LEO E. PICHLER – AN ALL AMERICAN HERO 101ST AIRBORNE 502ND PIR

“I’m going to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee”
~ Muhammed Ali

Yes, Muhammad floated around the boxing ring, just as Leo Pichler did when fighting and thought to a possible world contender before answering the call to arms during WWII. He enlisted with the 101st Airborne Division, 502nd PIR, 1st Battalion Hq. and became part of the regimental boxing team.

Leo was considered a “shoe in” for the world contender championship after winning the circuit of fights in England. He also boxed on the infamous Joe Lewis team! The information and photos for this article were supplied by Thomas Auman, Leo Pichler’s sister’s son and nephew with whom he would never get the chance to meet. Like so many of us grown children who have family that fought in WWII, we have the need and desire to know more about the men and women that never made back to their families, the men and women that gave their lives protecting our freedoms. Thomas said that his mother spoke of her brother, Leo often and said that, “He was easy going and big hearted, always kind of clowning around,” as revealed in the attached photos. His friends always spoke highly of him. But when Leo entered the fighting ring, it was as though a switch was turned on with Leo devastating his opponents. He was simply one of the very best in his light weight/heavy class weighing in at 172 lbs.!

Lawrence Brazell, a comrade and friend of Leo (see photo) reflected on that night before jumping into Normandy in June 1944, by saying, “What a night! What a dreadful forecast of how murderous the night would be when we would jump into Normandy some seven hours before the dawn assault from the sea.” Leo Pichler showed true leadership in calming his comrades during an practice night jump several weeks before by saying, “I promised Mom I would jump for her tonight for Mother’s Day, so we’re doing this!” Night jumps can be dangerous and also very frightening. Most of the men in the unit had never before made a night jump. When the group was first told of the operation of jumping at night, fear and apprehension began to take root. But not with Leo, whose inspirational force calmed the fears and anxieties of those around him on that night. After all, this man was a fighter, a contender, a force to be reckoned with. Leo has been quoted as saying just before his night practice jump, “This jump is for you, Mom. This jump’s for you.”

The Airborne Division was not privy to the planned operation of D-Day which would take place less than 4 weeks later. Leon would make his way through the European battle campaigns with his last fight in the Battle of Bastogne. Sgt. Leon Pichler was the squad leader and gunner with Lawrence Brazell as his assistant gunner. There were large explosions, bombing and strafing that was happening on the other side of the tracks where they were positioned. A large bomb hit and knocked out Lawrence Brazell. When he regained his senses, he was in his fox hole with bodies and a blown off tree top on top of him. He managed to climb out and saw a huge crater, trees blown down and many casualties, mostly dead, everywhere. He noticed something he had never seen before, men’s faces were blown out like toy balloons. He started helping the wounded with tourniquets and morphine, but soon realized the morphine was frozen due to extreme freezing temperatures.

He asked where Pichler was and was told that he went up and out in the open near the railroad tracks to display the panel and signal the P-47’s. Pichler knew that when he went up on that track that he would be shot at by the Germans and planes diving at 400 mph which could not tell an American from a German. But Pichler knew that somebody had to get the identification panel up there so the planes would know and NOT to mistakenly finish off the American troops. Brazell and Pichler had been close together in combat, brothers in arms. They had learned to make the best of every situation. Brazell then discovered his friend in the snow, shot several times. It saddened Brazell to see Leo’s life end this way in January 1945.

But Leo lived his life “his” way both inside and outside of the boxing ring. His last brave act of courage without hesitation saved many, many lives. He was an excellent soldier, an American hero.

Say a silent prayer in memory and honor of Leo E. Pichler, a true American hero.

Remembering our veteran soldiers and history one day at a time…

COMES A SOLDIER’S WHISPER
www.facebook.com/ComesASoldiersWhisper
comesasoldierswhisper.com/

WATCH & SHARE MILITARY MUSEUM DEDICATION VIDEO youtu.be/EJ1H9N-gIU0

Photo & Story Source: Thomas Auman