PVT Leo Theodore Rychleski

PVT Leo Theodore Rychleski was born 14 Mar 1919 in Old Forge, Pennsylvania. He was the 3rd of 6 children born to Thomas and Victoria (Barnarky) Rychleski. Both parents were natives of Poland. His father was a coal miner and by 1940 Leo was also working for Mineral Springs Colliery in Parsons, Pennsylvania. They made $1260 and $1160 for 1939 respectively. Leo married Pauline Chickey in April 1942.

Leo was drafted in May 1942. He took basic training at Camp Wheeler, Georgia near Macon. He was sent to England in January 1943. He was then assigned to H Company 116th Infantry and further assigned to the mortar section. He trained with the unit for the D-Day landings at Omaha beach planned as part of the invasion of occupied Europe. PVT Rychleski was killed in action on 6 Jun 1944.

PVT Rychelski was repatriated in 1948 and re-interred in the Long Island National Cemetery in East Farmingdale, New York.

Older brother, John Frank Rychleski, served in the U.S. Army 1941-1945 and was wounded in Europe. Pauline re-married in 1947.