December 11, 1911 (St. Armand, Quebec, Canada) – April 29, 1945; 33 years old
Divorced
Last local address: 165 South Main Street, South Norwalk (parents)
Enlisted on December 14, 1941
Service number 39658562
Unit: 85th Infantry Division, 350th Infantry Regiment
Born to Oscar P. (1872-1971) and Victoria Therrien Rheaume (1882-1961). Four brothers, Joseph N. (1904-1974), Oscar E. (1905-1906), Joseph O. (1909-1971), and Leon G. (1916-1916). Three sisters, Claire (1910-2000), Pauline (1913-2001), and Irene (1922-2009).
Awarded the Purple Heart Medal.
Naturalized as a U.S. Citizen while stationed in Italy on September 11, 1944
The entry above for “85th Infantry Division”, is incorrect. The 350th Infantry Regiment to which he is confirmed to have been assigned, was part of the 88th Infantry Division. Errors on his interment card from when his remains were repatriated, also led to an error on his footstone at the cemetery in Massachusetts. Picture below.
Listed as a casualty from California. He was working as a cameraman for Warner Brothers studio when he enlisted.
From The Fitchburg Sentinel (MA) May 17, 1945
Sergeant Leo J. Rheaume, 33, formerly of this city was killed in action in Italy on April 29 according to word received by his brother Camille Rheaume, of 62 Sheridan Street. Sergeant Rheaume, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Rheaume, of Norwalk, Connecticut entered the service in January 1944. Previous to his entrance into the Army he was employed at Senay’s drug store, by the City Cab Company, and as a cameraman at the Warner Brothers studios in Hollywood, California. He had seen action in North Africa and was with the infantry during the first landings in Italy. He was wounded in action on October 24, 1944, and was the holder of the Purple Heart.
Buried in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, 474 Clarendon Street, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Section 4. Photo by webmaster.
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