T/Sgt Leo "Pickles" Regard, 314th TCG, 62nd TCS

[DavidIsby]

From Facebook: Mark Vlahos
Fans of the C-47 Skytrain

America lost a national treasure and another one from the Greatest Generation two nights ago. Born on May 31, 1916 in St. Mary's PA, T/Sgt. Leo J. "Pickles" Rigard, 62nd TCS, 314th TCG passed in his sleep just one month short of his 105th Birthday. Leo enlisted in the USAAF on July 10, 1941 and at age 25 became an aircraft mechanic and earned his flying rating as an Aerial Engineer or Crew Chief.
In May 1943, the 314th TCG departed on the Southern Route for duty in North Africa. Then Major Clayton Stiles, the 314th TCG Commander selected T/Sgt. Leo J. Rigard and other crew members to be on his select, Group lead crew. Leo J. Rigard flew with Group Commander and later Colonel Stiles the entire war.
On their very first combat mission, Operation HUSKY, the invasion of Sicily, Colonel Stiles led 50 C-47s/C-53D aircraft to drop paratroops from the 505th PIR. Shortly after making the drop, Colonel Stiles and Leo's aircraft was shot down by Axis Ground fire, Colonel Stiles was able to ditch the aircraft and all crew members survived the ditching - picked up by the Navy the next morning.
T/Sgt. Leo Rigard would go on to fly with Colonel Stiles leading the 314th TCG on the Normandy D-Day drop for Operation NEPTUNE and fly with him towing a glider in the lead aircraft for the Rhine Crossing, Operation VARSITY the largest Airborne mission in WWII.
Rest in

[Teresa Maria]

Rest in peace.