Rubuta ci gaba ga wannan sakin layi - Leonard ya kammala karatunsa daga Kwalejin Sojan Ruwa ta Amurka a 1938 kuma an sanya shi a matsayin Naval Aviator # 6953 a 1940. Ya yi gwagwarmaya a yakin Pacific na Tekun Coral
, Midway da kuma Solomons. Ya lashe Navy Cross a duka Midway da Coral Sea. An kuma ba shi lambar yabo ta Legion of Merit (sau huɗu), Gicciye Mai Girma, Air Medal (sau takwas) da Bronze Star.