Parents: Jesse Thomas and Martha Henrietta (Hunley) Hodges
Siblings: Jesse Raymond, George Dewey, Horace William (Willie), Seth Richardson, John Thomas, Spencer R., Herbert Coleman, James David, Mary Elizabeth, Alice, Rachel Louise, Hilda Fourteen, Henrietta
Wife: Cecile Clyde Dunn (married 28 Mar 1927)

In the 1920 US Census, Leslie's father's occupation was Captain of seagoing tug, his brother Jesse was 3rd Mate, brother Horace was 3rd Mate, brother George Dewey was 2nd Mate and Leslie was Seaman - all on transport steamships.

Leslie was Chief Mate on the MS Oneida, a merchant ship, when it was torpedoed and sunk in the Caribbean during WWII.

His brother, George Dewey, died 10 days later when his ship, SS Onondaga, was also torpedoed and sunk in the Caribbean.
∼U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: B 115935
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of record: Norfolk, VA

MS Oneida, a US (steam) merchant ship, was owned by Ford Motor Co. of Detroit, MI; her homeport was Dearborn, MI. On 13 July, 1942, Chief Mate LESLIE H. HODGES, was on the unarmed, unescorted ship as it made its way from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Punta Gorda, Cuba with a cargo of ballast. About two miles north of Cape Maysi, Cuba, Oneida was attacked by German submarine U-166. A lone torpedo, spied too late to take evasive measures, struck on the starboard side, amidships just behind the engine room, blowing away 20% of the side of the ship. Oneida sank within three minutes, leaving no time to launch lifeboats. The 23 survivors made it onto two rafts, and several hours later made landfall five miles northwest of Cape Maysi. They walked to the Cape and were taken from there to Baracoa, Cuba on the Cuban schooner Zoila.

Of the 29 Merchant Marines on board, 23 survived; 6 did not, including Mr. Hodges.