Leonard Francis Meuse Private 1st Class 20105951 Company C, 182nd Infantry Regiment, Americal Division, US Army Bronze Star, Purple Heart May 4, 1909 Reading, Middlesex County, Massachusetts January 16, 1941 Stoneham, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Reading, Middlesex County, Massachusetts 31 5 feet, 5 inches Single boots and shoes manufacture November 20, 1942 33 Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing, Philippines Leonard Francis Meuse was the son of Fred Edward Meuse (b. 1889 Yarmouth, Nova Scotia; d. 1911), and Rose Mary White (b. 1867 in Reading, Mass), and the younger brother of Frederick Meuse (b. 1908). Leonard’s paternal grandparents were James Henry Muise (1870-1927) and Genevieve Jane Eugenie (Hubbard) Muise (1870-1967). His paternal grandmother was born in Quinan, Argyle, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia. His maternal grandparents were Joseph Seraphin Henry LeBlanc [White] (1855-1933) and Elizabeth Frotten (1867-1912), both of Yarmouth Co., NS. Leonard’s parents married in 1908 in Reading, Massachusetts. In 1910, the family resided at 17 High Street in Reading where Leonard's father worked as a railroad blacksmith. After his father's death on March 15, 1911, Leonard's mother remarried William A. Doucette. The family then lived on Gould Street in Reading, as recorded in the 1920 census. Leonard's stepfather was employed as a teamster for a local ice company. By 1930, according to the census, they had relocated to Columbia Road in Wakefield, Massachusetts, where Leonard's stepfather worked as a calender worker, operating large rollers known as calenders in a mill to press or finish fabric or paper. Leonard himself worked as an extractor at a laundry facility. At enlistment, Leonard listed his address as 81 Green Street in Reading where he was living as a lodger with Mrs. Florence L Knight, her daughters Ruth E. Crowell and Florence L. Crowell, and her niece Lilian C. Muse [Meuse]. He had completed his 2nd year of high school and was working as a woodcutter under the WPA Program (Works Progress Administration). Later, when he is reported missing, the informants in the paper are Leonard’s uncle Mr. Melvin Ambrose White (1892-1962) and Aunt Sylvia White. They lived at 14 Green Street in Reading, just a few houses down from Leonard’s recorded address. Leonard’s uncle Melvin had served with A Battery of the 319th Field Artillery Battalion in the US Army in WWI (from Oct 4, 1917 - May 20, 1919, Service No. 1912696). After enlisting in the US Army, Leonard served with the 182nd Infantry Regiment. After a brief stop in Australia, the 182nd Infantry Regiment moved to New Caledonia (a French territory) and later to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands where Private 1st Class Meuse was killed in action. The US Navy also built a base in Nouméa, New Caledonia, to support ships and aircraft in the South West Pacific. A letter written in New Caledonia on July 5, 1942, by Leonard was published September 8, 1942, in the Reading Chronicle: “This is introducing to you Pvt. First Class Leonard Meuse formally of Reading. Having resided in the town of Reading up to the time I was called to the stripes you may have heard of me; I hit the paper 25 years ago. I was run over by Atkinson’s sleigh while riding down Gould St. on a sled. Being laid up for a couple of months I well remember it. Now that I have properly introduced myself to you would it be possible for me to obtain the Chronicle as I would like to read about my friends and Readingites. Upon leaving Reading for service in the United States Army, myself and about 15 other Reading boys that belonged to the Stoneham National Guard left Camp Edwards at that time for parts unknown. Arriving in Brooklyn, NY we boarded a ship. It was a sad parting when we saw the Statue of Liberty to the right of us but, we all knew we would see her again on our return trip. Our first port and stop [were] at Panama Canal going through the Gatun locks into Gatun Lake. We fueled up, took on supplies, then off again into the Pacific Ocean; a few days later we crossed the international date line and equator. Then after days of sailing we finally landed. We then boarded an English train, you the kind where each compartment is separate. It was a very enjoyable ride to a nearby city. The people were there waiting for us with open arms. The men were billeted in different homes. Meeting strange people and in a strange country never made much difference after a day or two. We were greeted and made to feel as one of them. The family I billeted with were wonderful to me and my squad sergeant. Mr. and Mrs. Cower are the names I will always remember them. Even the churches praised us and told us that the blessings of the whole city [were] with all the American soldiers. Knowing that this was too good to last we were told to be ready in the morning, that we would be off again, where we know not. Bright and early the next morning the folks sent us off with a sad goodbye – enough goodbyes to last a week and then seeing us off at the station. Back again aboard ship – this time sailing for a week with no mishaps, we docked in New Caledonia. This was just another one of the islands on the Pacific. We landed safely and here we are for how long no one knows but, we are certain of one thing God help the Jap that tried to invade this island. The Reading Boys want you to know that they’ll be there at the beginning and at the finish too if the Japs try to start something. This island consists of natives, and the Free French. The French people said, “It’s a day of blessing, the Americans soldiers have landed.” The island itself is of a volcano type. All the eye can see is mountain after mountain. Their towns and villages are few and far between. Bananas and all the rest of such tropical fruit grow in abundance here. The fields are very fertile for both planting and cattle raising. You know it is winter here now and the temperature hovers about 70 which makes it rather comfortable at all times. The summer well, we will wait until that comes. My job here is a switchboard operator at regimental, seeing that contact is being made at all times. Of course I have plenty of open time between calls and that’s when I try to write my letters. Well, I must close for now, hoping I will hear from you in the near future and, also read about my Readingites in your paper.” - Leonard F. Meuse Later, in November 1942, Leonard wrote to the Editor of the Reading Chronicle in his hometown: “While reading through the Chronicle which you so kindly mailed to me it brought back many memories of former ties. It does the Reading boys’ hearts good over here to see the whole community turn out and contribute Christmas boxes for men in service. The morale of many a soldier, sailor, and marine will benefit by such a kind act. Personally, I can’t express my debt of gratitude to you the editor, and we boys over here will do what an Englishman once said, “carry on.” Sincerely, PFC Leonard Meuse. The 182nd Infantry Regiment landed on Guadalcanal on November 12, 1942, to reinforce the 162nd Infantry Regt. which had landed the month prior in the middle of October. Leonard was last seen by Acting Platoon Sergeant Robitaille (Service No. 20104735) at the Company C’s frontline position on November 20, 1942, “Private Meuse returned to the frontline with a message he had been sent for, took his place in the platoon formation, and shortly after, the lines were drawn back. When the unit was reformed, he was not present.” (record from July 7, 1943). There is also record of the unit’s frontline sector being exposed to terrific enemy fire on the evening of November 19th. At that point in the Guadalcanal landing, American forces only occupied a small portion of the island. Although the American Battle Monuments Commission records his date of death as December 10, 1945, because he had been missing in action, Leonard was killed in action November 20, 1942. His date of death is correctly recorded by the U.S., Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (Unaccounted-for Remains, Group B (Unrecoverable), 1941-1975). His body was never recovered, and his name is listed on the Walls of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery, Philippines. Two other men with ties to Nova Scotia, served and died with the 182nd Infantry Regiment – Staff Sergeant Fred Leo Hubbard born in Canso, Guysborough County, NS, and Corporal Neil Duff McSween, the son of William McSween of Sydney, Cape Breton Co., NS.

Source: American Battle Monuments Commission 182nd Infantry Regiment findagrave Autumn Hendrickson ‘The Reading Boys’ (Remembrance Research Project)