Leslie Robert St. Pierre (1922 - 1945)

Born 17 Aug 1922 in Murray, Minnesota, United States

Ancestors

Died 30 Jul 1945 at age 22 in Philippine Sea

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Biography

Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Leslie St. Pierre served in the United States Navy in World War II
Service started: 1 Oct 1942
Unit(s): USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
Service ended: 30 Jul 1945

Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Leslie St. Pierre was Killed in Action during World War II.

Leslie St. Pierre was awarded the Purple Heart.

Leslie was born in 1922. His parents were George T. St. Pierre 1889–1958 and Margaret M. Ackerman St. Pierre 1895–1981.^[1]

Leslie enlisted in the naval reserve on 1 Oct 1942, he was stationed on the USS Indianapolis on 24 Oct 1943, where he served as Machinist’s Mate 2nd class.^[2][3]

In July 1945 the USS Indianapolis was sent on a secret mission to deliver the components of the Little Boy atomic bomb to Tinian Island without an escort, on the return trip, still without escort, it was attacked by a Japanese submarine. The USS Indianapolis sank in 12 minutes on 30 Jul 1945 with some 300 of the 1,195 crewmen aboard going down with the ship. With few lifeboats and many without life jackets, only 316 of the nearly 900 men set adrift survived the 4 days in shark infested water before rescue. Leslie was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. The crew of the USS Indianapolis was later awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.^[4]

Leslie is honored at three memorials: Calvary Cemetery, Currie, Murray County, Minnesota; USS Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana and Fort William Mckinley, Manila, Philippines.^[5][6][7]

Sources

1. ↑ 1922 Minnesota, U.S., Birth Index https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/23651:9196?tid=&pid=&queryId=c05bda7cca5b3c4df3fd194cbcb1c8d7&_phsrc=EzO8598&_phstart=successSource
2. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/30433649:1143?tid=&pid=&queryId=9fb6e86b8f24e8495bd57a8cdad367f1&_phsrc=MtW1&_phstart=successSource
3. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/30433649:1143?tid=&pid=&queryId=9fb6e86b8f24e8495bd57a8cdad367f1&_phsrc=EAB2&_phstart=successSource
4. ↑ U.S., Navy Casualties Books https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/171316:2324?tid=&pid=&queryId=c05bda7cca5b3c4df3fd194cbcb1c8d7&_phsrc=EzO8599&_phstart=successSource
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56777737/leslie-robert-st_pierre: accessed 08 July 2023), memorial page for MM2 Leslie Robert St Pierre (17 Aug 1922–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56777737, citing Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines; Maintained by Buffalo (contributor 50696055).
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194080235/leslie-robert-st_pierre: accessed 08 July 2023), memorial page for Leslie Robert St. Pierre (17 Aug 1922–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 194080235, citing U.S.S. Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA; Maintained by Laura J. Stewart (contributor 47412616).
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48193800/leslie-r-st_pierre: accessed 08 July 2023), memorial page for Leslie R St. Pierre (17 Aug 1922–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 48193800, citing Calvary Cemetery, Currie, Murray County, Minnesota, USA; Maintained by William Watson (contributor 47194928).

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X386-3ZK : accessed 9 July 2023), Lessley R St Pierre in household of George T St Pierre, Murray, Murray, Minnesota
• "United States Census, 1940", database with images, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:KSVD-GXC : Sat Jun 10 14:25:57 UTC 2023), Entry for George St Pierre and Margaret St Pierre, 1940
• "Minnesota, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1947", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLF9-KWR2 : 3 March 2020), Leslie Robert St Pierre, 1942
• Leslie is included on the USS Indianapolis in World War II Wikitree Space Page https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:USS_Indianapolis_%28CA-35%29_in_World_War_II