DE Classified
EPISODE 3 - USS LEOPOLD
Leapin’ Leo! Today we are digging into USS LEOPOLD DE-319. LEOPOLD is the first destroyer escort sunk during World War II and the largest combat loss in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard. While learning about LEOPOLD’s namesake we’ll hear about the bombing of Pearl Harbor, as well as USS JOYCE’s efforts to rescue LEOPOLD’s crew. If you’d like to follow along while you listen, use the transcript and bibliography. There are very few photos of LEOPOLD, but we’ve tried our best to provide some visual aids.
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Thanks for listening and lending your support!
See you next month!

USS ARIZONA Photo from National Archives https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6003984.

USS ARIZONA photo from National Archives

Ensign Robert L. Leopold Courtesy Naval History and Heritage Command

LEOPOLD's launch. Photo by DEHM

Lt. Burtis "Pete" Cone photo by DEHM

A letter from Pete Cone to his mother, from DEHM.

A letter from Pete Cone to his mother, from DEHM.

USS JOYCE Photo by DEHM

U-255 in 1942. It was the submarine that sunk the Leopold. Photo by https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/tragedy-destroyer-uss-leopold.html