Leon J. Patton was born in 1924 to Harry and Bessie Patton, who lived in Modena, Pennsylvania.

Leon married Erma Dracher and they continued to reside in Modena.

Leon entered service in the Army on June 17, 1943 and received training at Camp Croft, South Carolina.  He received leave to visit home before reporting at Fort Meade, Maryland.   He was sent overseas to the European Theater of Operations in December, and was assigned to the 15^th Infantry Regiment, of the 3^rd Infantry Division.

Leon served in combat in the French, North African, Sicilian, as well as the Italian campaigns.

 

 

 

Leon was wounded in action on January 22, 1944 at Anzio, and evacuated to a British Hospital Ship.  Three British Hospital ships off the beachhead (the St. David, St. Andrew and Leinster,) were attacked by German bombers on February 24^th. 
The St. David (pictured at left and below), received a direct hit and sank. There were 226 medical staff and patients on board, there were only 130 survivors. 

 

Private Leon J. Patton was Killed In Action on January 24, 1944.

 

Leon is remembered on the Tablets of Missing in Action or buried at sea at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, in Nettuno, Italy.

 

His family first received word on March 28^th, of Leon being Wounded In Action.   On June 13^th, the family received a telegram giving information that he was Missing In Action when the hospital ship was sunk:

Dear Mrs. Patton:

I am writing you concerning your son, Private Leo J. Patton, who has been missing in action in the North African area since January 24, 1944.

A report has been received in the War Department which discloses your son was a passenger on board a hospital ship en route to North Africa, when the ship was attacked and sunk on January 24^th.

A final telegram was received by his parents on October 4^th:

The War Department has received an official report that establishes the fact that your son was killed in action on January 24 when the British hospital ship on which he was being evacuated from the combat area was attacked and sunk near the coast of Italy by enemy aircraft.

 

His brother, Hero Clarence Patton was killed in the war, as was his cousin, Hero Paul Howett.