Private Leonard H. Case

Again, while wandering lost in a cemetery looking for a relative in summer 2020, I was greeted by Leonard Hardy Case. 

 

From his headstone, you can see he didn't rise through the ranks and served at a time that promotions came slow to Marines.   So let us meet Private Leonard H. Case.

Case enlisted in the Marine Corps in Syracuse, New York on 20 February 1906.  Born on 29 January 1880, he was 26 when he enlisted.  Maybe the winters in Upstate NY were getting to him, or he couldn't find a job.    Once signed up, Case was sent to Marine Barracks Brooklyn, NY for recruit training.  

With recruit training completed, he was transferred to Marine Barracks Culebra, Puerto Rico, in July 1906.  Not all duty in the Corps was glamorous; Case served as a mess attendant for a bit before getting 10 days police duty for inattention during drill in December.  

1907 seemed to be better for him until August and September when he was sick--unknown malady, but possibly the heat got to the northerner.  In November, Case once again ran afoul of the powers-that-be when he was absent over liberty by an hour and 30 minutes.  It seems that he figured things out in 1908, as no more infractions were recorded.  Starting in April 1908 until his departure back to the US in April 1909, Case served as a teamster (a driver of a team of animals).  

In May 1909, he was assigned to duty at Marine Barracks Philadelphia where for a few months he served as assistant gardener.  But on 29 September 1909, he was transferred to the Marine Detachment of the collier USS Southery.   

Duty on the Southery seems to have reverted Case back to his less-than-stellar ways.  In December he was confined and only fed bread and water for two days for "tampering with the switch board and for being insolent to NCO."  

 

Despite his troubles in the Corps, he was discharged in February 1910 at the end of his enlistment with "character excellent" and was recommended for the Good Conduct Medal if he were to reenlist.  His final rank was Private.

Again, little is known of his time after the Marine Corps, except that he returned to the Auburn, NY area, married a woman named Hattie and had 3 children.  Private Case died on 3 March 1959.  Private Case, you and your colorful service are remembered!