Personnel Records Destroyed
Leonard’s military records were destroyed in a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St Louis; discussed here.
Leonard C. Ghertner
Leonard C. Ghertner (Serial Number 01 169 979) served in the United States Army Field Artillery in World War II. According to records obtained from Government Archives, his service began 17 Sep 1942. Leonard was sent overseas and on 31 March 1945 orders were cut ordering 1st Lt. Leonard C. Ghertner (and five other officers)
The orders were issued under the command of Brigader Genenral Koenig and signed by Allen Freeman,Assitant Adjutant General The Distribution list called for no less than 107 copies be distributed as follows
| DISTRIBUTION: | 107 copies |
| CC to European to A. G. pers | 2 |
| CC to European to A. G. pers | 2 |
| CG to European to 8th Air Forces | 25 |
| EN officer concerned | 15 |
| CO to 10th Reinforcement Depot | 50 |
| AG Orders | 1 |
| AG Orders (ZI) | 3 |
| AG Records | 1 |
| 201 File | 6 |
His address of leave was Nashville, Tenenssee, which was his hometown. The Orders were signed by Allen Freeman, Assistant Adjutant General. First Lieutenant Ghertner was honorably discharged from the Army as a 1st Lieutenant on 27 Dec 1945. The abovementioned orders indicate his service was in the FA (field artillery). Leonard once said his friend Herb Shriner gave him extra ‘points’ (?) so Lenny could ‘go home’. As the ‘points’ system didn’t kick in until VE day (7 May 1945) and Leonard was in Nashville on VE day, perhaps those ‘points’ kept him stateside rather than having to go fight in the Pacific.
