Remembering World War II

Name: John Leo Campbell Rank: Private 1st Class Service Number: 36854063 Service: 121st Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division, US Army Awards: Purple Heart Date of Birth: April 21, 1906 Place of Birth: McLeod Hill, Sydney, Cape Breton, NS Date of Enlistment: Unknown Place of Enlistment: Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan Address at Enlistment: Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan Age at Enlistment: Unknown Height: 5 feet, 10 inches Complexion: Light Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Blue Occupation: Car industry Marital Status: Unknown Next of Kin: Neil Campbell, brother Date of Death: July 13, 1944 Age: 38 Cemetery: Normandy American Cemetery, France Grave: Plot D, Row 13, Grave 25 John Leo Campbell was the son of John F. Campbell and Mary (Jamieson) Campbell (b. 1873) of Sydney, Cape Breton. His father was a steel worker, born in Irish Cove. John had two older brothers, John and Neil Francis Campbell, and older sister Elizabeth (Campbell) Graham who was a nurse, and younger siblings Mary and Burnette Campbell. John registered for the Draft October 16, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan where he was living 5856 Barrett Street at the time, and working for the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. He listed his brother Neil as his next of kin (living at 18896 San Juan Drive in Detroit). After enlistment he was assigned to the 121st Infantry Regiment of the 8th Infantry Division. The 121st Regt. Splashed ashore on July 4, 1944, on Utah Beach and entered the Normandy Campaign. Private 1st Class John Leo Campbell was wounded seven days later on July 11, 1944 and died of those wounds on July 13, 1944. He was interred at the Normandy American Cemetery in France. Records indicate he was married at the time of his death. The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France is located in Colleville-sur-Mer, on the site of the temporary American St. Laurent Cemetery, established by the U.S. First Army on June 8, 1944 as the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. The cemetery site, at the north end of its half mile access road, covers 172.5 acres and contains the graves of 9,386 of our military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations. Forty-four sets of brothers lay side by side at the Normandy American Cemetery. Members of the Wartime Heritage Association, George Egan and Glen Gaudet, visited the Normandy American Cemetery in July 2009 and laid a cross of remembrance in memory of those Nova Scotians lost.

John Leo Campbell

Source: American Battle Monuments Commission - John Leo Campbell American Battle Monuments Commission – Normandy American Cemetery findagrave

The 8th Infantry Division, and 121st Infantry Regiment insignias