CPL Leon Szmurlo

courtesy of Hike

CPL Leon Szmurlo was born 8 Jun 1919 in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania. He was the only son of Tadeusz Tomasz "Theodore" and Katarzyna (Musial) Szmurlo. Theodore was a coal miner. Katarzyna's first husband had also been a miner and Leon's older half-brother Karol "Carl" Kamionka lived with them. Theodore died in 1928. By 1940 Leon was working in the mines as was his brother with whom he lived at 27 Watkins Street in Swoyerville, Pennsylvania. 

Leon was drafted in May 1942. After his basic military training he was sent to England and assigned to M Company 116th Infantry as an ammunition handler. PFC Szmurlo trained with the unit for and landed with it in the amphibious assault on D-Day, 6 Jun 1944. He was promoted to CPL on 21 Jun 1944. CPL Szmurlo was shot and killed in action on 29 Jul 1944 as the unit began the movement into Brittany in the attack on German forces in Brest. 

CPL Szmurlo rests forever in the Brittany American Cemetery.