Stanford, Harold Leroy

1918 - 2007  (89 years)

• Name	Stanford, Harold Leroy
  Birth	23 Nov 1918	Flora, Clay County, Illinois   [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Gender	Male
  Reference Number	STAN.H008
  _FGRAVE	23667417
  Funeral	1 Jan 2008	Frank & Bright Funeral Home, Flora, Clay County, Illinois   [1]
  Military Service	World War II, Staff Sergeant, Company M, 17th 'Buffalo' Infantry Regiment, United States Army  [1, 6]
  	Entered active service as a draftee on September 26, 1941 at Chicago, Illinois. Completed basic training and originally qualified in the military occupational specialty of chauffeur (344), serving as such. Upon promotion to Private First Class after 18 months, re-trained and qualified as a light mortar crewman (607), eventually becoming a squad leader in Company M, 17th 'Buffalo' Infantry Regiment. Departed the Continental U.S. on April 24, 1943 with his unit bound for the Aleutian Islands campaign to participate in the first of three amphibious assault landings. The other two occurred in the Pacific Theater of Operations while fighting in the Eastern Mandates, Southern Philippines, and Ryukyus campaigns. Earned the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 4 bronze battle stars and 3 bronze arrowheads (assault landings), WWII Victory Medal, and the Philippines Liberation Medal with 2 bronze battle stars. Honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant on October 27, 1945 at the Separation Center, Camp MCoy, Wisconsin. Source: https://wwiiregistry.abmc.gov/honoree-plaque/?honoree_id=1840579
  		United States of America Flag, 48 Stars (1912-1959) In 1912, two stars were added to the United States flag, representing Arizona and New Mexico, bringing the total number of stars to 48. They were arranged in six rows of eight stars each. American fighting men would fight under this flag during four wars: World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the beginning of the Vietnam War. (In 1959,…
  		Harold Leroy Stanford (1918 - 2007)
  		United States Army
  		Staff Sergeant (abbreviated as S/Sgt.), United States Army and United States Army Air Forces (Sep 1942-Aug 1948)
  		United States Army Enlisted Rank Insignia
  		Asiatic-Pacific Theater, World War II
  		Combat Infantryman Badge, United States Army
  		Combat Infantryman Badge, United States Army
  		Military Service Ribbons, Stanford, Harold Leroy (1918-2007) Contributed by Carl Wayne Gray
  		Bronze Star Medal, United States
  		Bronze Star Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		Good Conduct Medal, United States Army
  		Good Conduct Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		American Defense Service Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		American Defense Service Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		American Campaign Medal, United States Military
  		American Campaign Medal, United States
  		Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		World War II Victory Medal, United States Military
  		World War II Victory Medal, United States Military
  		Philippine Liberation Medal, Republic of the Philippines
  		Philippine Liberation Medal, Republic of the Philippines
  		World War II (1939-1945)
  		Fort McCoy, Wisconsin
  		Aleutian Islands Campaign
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007 On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. …
  		World War II Honoree, Stanford, Harold L. (1918-2008)
  Death	30 Dec 2007	Flora Healthcare Center, Flora, Clay County, Illinois   [1, 2, 7]
  	Sara's obituary says he died on December 31, 2008.
  Burial	1 Jan 2008	Kneff Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois   [1, 2]
  		Headstone, Stanford, Sara J. and Harold L.
  Person ID	I19221	Carl Wayne Gray Research | Stanford - Emmott John Thomas Stanford and Bathsheba Austin 'Bessie' Emmott Descendants, Stanford - Kenley David Stanford and Amanda J. Kenley Descendants, Stanford - Wickersham David Stanford and Rebecca L. Wickersham Descendants
  Last Modified	4 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Stanford, Eugene Dickson,   b. 30 Nov 1879, Illinois d. 17 Sep 1964 (Age 84 years)
  Mother	Blackledge, Ella Cleone,   b. 22 Oct 1881, Lebanon, St. Clair County, Illinois d. 18 Jun 1944 (Age 62 years)
  Marriage	29 Mar 1905	Clay City, Clay County, Illinois   [3, 8, 9, 10]
  Age at Marriage	He was 25 years and 4 months - She was 23 years and 5 months.
  Family ID	F8689	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Tolbert, Sara June,   b. 15 May 1931, Sparta, Randolph County, Illinois d. 21 Feb 2012, Flora, Clay County, Illinois (Age 80 years)
  Marriage	4 Mar 1951  [1, 2, 7]
  Age at Marriage	He was 32 years and 4 months - She was 19 years and 10 months.
  Children	1. Stanford, J.   2. Stanford, S.
  Family ID	F8696	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	31 Jan 2023

