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Wartime Heritage
ASSOCIATION
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
The 8th Infantry Division, and 121st Infantry
Regiment insignias
121st Infantry Regiment soldiers advance
across flooded terrain west of Utah Beach
July 4, 1944. Georgia Guard Archives