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| Lt. Leonard Gallant was a B-17 co-pilot in the 390th Bombardment Group. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/137093942/leonard-a-gallant https://stewross.com/rendezvous-with-the-gestapo/390th-b172/ |
Leonard was born March 2, 1919 in Rumford, Maine. His parents Albert and Mary were both born in Canada and immigrated to the US in 1903. His father worked as a laborer and machinist. Leonard had two older sisters and one younger sister. He completed four years of high school.
Leonard enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in November 1939, and in 1940 was a private in the 4th Reconnaissance Squadron of the 5th Bombardment Group stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii. At some point Leonard attended flight school and earned his pilot’s wings. He was commissioned as a lieutenant and assigned to the 570th Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group, flying B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers. The 390th was activated in January 1943 at Geiger Field, Washington, and trained at Geiger and Great Falls, Montana until July 1943 when it departed for England.
The 390th was based at Framlingham, England and flew their first combat mission on August 12, 1943. Only five days later on August 17, the rookie crews of the 390th were part of a group of 146 B-17s assigned to attack the Messerschmitt aircraft factories in Regensburg, Germany, and achieved the highest accuracy of any of the groups sent against the target. The 390th BG received a Distinguished Unit Citation for the mission. The 390th was awarded a second DUC for a mission on 14 October 1943 when it braved assaults by enemy fighters to bomb the ballbearing plants at Schweinfurt. Once again, the 390th BG had the most accurate bombing results of the units attacking the target.
I’ve not been able to locate a mission log for the 390th BG, but Lt. Gallant must have been nearing his 25th mission by April 1944. On April 13, the 390th were part of a group of 243 B-17s dispatched to bomb aviation industry targets at Augsburg, Germany. Lt. Gallant was copiloting B-17G 42-39821, known as Hey Moitle, when it was hit by flak. The crew bailed out and nine of the ten-man crew became prisoners of war. Lt. Gallant’s body was later found in a quarry at Ispringen, northwest of Pforzheim, Germany.
Leonard Albert Gallant is buried in St. Hyacinth Cemetery in Westbrook, Maine.
Thank you Lt. Gallant for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Leonard.
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This profile was written by Bob Fuerst. "I’m a NASA engineer, B-17 Flying Fortress enthusiast, and amateur genealogist so this kind of research is an ideal outlet for me. But more than anything, it’s a way to express my sincere appreciation for The Greatest Generation and the sacrifices that they made, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice. They should never be forgotten and I’m grateful to Don for allowing me to play a small part in honoring them."
Last year on this date I profiled B-17 tailgunner Sgt. Kent West, the first bomber crewman to shoot down a German plane. You can read about Kent here.
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