This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SSgt Brad Crooks
to remember
Crooks, Leonidas M., Jr. (Leon), 1ST SGT.
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Contact Info
Home Town Parsons
Date of Passing Apr 12, 2014
Location of Interment South Mound Cemetery - South Mound, Kansas
The Second Chemical Mortar Battalion was a bastard unit, that was basically sent from division to division, as needed. Â Often, the 4.2's would be on the line, and when the parent division was relieved, they would be sent to another.
Both Generals Mark Clark, and George Patton stated that they would never commit an infantry division to battle, without a 4.2 mortar Battalion attached, due the weapons effectiveness, Â mobility and superb cover it provided for troop movements and advancements.
The battalion also found itself attached to other seperate units, such as the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment and the 106th Cavalry Group. Also, it was attached to the Free French Army, the First French Army, and the French Forces of the Interior.
By the end of the war, the 2nd Chemical Mortar Bn, had 511 days on the front line, tying the 157th RCT of the 45th Infantry Divison, for the most time in combat, of any American unit in the European Theater of OperationsÂ
The unit was in 7 battle campaigns, and had a total of 57 KIA
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Central Europe Campaign (1945)
From Month/Year
March / 1945
To Month/Year
May / 1945
Description (Central Europe Campaign 22 March to 11 May 1945) Following the Battle of the Bulge the Allies had pushed through to the Rhine. On 22 March 1945 they began their assault across the river, and by I April the Ruhr was encircled. Armored columns raced across Germany and into Austria and Czechoslovakia. On 25 April, the day American and Russian forces met on the Elbe, strategic bombing operations came to an end. Germany surrendered on 7 May 1945 and operations officially came to an end the following day, although sporadic actions continued on the European front until 11 May.