John Alvin LeBlanc 1918-1943

John was one of many US Soldiers that found themselves on shore in New Zealand during World War 2. Between June 1942 and mid 1944 there were between 15,000 – 45,000 US servicemen in camps in New Zealand. They usually arrived in NZ on the way to or from war in the pacific. There were 14 US Camps in the greater Wellington area, so there were plenty of interactions between locals and US Soldiers during this time.

John was born and raised in Louisiana before joining the marine corps. His travels were documented in the local newspaper, and an article describes the ports he had visited which included all the Chief ports in the USA, West Indies, Port of Trinidad, Peru, Galapagos, Rio de Janeiro, Guam, Manila, Chaina, Japan, Aleutian Islands and Siberia. John then served as a state police trooper before being recalled during World War 2. He was qualified as an expert rifleman, with the pistol, bayonet, gun captain, machine gunner, mortar gunner and had studied chemical warfare and military intelligence.

On the 4th of March 1943 John was in a fatal motor car accident while in New Zealand. He was buried in Karori Cemetery on the 8th of March. John is one of 72 (that we have found so far) US Soldiers buried in Karori Cemetery. After the war ended, the US Military repatriated the remains of all of the fallen servicemen buried in New Zealand, to be returned to their local cemetery or national military cemetery.

In early November 1947, John’s remains were returned to his family, and he was re-buried at Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery, Monroe, Louisiana.