Leo Meyer (1917-2006) began his military career in 1935 when he joined the New York State National Guard as a Cadet. He drilled with the 101st Cavalry in Brooklyn and plaid the field drum in the 102d Engineer Regimental Field Music (band). He continued his Cadet membership in the Cavalry for a period after enlisting in the New York National Guard in 1937.

His unit, the 102d Engineer Regiment, 27th Division, was called to active federal service by President Roosevelt in October 1940. From October 1940 to November 1941 Leo Meyer served in positions of ‘B’ Company Clerk and Company Supply Sergeant, Regimental Message Center Chief and Regimental Sergeant Major (master sergeant), Headquarters, 102nd Engineer Regiment at Fort McClellan, Alabama. In 1942 (after Army reorganization) he served as Battalion Sergeant Major of the 102nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 27th Division in the Territory of Hawaii, Pacific Theater of Operations.

He attended U.S Army Air Forces Officer Candidate School in Miami Beach, Florida in 1943. His early assignments as a lieutenant were, Director of Training, 26th College Training Detachment (Air Crew), Mt Union College, Alliance, Ohio, and Adjutant, 2512th Army Air Forces Bombing Unit, Childress Army Air Field, Texas from 1943 to 1944. In 1944 he transferred to the Infantry as a first lieutenant with service as Executive Officer, 'D' Company, 60th Infantry Replacement Training Center, Camp Blanding, Florida and Platoon Leader / acting Company Commander with ‘A’ Company, 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division in the Philippines and through the occupation of Japan, 1945 to 1946. He returned from the war and mustered out as a captain. For the period 1940 to 1946 he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, two Bronze Star Medals, and a Purple Heart Medal for action during the Southern Philippines Campaigns. Additionally he received the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/3 Battle Stars, WWII Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal with Japan clasp, Philippine Liberation Ribbon w/Bronze Service Star and Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. For his earlier enlisted period and his initial officer assignments he received the Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, and the American Campaign Medal.

He reenlisted in the Army Reserve as a master sergeant in 1946 and in 1947 he was recalled to active duty as a first lieutenant. He served in the Korean War as a captain with 3d Battalion 7th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division where, while serving as the Battalion Intelligence Officer (S2), he received his second Combat Infantryman Badge and another Purple Heart Medal as part of Task Force Dog during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. He received his third Bronze Star Medal and a Distinguished Unit Citation for the battle of “Segok” (Hill 717 Iron Triangle). He also received the Soldiers Medal, for saving a fellow officer from drowning and his first Army Commendation Medal.

In 1968-69 Vietnam, at age 51 he was assigned as an Intellegence Technition, chief warrant officer 4, with 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces where he received his third Combat Infantryman Badge, an Air Medal, a Navy Commendation with V device, Vietnam Service Medal w/3 Battle Stars, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry Medal w/Bronze Star (Individual Award), Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Civil Actions Medal 1st Class Unit Citation, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Unit Citation w/Palm, He graduated from the US Army's Special Forces parchute training course in Dong Ba Thin Jump School earning both a US Army Parachutist Badge and the Republic of Vietnam Special Forces Parachutist Badge.

Leo Meyer’s additional awards and badges are: Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Services Commendation Medal, two more Army Commendation Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, two Armed Forces Reserve Medals, Korean Service Medal w/4 Battle Stars, Republic of Korea War Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, In 1971 he retired from 30 years (20 yrs Active Duty List, Reserve and 10 yrs Active Regular Army) of federal service as a Colonel, Military Intelligence.

Leo Meyer was married for 62 years to the former Veronica P. Lynch of Rego Park, NY; They had two children, Susan and Jeffrey.

Leo Meyer was inducted into the US Army Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame, Fort Benning, GA. on March 27th 2009; sequence number 2,480.

