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Ronald Thomas Leeper

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Ronald Thomas Leeper's History

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Robert Stewart

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12/17/2014

Ronald Thomas Leeper was the sixth son of six sons of John Edward Leeper and wife Lilly May Cox Leeper. Ron was born in Lockesburg, AR. His father John Leeper, was a pioneering miner in the Arizona territory. He moved his family to Jerome in the Arizona territory in 1905. John became a member of the second Arizona legislature as the representative for Yavapai county, was a 32 degree Mason and a Shriner. "Ronnie" was the baby of the family. His brother Donald died in 1909 of pneumonia in Mena, AR as a result of a scarlet fever outbreak experienced in Jerome Arizona. Ron served with the U.S. Coast Artillery in the south Pacific as a sergeant, then transferred to Officer Candidate School and subsequently commissioned as a first Lieutenant. Later he was sent to the European Theatre as a combat pilot of an A-26 in the 409th Bombardment Group of the 9th Air Force. On February 2, 1945 he was pilot-in-command of his A-26 and suffered the loss of his right engine due to anti-aircraft artillery fire over the heavily defended German town of Euskirchen. In spite of heavy damage, the loss of one engine and injuries to himself and his gunner, he stayed the course and destroyed the objective. Even after losing the remaining engine, and without regard to his own wounds he administered critical aid to the injured gunner, and successfully landed his plane safely without further injury to members of his crew. For his actions, gallantry, airmanship and selfless aid to others, he was awarded the Silver Star, along with the Purple Heart for his combat wounds. Ronald Thomas Leeper rose to the rank of Captain and was honorably discharged from the United States Army Air Corps.

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