The Story
Pvt Raymond Leonard was killed in action on 06 June 1944, serving with Cannon Company, 16th Infantry Regiment. On June 6, 1944, the Regimental Troops of the 16th Infantry made their run toward the Normandy beaches aboard DUKWs loaded with the unit's guns, and the crossing proved costly. Rough seas and heavy enemy fire swamped or sank five of the six DUKWs before they could reach shore, leaving only a single gun to make it in usable condition. Amid the chaos of the landing, it was not possible to determine precisely how many of the losses were due to enemy action versus the punishing surf, but the men who survived the run regrouped on the beach to carry on with what equipment remained. Pvt Leonard was killed in action that day; the report does not specify the individual circumstances.
This location is an estimated position — the most specific place recorded in the source — not an exact spot.
Source: NARA