Dates of Rank: [Rank / Pay Grade DOR (Component)]

Key: NYNG = New York National Guard; RA = Regular Army; AUS = Army of the United States; USAR = United States Army Reserve; ORC = Organized Reserve Corps; G = enlisted pay Grade / O = Officer pay grade

ACTIVE DUTY NOT ACTIVE DUTY

Private / G7 OCT 1937 (NYNG)

Private First Class / G6 JUL 1939 (NYNG)

Corporal / G5 MAY 1940 (NYNG)

Corporal / G5 OCT 1940 (AUS)

Sergeant / G4 DEC 1941 (AUS)

Staff Sergeant / G3 MAR 1941 (AUS)

Master Sergeant / G1 NOV 1941 (RA)

2nd Lieutenant / O1 MAR 1943 (AUS)

1st Lieutenant / O2 FEB 1944 (AUS)

Captain / O3 APR 1946 (AUS)

Master Sergeant / G1 MAY 1946 (ORC)

Master Sergeant / G1 JUN 1947 (RA)

1st Lieutenant / O2 SEP 1948 (AUS)

Concurent with Active Duty Service Warrant Officer Junior Grade / W1 NOV 1948 (RA)

Captain / O3 NOV 1950 (AUS)

Concurent with Active Duty Service Chief Warrant Officer 2 / W2 NOV 1954 (RA)

Major / O4 MAR 1955 (ADL USAR)

Concurent with Active Duty Service Chief Warrant Officer 3 / W3 OCT 1958 (RA)

Concurent with Active Duty Service Lieutenant Colonel / O5 OCT 1961 (IRR USAR)

Chief Warrant Officer 4 / W4 NOV 1961 (RA)

Concurent with Active Duty Service Colonel / O6 MAR 1969 (IRR USAR)

Retirement at highest grade held

Assignment History:

1937 - 40 * Company B, 102nd Engineer Regiment, 27th Division, NYNG, New York City, NY

1940 - 41 * 1st Battalion & HQ, 102nd Engineer Regiment, 27th Division, Fort McClellan, AL

1942 - 43 * HQ, 102nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 27th Division, Hilo, Territory of Hawaii

1943 * Officer Candidate School, Class 43-B Army Air Forces, Miami Beach, FL

1943 - 44 * HQ, 26th College Training Detachment (Air Crew), Mt Union College, Alliance, OH

1944 * HQ, 2512th Army Air Forces Bombing Unit, Childress Army Air Field, Childress, TX

1944 * US Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, GA

1944 - 45 * Co D, 60th Infantry Replacement Training Center, Camp Blanding, FL

1945 * 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry, 24th Division, Mindanao, PI

1945 - 46 * HQ, 34th Infantry, 24th Division, Camp Mower, Sasebo, Kyushu, Japan

1947 - 48 * 1242nd ASU, HQ New York District, Organized Reserve Corps, New York City, NY

1948 * US Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, GA

1948 - 50 * HQ, 1st Battalion, 7th Infantry / HQ, 7th Infantry, 3rd Division, Fort Devens, MA

1950 - 52 * HQ, 3rd Battalion & HQ, 7th Infantry, 3rd Division, Fort Devens, MA & Korea

1952 - 55 * Detachment #2 1122nd ASU Mass NG, Quincy, MA

1955 - 58 * Community Support Office, USAREUR Sub Area, Bad Kreuznach, Germany

1958 - 59 * HQ, US Army Disciplinary Barracks, New Cumberland General Depot, New Cumberland, PA

1959 - 61 * HQ, US Army Training Center (Infantry), 1st Army, Ft Dix, NJ

1961 * U.S. Army Intelligence School, Fort Holabird, Baltimore, Maryland

1961 - 62 * INTC Field Office, 1st Army Support Group, New York City, NY

1962 - 63 * Field Office, 108th Intelligence Corps Group, Camden, NJ

1963 - 66 * HQ, 401st Intelligence Corps Detachment, USARHAW, Honolulu, HI

1966 - 68 * HQ, 116th Military Intelligence Group, Washington, DC

1968 - 69 * 5th Mobile Strike Force (Mike Force) B55 & HQ 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, Nha Trang, Republic of Vietnam

1969 * HQ 109th Military Intelligence Group, Fort Mead, MD

1969 - 71 * HQ, 116th Military Intelligence Group, Washington, DC

2009, March 27th Colonel Leo Meyer inducted into the US Army Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, GA.

Leo J Meyer