54TH
ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL
I DEDICATE THIS
MEMORIAL TO
MY KENTUCKIAN BROTHER
PFC LEONARD FOSTER
MASON,
USMC
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
GRAPHICS
FAMILY INFORMATION
AND
IMAGES
JOYCE (MASON) JOHNSON
GRAPHICS &
GRAPHIC-TOUCH-UP
LYNNE MILLER (Our Canadian Sweetheart)
A TRIBUTE TO THOSE THAT
GAVE
ALL
DIANE
RITT (Daughter of the Oakland)
THE DEW ON THE
ROSES
LAURA SLAYTON PHILLIPS (Daughter of the Oakland)
LEONARD F. MASON
AWARD
CAROL SUMNER (Daughter of the Oakland)
THE L. F. MASON MEMORIAL
AWARD
JONI TERRIO (Daughter of the Oakland)
I created
this Memorial for his
parents, his
son Larry and wife Kathy,
their children, grand-children and all
the
members of the Mason Family.
PAUL D. HENRIOTT,
CWO, USA, RETIRED
MOUNT CAPTAIN OF MOUNT
52 -
1948-1950 - WEBMASTER
.
A
MEMORIAL TO
PFC LEONARD FOSTER MASON
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PFC Leonard Foster
Mason
22 February 1920 -
23 July 1944
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Leonard Foster Mason was
born in Middlesboro,
Kentucky on February 22,
1920, the fourth of 13
children
and the first son of Hillery and Mollie Rachel (Partin)
Mason. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in April 1942 at Cleveland,
Ohio, and was promoted to Private First Class in March 1943. He was stationed
at Marine Barracks for training at Parris Island, South Carolina, then
at the Naval Proving Ground, Indian Head,
Maryland, and finally at Camp Lejeune, North
Carolina. Ordered into the field in October 1943, he was sent to the
Pacific
and served as an Automatic Rifleman.
He was wounded in an
attack on Japanese
forces on Guam on July 22, 1944, and died aboard the APA-42, USS Elmore, an
amphibious assault transport
the following day. He was awarded
the Medal of Honor and the
Purple Heart.
NAVY AND MARINE
MEDAL OF HONOR
PURPLE HEART
.
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AMERICAN CAMPAIGN
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ASIAITIC-PACIFIC
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WW II VICTORY
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MASON, LEONARD
FOSTER
Rank and
organization: Private First Class,
U.S. Marine
Corps.
Born: 2 February 1920,
Middleborough,
Kentucky. Accredited to: Ohio.
The Citation reads:
For
conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity
at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty
as an automatic rifleman serving
with
the 2d Battalion,
3d Marines, 3d Marine
Division,
in action against enemy Japanese forces on the
Asan-Adelup
Beachhead, Guam, Marianas Islands on
22 July
1944. Suddenly
taken under fire by 2 enemy
machineguns
not more than 15 yards away while
clearing
out hostile positions holding up the
advance
of his platoon through a
narrow gully, Pfc. Mason,
alone
and entirely on his own initiative, climbed out of
the gully
and moved parallel to it toward the
rear of
the enemy position. Although
fired upon immediately by
hostile
riflemen from a higher position and wounded
repeatedly in
the arm and shoulder, Pfc. Mason
grimly
pressed forward and had
just reached his objective
when
hit again by a burst of enemy machinegun fire,
causing a
critical wound to which he later
succumbed.
With valiant disregard for
his own peril, he
persevered, clearing
out the hostile position, killing 5 Japanese,
wounding
another and then rejoining his platoon
to report
the results of his action
before consenting to be
evacuated.
His exceptionally heroic act in the face of
almost
certain death enabled his platoon to
accomplish
its mission and reflects the
highest credit upon Pfc.
Mason
and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his
life for
his country.
From the Officers and
Crew
of the USS Leonard F. Mason
Requiescat in pace!
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May he rest in peace!