I sent away for my grandfather Tom Leonard's records, and quite a bit of information was sent to me. To summarize:
Enlisted in US Navy 1934. Discharged in 1945.
Trained in special courses in 1940. Trained as a radio technician. Other special courses taken in 1943 and 1944.
-Multiple Summary Court Martials for unauthorized absences (AWOL once in 1940, 3 times in 1941, and once in 1942). Punishments varied from extra police duties, solitary confinement with bread and water to losing ship privileges, pay and status. He almost didn't get honorable discharge due to this. But in consideration for his bravery and number of battles fought, he earned the Honorable Discharge Emblem.
He served on the USS St. Louis, and participated on that ship during the following WWII battles:
-1941 - Pearl Harbor
-1942 - Bombardment of Kiska Island near Alaska
-1942 - Marshall-Gilbert Raid
-1942 - Bombardment at Munda Point, Solomon Islands
-1943 - Occupation and Defense of Guadalcanal
-1943 - New Georgia Group Operation
-1943 - Treasury Bougainville Operation
-1943 - Bismarck Archipelago Operation
In 1945 a number of disasters happened to Grandpa Tom:
-Punished for striking another person in naval service.
-Punished for creating a disturbance and refusing to put out cigarette when ordered to by nurse on duty.
-Admitted to the USN hospital in San Pedro, CA for War Neurosis stemming from being at sea for several years, and having been involved in WW II.
-Admitted to the USN hospital in Long Beach, CA for broken tibia stemming from car accident on base.
