Leo John Reinert was born on September 20, 1920, in Bird Island, MN.  He was the son of John and Frances (Redder) Reinert.  

He attended school in Bird Island, completing 8 years of “Grammar” school and 2 years of High School. 

Leo was drafted into the US Army on August 29, 1942, and he entered the military on September 11, 1942 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota.  His home address at the time of entering the Service was Bird Island, MN.

His DD-214 Military Occupation Specialty indicates that he received training in Half Track Driver, Specialty No. 931.

On June 8^th, 1943, Leo left for overseas on the USS Dorothea L. Dix (AP-67), a US Navy troop transport, and arrived at Oran, Algeria on June 22^nd, 1943.”  At that time he was part of the 2831^st Engineer Combat Battalion. 

After the battles in North Africa ended, Leo landed in Sicily on July 10^th, 1943, one day after the first landings.  At this time, it appears that the 2831^st Engineer Combat Battalion was attached to either the 10^th or 40^th Combat Engineers, which were attached to the US Army 3^rd Division.

After the ending of hostilities on Sicily, Leo’s outfit then moved into southern Italy (approximately September 18^th, 1943) and participated in the Naples-Foggia Campaign.

On January 22^nd, 1944, the 3^rd Division landed at Anzio.  The Order of Battle lists Detachments of the 10^th Combat Engineers.  Leo’s DD-214 indicates that he served in the Rome-Arno Campaign, which would indicate that he was either at the location of the “Winter Line”, or at the Anzio beach head.

On August 15^th, 1944, the 3^rd Division landed at St. Tropez, Southern France, advanced up the Rhone Valley, through the Vosges Mountains, and reached the Rhine near Strasbourg, Germany, November 26^th 1944.

The 3^rd Division advanced through the defenses and crossed the Rhine (probably near Karlsruhe, Germany), March 26^th, 1945; then drove on to take Nuremberg in a fierce battle, capturing the city in block-by-block fighting, April 17^th – 20^th, 1945. The 3rd Division pushed on to take Augsburg and Munich, April 27^th – 30^th 1945, and was in the vicinity of Salzburg, Austria, when the war in Europe ended (Leo mentioned being in Munich when the war ended). 

Leo Reinert’s DD-214 indicates that he served in the following Battles and Campaigns: 

                   Sicily

                   Naples-Foggia

                   Rome-Arno

                   Southern France, Rhineland

                  Central Europe 

After the War in Europe ended, Leo was sent to Camp Lucky Strike, north of Le Havre, France. 

He arrived back in the United States on August 16, 1945, after the war in Japan ended.  He was sent to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin where he was discharged on or about August 31^st, 1945. 

He received $13.20 Travel Pay to get back to Bird Island, MN and his DD-214 indicated that he was; married with 3 dependents (Margaret, Leroy and Leona), when he was discharged.

Leo J. Reinert died on March 12^th, 1992, and is buried in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Bird Island, MN.