Killed on the Enoura Maru in Kaohsiung Harbor.
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Although the date on the stone shows Charles to be born in 1892, church and census records show his birth to be 1897. Like many young men, he doctored his date of birth to enlist for WWI because he was only 17 when he enlisted. Additionally, cemetery interment records show that he was awarded the Purple Heart and the Silver Star. Charles served 30 years in the military. glynnes (48373960)
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LTC. Charles Leinbach was held as a POW in the Philippine Islands. In December 1944, he was boarded onto the Oryoku Maru for transport to Japan. The ship sailed on December 13th and came under attack from American planes on December 14th. As evening approached, the attack was called off. The next day the planes returned and continued the attack. When the pilots saw the large number of men climbing from the ship’s holds, they realized the ship was carrying POWs and called off the attack. After the POWs were off the ship, the attack resumed and the ship was sunk by American planes at Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, on December 15, 1944. The surviving POWs were boarded onto the Enoura Maru which sailed on December 27th and reached Takao, Formosa, by the New Year. While docked it was bombed by American planes on January 9, 1945, killing many of the POWs. On January 12th, the dead were removed from the ship’s holds and buried in a mass grave on Formosa. After the war, Leinbach's remains were positively identified, and at the request of his family, he was buried at San Francisco National Cemetery.
Military Information: LT COL, US ARMY
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Although the date on the stone shows Charles to be born in 1892, church and census records show his birth to be 1897. Like many young men, he doctored his date of birth to enlist for WWI because he was only 17 when he enlisted. Additionally, cemetery interment records show that he was awarded the Purple Heart and the Silver Star. Charles served 30 years in the military. glynnes (48373960)
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LTC. Charles Leinbach was held as a POW in the Philippine Islands. In December 1944, he was boarded onto the Oryoku Maru for transport to Japan. The ship sailed on December 13th and came under attack from American planes on December 14th. As evening approached, the attack was called off. The next day the planes returned and continued the attack. When the pilots saw the large number of men climbing from the ship’s holds, they realized the ship was carrying POWs and called off the attack. After the POWs were off the ship, the attack resumed and the ship was sunk by American planes at Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, on December 15, 1944. The surviving POWs were boarded onto the Enoura Maru which sailed on December 27th and reached Takao, Formosa, by the New Year. While docked it was bombed by American planes on January 9, 1945, killing many of the POWs. On January 12th, the dead were removed from the ship’s holds and buried in a mass grave on Formosa. After the war, Leinbach's remains were positively identified, and at the request of his family, he was buried at San Francisco National Cemetery.
Military Information: LT COL, US ARMY
Killed on the Enoura Maru in Kaohsiung Harbor.
----------
Although the date on the stone shows Charles to be born in 1892, church and census records show his birth to be 1897. Like many young men, he doctored his date of birth to enlist for WWI because he was only 17 when he enlisted. Additionally, cemetery interment records show that he was awarded the Purple Heart and the Silver Star. Charles served 30 years in the military. glynnes (48373960)
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LTC. Charles Leinbach was held as a POW in the Philippine Islands. In December 1944, he was boarded onto the Oryoku Maru for transport to Japan. The ship sailed on December 13th and came under attack from American planes on December 14th. As evening approached, the attack was called off. The next day the planes returned and continued the attack. When the pilots saw the large number of men climbing from the ship’s holds, they realized the ship was carrying POWs and called off the attack. After the POWs were off the ship, the attack resumed and the ship was sunk by American planes at Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, on December 15, 1944. The surviving POWs were boarded onto the Enoura Maru which sailed on December 27th and reached Takao, Formosa, by the New Year. While docked it was bombed by American planes on January 9, 1945, killing many of the POWs. On January 12th, the dead were removed from the ship’s holds and buried in a mass grave on Formosa. After the war, Leinbach's remains were positively identified, and at the request of his family, he was buried at San Francisco National Cemetery.
Military Information: LT COL, US ARMY
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Although the date on the stone shows Charles to be born in 1892, church and census records show his birth to be 1897. Like many young men, he doctored his date of birth to enlist for WWI because he was only 17 when he enlisted. Additionally, cemetery interment records show that he was awarded the Purple Heart and the Silver Star. Charles served 30 years in the military. glynnes (48373960)
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LTC. Charles Leinbach was held as a POW in the Philippine Islands. In December 1944, he was boarded onto the Oryoku Maru for transport to Japan. The ship sailed on December 13th and came under attack from American planes on December 14th. As evening approached, the attack was called off. The next day the planes returned and continued the attack. When the pilots saw the large number of men climbing from the ship’s holds, they realized the ship was carrying POWs and called off the attack. After the POWs were off the ship, the attack resumed and the ship was sunk by American planes at Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, on December 15, 1944. The surviving POWs were boarded onto the Enoura Maru which sailed on December 27th and reached Takao, Formosa, by the New Year. While docked it was bombed by American planes on January 9, 1945, killing many of the POWs. On January 12th, the dead were removed from the ship’s holds and buried in a mass grave on Formosa. After the war, Leinbach's remains were positively identified, and at the request of his family, he was buried at San Francisco National Cemetery.
Military Information: LT COL, US ARMY
Bio by: JimO
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