Leonard F. Bergeron was born on July 3, 1916, in Hartford, Connecticut. He was the son of Romeo W. Bergeron and Diana L. Bergeron. He was the husband of Barbara Jean Newman Bergeron. He served in the 423rd Bomber Squadron, 306th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Waist Gunner of B17G #4231388 during World War II.

On February 11, 1944, B-17G #42-31388 departed from Thurleigh, Bedfordshire, on a daylight bombing mission toward Germany but was heavily damaged by anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighters while en route to Frankfurt. Unable to remain in formation and losing fuel and altitude over France, the crew was forced to abandon the aircraft; S/Sgt James H. Coleman was killed, while the surviving crew members parachuted into the Oise region, where some were captured, and others escaped with the aid of the French Resistance. The aircraft continued briefly without its crew before crashing at La Cour de la Bruyère, in the commune of Campremy.

SSgt Bergeron successfully evaded capture with the help of the French Resistance after parachuting into occupied territory. He was sheltered by local civilians, including Gaston and Odette Legrande, who risked their lives to hide him, provide food and civilian clothing, and coordinate his movement through a network of safe houses. After several weeks in hiding and carefully planned travel, Bergeron was guided out of France and returned safely to England, and later returned to duty. He served in the Korean War and ended his military service as a Technical Sergeant.

Bergeron pursued a civilian life as a barber, owning shops in Simsbury, Granby, Windsor, and Old Saybrook before retiring in 1985. He was a past president of the Granby Lions Club, a member of the Roaring Brook Campground Association, and an active communicant of St. Edward Parish. He died on August 2, 1991, and is now buried in the Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery, Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net