Son of Floyd Onis Leaird & Lucretia Leaird.
Harley H Leaird (1922 Oklahoma) from Bryan County, Oklahoma enlisted as a Private on 14 Feb 1941 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in Coast Artillery Corps, Philippine Department. He was single and completed 1 year of high school.
Private First Class, U.S. Army
Service # 18050088
Assigned to B "BOSTON" Battery, 60th Coast Artillery Regiment (AntiAircraft), Corregidor, Philippines
On the afternoon of April l6th, during an artillery barrage from Bataan, a shell fragment cut the rope and allowed Corregidor's battle flag to fall to the ground. Upon seeing this, and believing that the Japs might misunderstand the reason for the disappearance of the flag, Captain Huff called for volunteers and led Cpl. Louis A. Roark, P.F.C. Roy O. Bailey, and P.F.C. Harley H. Leaird to the flag pole where the flag was restored to its proper position. The four men mentioned above were decorated with the Silver Star on General Order #25 dated April 17, 1942, for this action.
Harley was taken prisoner by the Japanese when Corregidor surrendered on May 6th 1942. His last known prison camp was in Pasay before he was put aboard the hellship Arisan Maru.
"The draft of approximately 1,800 prisoners boarded the Arisan Maru and departed Manila on October 10, 1944. The ship sailed south to the vicinity of Palawan Island and laid over until 18 October. One reason advanced for the move South and the layover was to avoid US air and naval action. The Arisan returned to Manila on the 19th, took on supplies on the 20th and left in a convoy around midnight headed for Takao, Formosa.
The 6886 ton Arisan Maru was sunk in the Bashi Straits, South China Sea, Latitude 20 o 46' N, Longitude 118 o 18' E, on October 24, 1944 at about 5:00 PM." Source: THE ARISAN MARU TRAGEDY by William Bowen
On 24th October 1944 Arisan Maru carrying 1782 US POW was hit by 3 torpedoes from the American submarine USS Snook in the Bashi Strait, South China Sea (200 miles northwest of Cape Bojeador, Luzon, Philippines.
She was carrying 1.782 US prisoners, 125 Japanese passengers and 204 crew from Manila to Japan. 1773 POW died. Only 9 POW survived.
Private First Class, U.S. Army, Harley H. Leaird, was one of the 1,773 who died.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private Harley H. Leaird (ASN: 18050088), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Battery B, 60th Coast Artillery Regiment (Anti-Aircraft), in action at Philippine Islands, on or about 30 April 1942. Private Leaird was one of three enlisted men who, along with his commanding officer, left shelter near an anti-aircraft battery and repaired the halyards of the flagpole on Corregidor, during an attack by enemy dive bombers. Private Leaird's gallant actions and selfless devotion to duty, without regard for his own safety, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Forces, Pacific, General Orders No. 202 (1945)
Harley H Leaird (1922 Oklahoma) from Bryan County, Oklahoma enlisted as a Private on 14 Feb 1941 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in Coast Artillery Corps, Philippine Department. He was single and completed 1 year of high school.
Private First Class, U.S. Army
Service # 18050088
Assigned to B "BOSTON" Battery, 60th Coast Artillery Regiment (AntiAircraft), Corregidor, Philippines
On the afternoon of April l6th, during an artillery barrage from Bataan, a shell fragment cut the rope and allowed Corregidor's battle flag to fall to the ground. Upon seeing this, and believing that the Japs might misunderstand the reason for the disappearance of the flag, Captain Huff called for volunteers and led Cpl. Louis A. Roark, P.F.C. Roy O. Bailey, and P.F.C. Harley H. Leaird to the flag pole where the flag was restored to its proper position. The four men mentioned above were decorated with the Silver Star on General Order #25 dated April 17, 1942, for this action.
Harley was taken prisoner by the Japanese when Corregidor surrendered on May 6th 1942. His last known prison camp was in Pasay before he was put aboard the hellship Arisan Maru.
"The draft of approximately 1,800 prisoners boarded the Arisan Maru and departed Manila on October 10, 1944. The ship sailed south to the vicinity of Palawan Island and laid over until 18 October. One reason advanced for the move South and the layover was to avoid US air and naval action. The Arisan returned to Manila on the 19th, took on supplies on the 20th and left in a convoy around midnight headed for Takao, Formosa.
The 6886 ton Arisan Maru was sunk in the Bashi Straits, South China Sea, Latitude 20 o 46' N, Longitude 118 o 18' E, on October 24, 1944 at about 5:00 PM." Source: THE ARISAN MARU TRAGEDY by William Bowen
On 24th October 1944 Arisan Maru carrying 1782 US POW was hit by 3 torpedoes from the American submarine USS Snook in the Bashi Strait, South China Sea (200 miles northwest of Cape Bojeador, Luzon, Philippines.
She was carrying 1.782 US prisoners, 125 Japanese passengers and 204 crew from Manila to Japan. 1773 POW died. Only 9 POW survived.
Private First Class, U.S. Army, Harley H. Leaird, was one of the 1,773 who died.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private Harley H. Leaird (ASN: 18050088), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Battery B, 60th Coast Artillery Regiment (Anti-Aircraft), in action at Philippine Islands, on or about 30 April 1942. Private Leaird was one of three enlisted men who, along with his commanding officer, left shelter near an anti-aircraft battery and repaired the halyards of the flagpole on Corregidor, during an attack by enemy dive bombers. Private Leaird's gallant actions and selfless devotion to duty, without regard for his own safety, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Forces, Pacific, General Orders No. 202 (1945)
Son of Floyd Onis Leaird & Lucretia Leaird.
