Hoffman, Leonard John, born 17-02-1920, in Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA 
, the son of Ammon Franklin Hoffman (1876–1941) and his wife Mary Ellen, born Reeser Hoffman (1880–1940). 
Leonard had 3 sisters and four brothers, Florence Agnes Hoffman Barth (1897–1997) 
, Mary Katherine Hoffman Deeds(1899–1985), 
Anna Katherine Hoffman Reber (1903–2003),
Claude F Hoffman (1904–1969), 
S1 Ammon A Hoffman, (1911–1970), 
Paul Harold Hoffman (1913–2008) 
and Ralph W Hoffman (1915–1988). 
Leonard married his wife Nora J. Lyons only in January 1944.
Leonard enlisted on 15-02-1943, age 22. at Lewisburg, Union County, Pennsylvania and served with 117th Infantry Regiment, 
,nicknamed “Break Through Regiment.” under command of Colonel Grant A. Schlieker 
30th Infantry Division, ,
nicknamed the “Old Hickory” division, in honor of President Andrew Jackson.
under command of Lieutenant General Simpson, William Hood “Bill” 
during World War II. He held the rank of Private First Class..on Tuesday.
Death and burial ground of Hoffman, Leonard John.
On 12-09-1944, A-company approached the Dutch border, they came under heavy fire from the German line at an intersection 800 meters south of the Dutch customs post. Captain Kent worked out an attack plan, in which the German line would be stormed from three sides at the same time. In that action, Lieutenant John Maloney reached the Dutch border at border post 35 with his light machine gun section, which formed the right wing. They were the first liberators on Dutch soil.
During this short but fierce battle, Leonard died 02-0-9-1944 (age 24), in action in the Moelingen’s-Gravenvoeren region in Belgium, only a few yards from the Dutch border. and so he literally gave his life for the freedom of the first village of the Netherlands to be liberated, Mesch. 
Leonard John Hoffman was the first American soldier to die during the liberation of the Netherlands. As A-company approached the border, heavy fire came from the German line at a crossroads 800 metres south of the Dutch customs post. Captain Kent worked out an attack plan, in which the “German line would be stormed from three sides simultaneously. During this action, Lieutenant Maloney reached the Dutch border at border post 35 with his light machine gun section, which formed the right wing. With that, the first liberators were on Dutch territory.During this short but fierce battle, Leonard was killed a few metres from this border post 35 and thus he literally gave his life for the freedom of the first liberated village in the Netherlands, Mesch.
Verwilghen Marcel
Hello,
I agree that the PVT 1st class Léonard J. Hoffman died while going down on the path towards Mesch, but he did indeed fall on the territory near marker no. 35 which is in Belgium to the left of the road that goes up to Fouron le compte!
Kind regards.
Marcel verwilghen