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Peter Nicholas Leone II
was born at reveille at Ft. Benning 17 Jul 1931. Like his father, he
would graduate from West Point and serve as a career Army officer.
After four years in Hawaii,
Pete’s father became Professor of Military Tactics at his high
school alma mater, New York Military Academy (NYMA),
Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY. After Pete attended public school for two
years, the Superintendent of NYMA created a third grade solely for
him. “It was the only time that I ever finished first in my class,”
Pete recalled.
Pete continued at NYMA through
high school graduation. He excelled there, notably in military
science. At graduation he was awarded the Grace Shattuck Award, the
Robert McClure Saber, and the Hardy Gold Medal for Leadership
because of his performance of duty as First Captain. He excelled in
football, lacrosse and wrestling, was captain of the football team,
and was named outstanding lacrosse player. His character,
scholarship, athletic ability and military leadership were
recognized by the presentation of the Alumni Achievement Award. In
2003 he was selected for NYMA’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Pete entered USMA on 5 Jul 1950.
With his strong military background, Pete breezed through Beast
Barracks, and Plebe academics were no challenge. He played Plebe
football and was a member of the undefeated Plebe lacrosse team.
Pete played B-squad football,
coached by Red Blaik, Vince Lombardi, and the former Army
All-American Doc Blanchard. However, he really excelled at lacrosse.
He was a two-time All-American and the team captain. Pete easily
handled academic and military requirements at West Point, despite a
“rule” with roommates Vic Hugo and Fletch Buckley that evening
studies would not begin until they had played an intense game of
hearts.
Upon graduating on 8 June 1954,
he was commissioned in the Infantry. By that time his father had
been promoted to colonel. After Infantry School and Airborne School,
he was assigned to Ft. Devens as a rifle platoon leader. A general’s
advice to “get under the wing” of his platoon sergeant helped him
become a leader of his combat-experienced soldiers. Tours as a
company-grade officer in Aschaffenburg, Germany and Ft. Benning, GA,
followed and preceded his attendance at the Infantry Advanced
Course.
Assigned to the Seventh Infantry
Division in Korea in 1961–62, Pete was an assistant to the division
commander. Then it was on to Hofstra University, Long Island, during
1962–65 as Assistant Professor of Military Science, instructing ROTC
students. As the ROTC rifle team coach, he went to West Point for a
marksmanship clinic. While there, a lucky invitation to a party in
New York City led to his meeting an airline hostess, Barbara Gonella
of Irwin, PA. Pete and Barbara were soon engaged and were married at
West Point on 10 Aug 1963. Their first child, Jeanne Marie, was born
12 August 1964 and baptized at West Point’s Catholic Chapel.
On 4 February 1967, their son,
L. Peter Leone II, named for his grandfather, was born in Panama,
enhancing the family’s pleasant tour at the Tropic Test Center,
where Pete was chief of electronics and special projects, such as
testing night vision devices, radio equipment, and even jungle
boots.
In October–November 1967, in the
Central Highlands of Viet Nam, Pete, a major then, was the 4th
Infantry Division’s G-4 Forward during a major battle, providing all
the logistic support at the battlefront. While Pete was in Viet Nam,
his family stayed in Cornwall, near his parents and sisters.
Pete returned in 1968 to the
Combat Development Command as the Dynamic Infantry Project Officer.
He attended the Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth
in 1969–70 and was subsequently assigned to the Military Advisory
Group in Venezuela for a year, accompanied by his family.
In Panama again with J-3
Southern Command, he was the military representative to the Central
American Defense Council in Guatemala City. Pete called it “the poor
man’s NATO.” He was in charge of joint military exercises among
several Central American military forces.
In June 1973, with the
recruiting command at Ft. Sheridan, he directed advertising and
programs to achieve vital recruiting quotas for the new
all-volunteer Army.
Pete retired as a lieutenant
colonel on 1 January 1975. He had been recognized for his diligence
and dedication to “Duty, Honor, Country” by awards of the Legion of
Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with clusters, Joint
Service Commendation Medal, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with
clusters and Combat Infantryman Badge.
The family moved to Lake Forest,
IL, where Pete was Director of Business Affairs and taught
mathematics for Lake Forest Country Day School. He coached lacrosse
at Lake Forest College, which later named an award for him. In 1992,
Pete retired from the Day School, and the family moved to St.
Petersburg, FL, where he played golf and served as treasurer of the
Dolphin Cay Condominiums. He and Barb traveled often, touring
Europe, China, Thailand, Alaska, and the Caribbean.
While the Army was Pete’s
career, his family was the center of his life. He had a great deal
of love and affection for his family and admitted that he was a
“soft touch.” He is survived by Barbara; their children, Jeanne
Marie Leone of Waukegan, IL, and L. Peter Leone II of Green Oaks,
IL; two grandsons; and his sisters, Carmela Staples and Nancy
Stupple of New Windsor, NY.
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