Leo Gladstone

Leo Gladstone’s Personal Narrative was derived from information found in public records, military personnel files, and local/state historical association materials. Please note that the Robb Centre never fully closes the book on our servicemembers; as new information becomes available, narratives will be updated to appropriately represent the life story of each veteran.

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Military Honor(s):

Distinguished Service Cross

Citation: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Private Leo Gladstone (MCSN: 83235), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the Fifty-First Company, Fifth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., in action near Belleau Wood, France, 6 June 1918. Although wounded in the arm by a machine-gun bullet, Private Gladstone assisted in carrying a badly wounded soldier of his company to a dressing station and returned to the front line to find that the company of which he was a member had changed its position, and that another member of the company had been wounded and left behind exposed to enemy fire, whereupon Private Gladstone voluntarily advanced alone under enemy observation and intense fire to the point where the wounded man was lying, killed an enemy soldier who had captured the wounded man, and after an hour of fighting during which time Private Gladstone and the wounded man were again hit by enemy machine-gun fire, the former carried the latter back to the front line, thus undoubtedly saving his life.

Silver Star Medal

Citation: By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D. 1918), Private Leo Gladstone (MCSN: 83235), United States Marine Corps, is cited by the Commanding General, SECOND DIVISION, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Private Gladstone distinguished himself while serving with the 51st Company, Fifth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces at Chateau-Thierry, France, 6 June to 10 July 1918.

Purple Heart

Croix de Guerre with Bronze Star 14 November 1918

Citation: His arm pierced by a bullet, he continued to assist in dressing wounded under violent artillery fire and refused to be evacuated.

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Life & Service

  • Birth: 3 August 1893, Chita (Siberia), Russia
  • Place of Residence: Bronx, NY, United States
  • Race/Ethnicity: Jewish American
  • Death: 12 October 1968 Becker, MN, United States
  • Branch: Marine Corps
  • Military Rank: Private
  • Company: [51st]
  • Infantry Regiment: 5th Marines
  • Division: 2nd (U.S. Army)
Personal Narrative
Early Life (Pre-War): Includes general parent information, sibling information, education Toggle Accordion

Leo Gladstone was born to Faiga Sadovitch (1873-1944) and Hershel Gladstone (1869-1953) in Chita, Zabaikal, Russian Empire (now Chita, Russia) on 3 August 1893, the second of six children; Abraham (1891-1971), Jacob (1895-1954), Clara (1897-1973), Sara (1899-1992) and George (1902-1944). The family arrived in the U.S. around 1906; in the 1910s, they settled at 1841 Scott St., San Francisco, California. Details regarding Gladstone’s life between 1910-1917 are largely unknown.

Service: Includes a summary of transfers, rank change(s), training, enlistment, and discharge locations Toggle Accordion

Gladstone enlisted in the United States Marine Corps from Gary, Indiana on 23 April 1917, and was assigned, as a Private, to 51st Company, 5th Marines Regiment, 2nd Division. Pvt Gladstone left the United States for France on an unknown date. Pvt Gladstone received the Distinguished Service Cross and Silver Star Citation for his actions near Belleau Woods, France on 6 June 1918;

“The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Private Leo Gladstone (MCSN: 83235), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the Fifty-First Company, Fifth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., in action near Belleau Wood, France, 6 June 1918. Although wounded in the arm by a machine-gun bullet, Private Gladstone assisted in carrying a badly wounded soldier of his company to a dressing station and returned to the front line to find that the company of which he was a member had changed its position, and that another member of the company had been wounded and left behind exposed to enemy fire, whereupon Private Gladstone voluntarily advanced alone under enemy observation and intense fire to the point where the wounded man was lying, killed an enemy soldier who had captured the wounded man, and after an hour of fighting during which time Private Gladstone and the wounded man were again hit by enemy machine-gun fire, the former carried the latter back to the front line, thus undoubtedly saving his life.”

“By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D. 1918), Private Leo Gladstone (MCSN: 83235), United States Marine Corps, is cited by the Commanding General, SECOND DIVISION, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Private Gladstone distinguished himself while serving with the 51st Company, Fifth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces at Chateau-Thierry, France, 6 June to 10 July 1918.”

Gladstone may have received the Purple Heart and French Croix de Guerre with Bronze Star for heroism at Chateau-Thierry, however, the citations are unknown.

The date of Pvt Gladstone’s arrival in the United States is unknown; he was Honorably Discharged on 13 August 1919.

Later Life (Post-War): Includes post-war education, occupation, marriage(s) and/or children, location and date of death Toggle Accordion

Upon his Discharge, Gladstone lived on Turk Street in San Francisco; on 8 June 1920, he married Cecile Silberman (1893-1985) in Manhattan, New York. The couple had three children, Harold (1921-), William (1924-) and Ralph James (1929-1981). In the early 1920s, the family lived in Paris, France, where Ralph James Gladstone was born. By 1935, the family had moved to the Bronx, New York, living on Moshulo Parkway. In the 1950s, Gladstone may have lived in Colorado.

Gladstone died of an unknown cause on 12 October 1968 in Becker, Cass, Minnesota; he is buried at Long Island National Cemetery, East Farmingdale, New York.