Leonard C. Irlmeier
World War II
Leonard Irlmeier was born on September 30, 1918, near Templeton to Joseph and Anna Rose (Feilmeier) Irlmeier. Leonard was one of twelve children. He attended Sacred Heart School and, later, graduated from the Iowa Barber College.
Leonard registered for the military draft on October 16, 1940, and listed his occupation as self-employed barber in Manning, IA. He enlisted in the US Army at Fort Des Moines, IA on February 5, 1941, nine months before US involvement in World War II. He was assigned serial number 37039775. The location of his initial training is unknown. However, the 701st Military Police Battalion was activated at Fort Snelling, MN on February 1, 1941, and Leonard was known to be stationed there by November, 1941.
Leonard was a member of the 701st Military Police Battalion for his entire time in the service. By May, 1942, he was promoted to Private First Class and was on furlough. The Battalion continued to receive and train MP recruits. They also provided security for railroads stations as well as radio stations. During the summer of 1942, the 701st MP Battalion was sent to Fort Oglethorpe, GA to serve as a demonstration battalion for the Provost Marshal General’s School.
On September 9, 1942, Leonard married Dorothy Hausman from Halbur, IA at Maryhill Visitation Church in Cherokee County, IA. Leonard then returned to Fort Oglethorpe and his unit. In November, 1942, the 701st MP Battalion was transferred to Fort Custer near Battle Creek, MI. In March, 1943, the battalion was sent to Grand Rapids and Saginaw to prevent a strike by electrical workers that would have crippled the war industry there. On June 21, 1943, they were sent to Detroit to assist with controlling a race riot that had killed more than 40 people and injured over 800. After two days, order was restored and the Detroit Police Department was once again in control. For this action, his unit was given a Meritorious Service Unit Award.
On May 1, 1943, Dorothy moved to Battle Creek to be close to her husband. She remained there for the rest of the war. By October, 1944, Leonard had been promoted to Corporal and was on leave in Carroll County.
In late 1944, Leonard and his unit were ordered to prepare for overseas duty and trained at Fort Custer. In early 1945, the Battalion trucked to Boston for overseas departure but were recalled to Chicago to assist with a threatened transportation strike. In August, 1945, the unit was sent to Camp Claiborne, LA to train for duty in the Pacific. However, the atomic attacks on Japan brought the war to a close. The 701st MP Battalion was sent to Fort Belvoir, VA where Leonard was discharged on December 12, 1945.
Leonard returned to Battle Creek, MI where he and Dorothy lived into the 1950’s. By the 1960’s, they were back in Iowa. In 1971, they moved to Santa Paula, CA near Ventura where Leonard was listed as a farmer. Leonard died in Santa Paula on August 28, 2006 at age 87. He was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Templeton.