Leonelle Anthony Bonam (1920 - 1991)

Born 13 Jul 1920 in Pascagoula, Jackson, Mississippi, United States

Died 21 Jul 1991 at age 71 in Delray Beach, Palm Beach, Florida, United States

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Biography

Leonelle Bonam is a part of US Black heritage.

Lieutenant Colonel Leonelle Anthony Bonam was born July 13, 1920 in Pascagoula, Jackson County, Mississippi to Alice May and Lorenzo Bonam.

His father died while Bonam was quite young (5 years old) and his mother worked to care for the five children.^[1]

On April 2, 1930, Leo, age 9, and his brothers Herman, age 7, and Albert, age 11, were wards in Zimmer Memorial Institute at 2567 St. Stephens Road in Toulminville, Mobile, Alabama, with .^[2] Opened in October 1923, the Institute was one of the few options for Black orphans at the time, The children were not necessarily fully orphaned but were often “half orphans or from broken homes.” Many were brought in by relatives unable to provide for them. Relatives could visit one Sunday a month and the children were able to stay with their relatives on another. Children would stay until they completed the eighth grade, at which time they would be returned to relatives. The orphanage was generally overseen by a half dozen nuns.^[3]

Leon graduated from Howard High School in Chattanooga, Hamilton, Tennessee in 1939,^[4]

On April 1, 1940, Leon, age 19, was the single brother of H J Bonam in Civil District 1, Hamilton, Tennessee. He was working as a carpenter.^[5]

Leon enlisted October 1942. He joined the Army Air Corps on March 8, 1943 at Keesler Field, Biloxi, Mississippi.^[6] and was commissioned May 1944.^[7]

He was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II, the first black pilots in the United States Air Force. He was a member of the 301st Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group. They started out at Tuskegee and then went to Michigan. Leon earned the Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters during his service.

301st Fighter Squadron Patch

Leonelle (age 26) married Marie Antionette Barial (age 23) on December 4, 1946 at Saint Peter Church, Madison, Mississippi.^[8]

Leon continued to serve in the Air Force up until his release from active duty in January 1950.

On April 1, 1950, Leonelle, age 29, carpenter, was the married brother of Herbert L Bonam in Inkster, Inkster, Wayne, Michigan.^[9]

He was recalled into duty for the Korean Conflict.

On November 9, 1956, Major Bonam and Marie (age 33) flew from Hickam Air Force Base, Honolulu, Hawaii to Tokyo, Japan with their 5 children:

1. Leon A, age 6
2. Anna M, age 5
3. Patrick A, age 4
4. Walter F, age 2
5. Monica J, age 5 months^[10]

He retired from the Air Force with the rank of Lt. Colonel in 1965, after 20 years in service. After retirement, Bonam worked for several aerospace firms in Florida, Texas, New York and Louisiana. He retired from the IBM Corp. in Boca Raton, Fla:, and returned to his hometown of Pascagoula in 1982. ^[1]

Leon passed away on July 21, 1991.^[11]

Lt Colonel Bonam was buried in Biloxi National Cemetery, Biloxi, Harrison County, Mississippi .^[12]

In September 1995, his widow provided an interview with the Hattiesburg American (Hattiesburg, Mississippi) detailing her husband's experience as a Tuskegee Airman. The article coincided with the release of the HBO film, The Tuskegee Airmen, written by fellow Tuskegee Airman, Robert Wayland Williams (1922-1997). ^[13]

Leon and Marie had the following children:

• Leon (Margaret “Cookie,” deceased);
• Anna Bonam Morton (Robert);
• Patrick,
• Walter (Jennifer),
• Monica Snyder (Michael),
• Peter,
• Francis, and
• Gregory (Julie) Bonam

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} 1995 Newspaper: "Newspapers.com"
   Hattiesburg American (Hattiesburg, Mississippi) Mon, Sep 18, 1995, page 6
   Newspapers Clip: 13811754 (accessed 11 November 2023)
2. ↑ 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930"
   citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T626; Line: 7; Digital film/folder number: 004950012; FHL microfilm: 2339775; Image number: 872; Sheet number: 34; Sheet letter: A; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N03723-5
   FamilySearch Record: 3V3K-G6Z (accessed 11 November 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GR4J-D9C
   Leo Bonam (9), single ward, in household of Herman Bonam (7) in Prichard, Mobile, Alabama, United States. Born in Mississippi.

   Name	Sex	Age	Status	Relation	Occupation	Birth Place
   Herman Bonam	M	7	Single	Ward		Mississippi
   Leo Bonam	M	9	Single	Ward		Mississippi
   Albert Bonam	M	11	Single	Ward		Mississippi

3. ↑ McGehee, Tom. “Ask Mcgehee: What Was the Zimmer Memorial Home?” Mobile Bay Magazine, 4 Nov. 2022, mobilebaymag.com/ask-mcgehee-what-was-the-zimmer-memorial-home/.
4. ↑ 1939 Newspaper: "Newspapers.com"
   Chattanooga Daily Times (Chattanooga, Tennessee) Sun, Sep 17, 1939, page 8
   Newspapers Clip: 135017193 (accessed 11 November 2023)
5. ↑ 1940 Census: "United States Census, 1940"
   citing Affiliate Publication Number: T627; Line: 29; Digital film/folder number: 005461325; Image number: 836; Sheet number: 12; Sheet letter: A
   FamilySearch Record: K4HT-3J8 (accessed 11 November 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-89M1-8DYG
   Leon Bonam (19), single brother, in household of H J Bonam (24) in Civil District 1, Hamilton, Tennessee, United States. Born in Mississippi.

