Leon M. Cannon was born December 16, 1923, in Pitt County to Leon Earl Cannon (1902-1972) and his wife, Thelma Little Cannon (1900-1947). After graduating from Ayden High School, he studied for one year at ECTC.
Just two months after Pearl Harbor, Cannon enlisted in the Navy Reserves. He first served as an aviation radioman third class on a B-24 Liberator bomber in North Africa but was later transferred, in September 1944, to the South Pacific.
On February 6, 1945, Cannon was reported missing in action while on a routine reconnaissance patrol flight over Leyte Island in the Philippines where he was stationed. The following year, the secretary of the navy informed his parents that he had been declared killed in action, February 6, 1945.
Cannon received both the Air Medal and the Purple Heart. He is remembered on the Courts of the Missing, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was also remembered at ECTC during the dedication ceremonies held at Memorial Gymnasium on January 6, 1953.
Sources:
- “Army-Navy Casualties.” News and Observer. April 1, 1945. P. 7.
- “Grimaldi Leads Tar Heels to 79-66 Victory Over East Carolina: Bucs Handed First Defeat, Pirates Put Up Fight Against Southern Conference Team.” News and Observer. January 7, 1953. P. 17.
- “Leon Cannon.” Tecoan. 1941. P. 100. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/15346
- “Missing For Year.” Charlotte Observer. February 20, 1946. P. 13.
- “Missing in Action.” News and Observer. March 11, 1945. P. 22.
Related Materials
Leon Maurice Cannon. Image Source: News and Observer, March 11, 1945. P. 10X.
Citation Information
Author: John A. Tucker, PhD
Date of Publication: 5/17/2022