred in Washington Cemetery in Washington Court House, Ohio.