PVT Leslie Dean Teegardin

PVT Leslie Dean Teegardin was born 20 Aug 1918 in York, Indiana. He was the 4th of 7 children of Leslie Jay and Mildred Imogene (Hart) Teegardin. His father farmed, first on rented land along Vistula Road near Milgrove, Indiana and then worked as a tool maker in Battle Creek, Michigan where the family lived on West Rittenhouse Road. Leslie was able to complete 1 year of high school. He then married Hazel Jeanice Crandall and went to work as an attendant for Dan the Tire Man in Battle Creek where he lived with his wife at 11 Buckeye Street. The couple had a son in May 1943. 

Leslie was drafted and after his initial training was sent to England where he was assigned to F Company 116th Infantry. He trained with the unit for the amphibious landing that was planned as part of the liberation of Nazi occupied France. PVT Teegardin was wounded in the left wrist and right arm less than 10-minutes after landing. Evacuated to hospital in England. He was transferred to Headquarters 29th Infantry Division and then from there back to G Company on 5 Aug 1944. He was again wounded on 3 Sep 1944 and evacuated to hospital where he died of his wound on 10 Sep 1944.7 days later, at 7:24 in the morning, his daughter was born in Battle Creek.

PVT Teegardin was repatriated in 1948 and re-interred in Reese Cemetery in Springfield, Michigan.

Great-grandfather, Archer Dwelley, served as a PVT in C Troop 12th Indiana Cavalry (USA) in the civil war dying of disease. Great-grandfather Andrew Jackson Truchey served as a wagoner in K Company 14th Ohio Infantry (USA).