Charles B. Leinbach was born in Pennsylvania in 1897 to German immigrants. He worked on the family farm before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1914. A talent for mathematics led to field artillery assignments and Leinbach completed officer’s training as World War I ended. He married in 1918 and his family accompanied him to posts across the country. In 1940-1941, as World War II escalated, Leinbach was stationed in the Philippine Islands where he led the 1st Battalion, 25th Field Artillery (Philippine Scouts) and attained the rank of lieutenant colonel. Leinbach earned a Silver Star during the Battle of Bataan before his capture during the surrender of Bataan in April 1942. Leinbach was a prisoner of war until his death onboard the Japanese prison ship Enoura Maru on January 9, 1944. His remains were repatriated in 1948.

*Extracted from America's World War II Burial Program (NCA History Program, 2020), https://www.cem.va.gov/history/outreach.asp.

CHARLES B LEINBACH

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