   Name	Sex	Age	Status	Relation	Occupation	Birth Place
   H J Bonam	M	24	Married	Head		Mississippi
   Reba Bonam	F	23	Married	Wife		Tennessee
   Thelma Bonam	F	0	Single	Daughter		Tennessee
   Albert Bonam	M	20	Single	Brother		Mississippi
   Leon Bonam	M	19	Single	Brother		Mississippi

6. ↑ Military: "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946"
   citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland
   FamilySearch Record: K8LB-38J (accessed 11 November 2023)
   Name: Leonelle A Bonam; Marital Status: Single, without dependents; Race: Negro; Military Service Date: 08 Mar 1943; Military Service Place: Keesler Field, Biloxi, Mississippi, United States; Birth Date: 1920; Birth Place: MISSISSIPPI; Arc Identifier: 1263923; Branch Alpha Orig: AC; Branch Code: Air Corps; Branch Code Orig: 20; Civil Occupation: Carpenters; Civil Occupation Orig: 525; Component: Reserves - exclusive of Regular Army Reserve and Officers of the Officers Reserve Corps on active duty under the Thomason Act (Officers and Enlisted Men -- O.R.C. and E.R.C., and Nurses-Reserve Status); Component Orig: 3; Education: 4 years of high school; Education Orig: 4; Enlistment Day: 08; Enlistment Month: Mar; Enlistment Month Orig: 03; Enlistment Place: KEESLER FIELD BILOXI MISSISSIPPI; Enlistment Place Orig: 4550; Enlistment Term: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law; Enlistment Term Orig: 5; Enlistment Year: 1943; Enlistment Year Orig: 43; Event Type: Military Service; Grade Alpha Orig: PVT; Grade Code: Private; Grade Code Orig: 8; Major Force Of Assign: 0; Military Occupation: 0070; Reel Box Card: 01572.14; Serial Number: 14100316; Source: Enlisted Reserve or Medical Administrative Corps (MAC) Officer; Source Orig: 5.
7. ↑ 1944 Newspaper: "Newspapers.com"
   Chattanooga Daily Times (Chattanooga, Tennessee) Tue, May 30, 1944, page 7
   Newspapers Clip: 135016115 (accessed 11 November 2023)
8. ↑ Marriage: "Mississippi, County Marriages, 1858-1979"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 007750745_003_M9MF-1VQ; Image number: 112
   FamilySearch Record: 869V-BMT2 (accessed 11 November 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C912-9S46-R
   Leonelle Anthony Bonam (26) marriage to Marie Antionette Barial (23) on 4 Dec 1946 at Saint Peter Church, Madison, Mississippi, United States.
9. ↑ 1950 Census: "United States 1950 Census"
   citing Page: 19 A; Line: 10; Digital film/folder number: 108992680; Image number: 20
   FamilySearch Record: 6FS5-SNV3 (accessed 11 November 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3QHN-PQHW-R9X5
   Leonelle Bonam (29), married brother, Carpenter, in household of Herbert L Bonam (27) in Inkster, Inkster, Wayne, Michigan, United States. Born in Mississippi.

   Name	Sex	Age	Status	Relation	Occupation	Birth Place
   Herbert L Bonam	M	27	Married	Head	Auto Parts Worker	Mississippi
   Victorine F Bonam	F	28	Married	Wife		Mississippi
   Daniel A Bonam	M	3	Never married	Son		Michigan
   Warren F Bonam	M	25	Never married	Brother	Attendant	Mississippi
   Leonelle Bonam	M	29	Married	Brother	Carpenter	Mississippi

10. ↑ Passenger List: "Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S., Arriving and Departing Passenger and Crew Lists, 1900-1959"
    National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Series Title: Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels and Airplanes Departing From Honolulu, Hawaii, Compiled 12/1954 - 05/1971; NAI Number: A3574; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 - 2004; Record Group Number: RG 85
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1502 #4065217 (accessed 11 November 2023)
    Name: Leonelle A Bonam; Departure Date: Nov 1956; Departure Place: Tokyo, Japan; Arrival Place: Honolulu, Hawaii; Airline: United States Air Force; Flight or Voyage Number: P231.
11. ↑ Death: "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007"
    citing Digital film/folder number: DI0001099
    FamilySearch Record: 6KQ5-X8H6 (accessed 11 November 2023)
    Leon Anthony Bonam death 21 Jul 1991 (born 13 Jul 1920).
12. ↑ Burial: Find a Grave (has image)
    Find A Grave: Memorial #2957744 (accessed 11 November 2023)
    Memorial page for LTC Leonelle Anthonu “Leon” Bonam (13 Jul 1920-21 Jul 1991), citing Biloxi National Cemetery, Biloxi, Harrison County, Mississippi, USA (plot: B, 227); Maintained by Coleman ✿ (contributor 47076912).
13. ↑ 1995 Newspaper: "Newspapers.com"
    Hattiesburg American (Hattiesburg, Mississippi) Mon, Sep 18, 1995, page 6
    Newspapers Clip: 13811754 (accessed 11 November 2023)

• Lieut. Col. Leonelle Anthony BONAM FamilySearch Person: G6FG-KZW