When Leland C. Heller was born in 1921 in Illinois, his mother, Florence, was 18. He had one brother and one sister. Before entering service, the soldier had lived most of his life with his grandparents. He was employed for several years at Rockford, Ill., by a motor company before enlisting July 19, 1942, at Camp Grant, Ill. His training as a paratrooper was received at Fort Benning, Ga., where he was awarded his wings and boots in March, 1943. Pvt Heller was a member of the paratroop divison and went overseas on June 1, 1943, landing in North Africa. He was hospitalized for several weeks after being wounded in the battle of Salerno, Italy, and then was transferred to England, from where he left for action on the mainland of Europe. He was Killed in Action on January 3, 1945 in Liège, Belgium and is now buried in Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Hombourg, Belgium. He also has a cenotaph in Mound Cemetery, Pittsville, Wood County, Wisconsin, USA

Source of information: Wisconsin Rapids (Wisconsin) Daily Tribune, Saturday, February 3, 1945, www.findagrave.com, www.ancestry.com