Verille, Leonard J.

Description

Leonard Verille was born in Connecticut on March 13, 1916. Leonard and his family moved to 23 High Street, Rye, NY in 1925 when Leonard was only about 10 years old. Leonard’s family was rather large and consisted of his father, Joseph, his mother Caprina, his brothers Louis, Daniel, John, Joseph and Paul with sisters Florence and Viola. Leonard’s father was an Italian immigrant with a 3rd grade education, he worked as a groundskeeper at a local yacht club. Leonard’s mother had a 7th grade education and was a home maker. The Verille family were members of the Church of the Resurrection.

Leonard was a proud member of the Rye High School class of 1936. In high school Leonard played on the J.V. football team. Leonard had a talent for stagecraft and was often seen helping out with the technical aspects of shows. With Leonard’s busy schedule, he somehow made room to still participate in the fingerprint club.

After high school Leonard worked as a sales clerk, until he enlisted to serve in WWII on March 12th, 1942. Leonard served with the 28th Combat Engineer Division and saw action in France for nineteen months.

The 28th suffered extremely heavy casualties that autumn of 1944 in the costly and ill-conceived Battle of H├╝rtgen Forest (19 September to 16 December 1944); the divisional history conceded “the division accomplished little” in the battle. The campaign was the longest continuous battle the U.S. Army fought in World War II.

Finally, a tenuous line along the Our and Sauer Rivers was held at the end of November, only to be abruptly broken by two panzer divisions, three infantry divisions and one parachute division (including the 352nd Infantry Division and the 5th Parachute Division) in an infantry-tank attack on the “Ridge Road” just west of the Our River on 16 December.

The Ardennes Offensive(Battle of the Bulge) was launched along the entire divisional front by the 5th Panzer Army led by General der Panzertruppe Hasso von Manteuffel. The 28th, which had sustained heavy casualties in the First Army drive to the Roer, fought doggedly in place using all available personnel and threw off the enemy timetable before withdrawing to Neufchâteau on 22 December for reorganization, as its units had been badly mauled.

Leonard was first listed as missing in Luxembourg during the Battle of the Bulge on December 22, 1944, but was later reported to be a prisoner. At the time of capture Leonard held the rank of Sergeant.

Rye Man Freed From German Prison Camp
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Verrille, of 23 High Street, are anxiously awaiting the return of their son. Sergt. Leonard J. Verrille, recently liberated from a German prison camp. They received the good news this week that he had been liberated April 29 and hoped to be home within a month. Its great to be a free man again, he wrote, “without a guard on your neck and the first Sunday Im home will represent Christmas, New Years and Easter all in one.” Sergt. Verrille was first listed as missing in Luxembourg on December 22, 1944, but was later reported to be a prisoner. Overseas nineteen months, he saw action in France before his capture. Sergt. Verrille is a native of Rye and a graduate of Rye High School. His wife, the former Mildred Sandonato, resides at 130 Nelson Avenue, Harrison.
RYE, NEW YORK FRIDAY, MAY 25, 1945

Leonard was liberated on April 29, 1945 and was officially discharged in October of 1945. For Leonard’s incredible act of bravery, he was awarded a silver star.

After the war Leonard and his wife, Mildred, moved to Wellington FL, where Leonard would become a parishioner of Our Lady Queen of The Apostles Catholic church. Leonard passed on May 13,1994, and was survived by his son, Perry.

Austin Harvey
RHS 2021

RECEIVED SILVER STAR. POW; CAPTURED AT THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. Rye High School Graduate, Class of 1936