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 23 Nov 1918 - Flora, Clay County, Illinois Death - 30 Dec 2007 - Flora Healthcare Center, Flora, Clay County, Illinois Funeral - 1 Jan 2008 - Frank & Bright Funeral Home, Flora, Clay County, Illinois Burial - 1 Jan 2008 - Kneff Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  Harold L. Stanford, 89, Flora, IL died at 1:05 PM Sunday, December 30, 2007 at Flora Health Care Center in Flora. He was born November 23, 1918 in Flora to Eugene Dickson & Ella (Blackledge) Stanford. He married Sara Tolbert on March 4, 1951 in Flora. Harold was a retired mail carrier, area farmer and was a Bronze Star recipient having served in the U.S. Army during WWII. His memberships include Harmony United Methodist Church, Flora American Legion Post #14 and Flora VFW Post #3999. Harold was a past avid bowler and he enjoyed morning coffee with his friends. He is survived by his wife: Sara Stanford of Flora; 2 sons: Jerry Stanford & wife Gwen of Stevens Point, WI and Stan Stanford & wife Carla of Flora; twin-brother: Carroll Stanford & wife Vivian of Campbell, CA; sister: Francis Bones of Olney; 5 grandchildren: Mandy Stanford, Jeremy Stanford, Christopher Stanford, Corey Stanford, Lucas Stanford; 10 great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and friends also survive. Funeral services will be held at 10 AM Wednesday, January 2, 2008 at Frank & Bright Funeral Home. Burial will be with military honors in Kneff Cemetery, Flora. Visitation will be from 4-7 PM Tuesday at Frank & Bright Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Harmony United Methodist Church and may be received at the funeral home.

  
  

• Sources

  [S5215] http://www.findagrave.com, Obituary, Stanford, Harold L., 89, (http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=23667417), none. (Reliability: 2). [S5223] https://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Stanford, Sara J. and Harold L., (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23667417/harold-leroy-stanford), none. (Reliability: 2). [S5214] Ancestry.com, 1940 United States Federal Census, Stanford Township, Clay County, Illinois, (District 13-20), image 10, page 5a, (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2442/M-T0627-00769-00480?backurl=https%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fsearch%2fdb.as) (Reliability: 2). [S365] Ancestry.com, 1930; Census Place: Stanford Township (District 18), Clay County, Illinois, (http://www.ancestry.com), Page 1a, none. (Reliability: 2). [S5216] Ancestry.com, 1930; Census Place: Stanford Township (District 18), Clay County, Illinois, page 1a, (http://www.ancestry.com), Page 1a, none. (Reliability: 2). [S5048] World War II Honoree, Harold L. Stanford, (https://wwiiregistry.abmc.gov/honoree-plaque/?honoree_id=1840579) (Reliability: 2). [S5224] https://www.findagrave.com, Obituary, Stanford, Sara J., 80, (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/85569015/sara-june-stanford), none. (Reliability: 2). [S5217] http://www.findagrave.com, Obituary, Stanford, Ella Cleone, (http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=20644216), none. (Reliability: 2). [S5213] https://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Stanford, Ella C. and Eugene D., (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20644219/eugene-dickson-stanford), none. (Reliability: 2). [S5216] Ancestry.com, 1930; Census Place: Stanford Township (District 18), Clay County, Illinois, page 1a, (http://www.ancestry.com), none. (Reliability: 2).