Garden City in Nassau County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Medal of Honor
Lt. Colonel Leon Robert Vance, Jr.
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, September 27, 2025
1. Medal of Honor Marker
Lt. Colonel Leon Robert Vance, Jr.
World War II - Over Wimereaux, France, 5 June 1944
With his right foot nearly severed, and 3 of 4 engines destroyed, LTC Vance skillfully piloted his bomber over its targets. Flew the airplane back over the English Channel to allow the crew to bail out, but remained to carefully ditch the aircraft near England to save the life of a wounded crew member he believed could not parachute to safety.
Erected 2011 by Village of Garden City.
Topics and series. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Medal of Honor Recipients series list. A significant historical date for this entry is June 5, 1944.
Location. 40° 43.42′ N, 73° 38.444′ W. Memorial is in Garden City, New York, in Nassau County. It can be reached from 7th Street east of Cathedral Avenue. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 45 7th Street, Garden City NY 11530, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this memorial is in the New York City Metropolitan Area and on Long Island. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Medal of Honor (here, next to this marker); Iraq & Afghanistan War Memorial (here, next to this marker); Dedication (here, next to this marker); Garden City World War II Roll of Honor
this page online
Also see . . . Leon Vance (Wikipedia).
Leon Robert Vance Jr. (August 11, 1916 July 26, 1944) was a Medal of Honor recipient who served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II...While training at Mitchel Field on Long Island, Vance met Garden City resident Georgette Drury Brown. They married the day after his graduation from West Point and had a daughter, Sharon, born in 1942. Vance would later name his assigned aircraft The Sharon D. after his daughter.(Submitted on October 5, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York.)
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, September 27, 2025
2. Medal of Honor Marker
Photo of the plaque and pedestal.
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, September 27, 2025
3. Garden City War Memorials
This plaque is the furthest right found in the War Memorial Plaza.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 5, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 5, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 53 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 5, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