Harley H Leaird (1922 Oklahoma) from Bryan County, Oklahoma enlisted as a Private on 14 Feb 1941 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in Coast Artillery Corps, Philippine Department. He was single and completed 1 year of high school.
Private First Class, U.S. Army
Service # 18050088
Assigned to B "BOSTON" Battery, 60th Coast Artillery Regiment (AntiAircraft), Corregidor, Philippines
On the afternoon of April l6th, during an artillery barrage from Bataan, a shell fragment cut the rope and allowed Corregidor's battle flag to fall to the ground. Upon seeing this, and believing that the Japs might misunderstand the reason for the disappearance of the flag, Captain Huff called for volunteers and led Cpl. Louis A. Roark, P.F.C. Roy O. Bailey, and P.F.C. Harley H. Leaird to the flag pole where the flag was restored to its proper position. The four men mentioned above were decorated with the Silver Star on General Order #25 dated April 17, 1942, for this action.
Harley was taken prisoner by the Japanese when Corregidor surrendered on May 6th 1942. His last known prison camp was in Pasay before he was put aboard the hellship Arisan Maru.
"The draft of approximately 1,800 prisoners boarded the Arisan Maru and departed Manila on October 10, 1944. The ship sailed south to the vicinity of Palawan Island and laid over until 18 October. One reason advanced for the move South and the layover was to avoid US air and naval action. The Arisan returned to Manila on the 19th, took on supplies on the 20th and left in a convoy around midnight headed for Takao, Formosa.
The 6886 ton Arisan Maru was sunk in the Bashi Straits, South China Sea, Latitude 20 o 46' N, Longitude 118 o 18' E, on October 24, 1944 at about 5:00 PM." Source: THE ARISAN MARU TRAGEDY by William Bowen
On 24th October 1944 Arisan Maru carrying 1782 US POW was hit by 3 torpedoes from the American submarine USS Snook in the Bashi Strait, South China Sea (200 miles northwest of Cape Bojeador, Luzon, Philippines.
She was carrying 1.782 US prisoners, 125 Japanese passengers and 204 crew from Manila to Japan. 1773 POW died. Only 9 POW survived.
Private First Class, U.S. Army, Harley H. Leaird, was one of the 1,773 who died.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private Harley H. Leaird (ASN: 18050088), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Battery B, 60th Coast Artillery Regiment (Anti-Aircraft), in action at Philippine Islands, on or about 30 April 1942. Private Leaird was one of three enlisted men who, along with his commanding officer, left shelter near an anti-aircraft battery and repaired the halyards of the flagpole on Corregidor, during an attack by enemy dive bombers. Private Leaird's gallant actions and selfless devotion to duty, without regard for his own safety, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Forces, Pacific, General Orders No. 202 (1945)
Harley H Leaird (1922 Oklahoma) from Bryan County, Oklahoma enlisted as a Private on 14 Feb 1941 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in Coast Artillery Corps, Philippine Department. He was single and completed 1 year of high school.
Private First Class, U.S. Army
Service # 18050088
Assigned to B "BOSTON" Battery, 60th Coast Artillery Regiment (AntiAircraft), Corregidor, Philippines
On the afternoon of April l6th, during an artillery barrage from Bataan, a shell fragment cut the rope and allowed Corregidor's battle flag to fall to the ground. Upon seeing this, and believing that the Japs might misunderstand the reason for the disappearance of the flag, Captain Huff called for volunteers and led Cpl. Louis A. Roark, P.F.C. Roy O. Bailey, and P.F.C. Harley H. Leaird to the flag pole where the flag was restored to its proper position. The four men mentioned above were decorated with the Silver Star on General Order #25 dated April 17, 1942, for this action.
Harley was taken prisoner by the Japanese when Corregidor surrendered on May 6th 1942. His last known prison camp was in Pasay before he was put aboard the hellship Arisan Maru.
"The draft of approximately 1,800 prisoners boarded the Arisan Maru and departed Manila on October 10, 1944. The ship sailed south to the vicinity of Palawan Island and laid over until 18 October. One reason advanced for the move South and the layover was to avoid US air and naval action. The Arisan returned to Manila on the 19th, took on supplies on the 20th and left in a convoy around midnight headed for Takao, Formosa.
The 6886 ton Arisan Maru was sunk in the Bashi Straits, South China Sea, Latitude 20 o 46' N, Longitude 118 o 18' E, on October 24, 1944 at about 5:00 PM." Source: THE ARISAN MARU TRAGEDY by William Bowen
On 24th October 1944 Arisan Maru carrying 1782 US POW was hit by 3 torpedoes from the American submarine USS Snook in the Bashi Strait, South China Sea (200 miles northwest of Cape Bojeador, Luzon, Philippines.
She was carrying 1.782 US prisoners, 125 Japanese passengers and 204 crew from Manila to Japan. 1773 POW died. Only 9 POW survived.
Private First Class, U.S. Army, Harley H. Leaird, was one of the 1,773 who died.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private Harley H. Leaird (ASN: 18050088), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Battery B, 60th Coast Artillery Regiment (Anti-Aircraft), in action at Philippine Islands, on or about 30 April 1942. Private Leaird was one of three enlisted men who, along with his commanding officer, left shelter near an anti-aircraft battery and repaired the halyards of the flagpole on Corregidor, during an attack by enemy dive bombers. Private Leaird's gallant actions and selfless devotion to duty, without regard for his own safety, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Forces, Pacific, General Orders No. 202 (1945)
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Oklahoma.
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