Name: Thomas Leon BARKSDALE
Rank / Rating: FC3-Fire Controlman Third Class
Service #: 863 46 28
DOB: Oct 08, 1924
From: Seymour, Indiana
Parents: Andy and Emma Barksdale
Went Aboard: Nov 8, 1943
Age When Ship Went Down: 20 years, 9 months, 22 days
Spouse:
Children:
Grandchildren:
Bio Submitted By: Andy and Lucille Barksdale
Date Posted:

Thomas Leon was born October 8, 1924 to Andrew and Emma (Tiemeier) Barksdale in Seymour, Indiana. He graduated from Shields High School in 1942.

He then enlisted in the navy January 14, 1943, took his boot camp training at Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Chicago, Illinois, entered advanced naval weapons control at Norfolk, Virginia, then transferred to San Francisco Naval Base where he was assigned to USS Indianapolis CA-35 in the fall of 1943. Thomas Leon served in the following campaigns: * Marshall lslands Operation January-March 1944 * Asiatic-Pacific Raids March-April 1944 * Marianas Operation June-August 1944 * Tinian Capture and Occupation July 1944 * Western Caroline Islands September-October 1944 * Iwo Jima Operation February-March 1944 * Okinawa Gunto Operation March 1945 After "INDY" delivered the component parts for the atomic bomb, she then left Tinian Island, arriving in Guam 27 July 1945. Captain McVay then set course for Leyte. On July 30th with poor visibility until midnight (its thought that Leon may have been on watch at midnight), the I-58 Japanese submarine fired a spread of six torpedoes. The first blowing off a large section of the bow, and the second struck amid ship, rupturing fire mains and penetrating a fuel tank and a powder magazine. According to the August 5th deck log of the USS Helm DD388 it reads as follows: "0944 Proceeding to investigate bodies reported by search planes. Sighted several bodies, proceeding on various courses and speeds to recover them for identification and burial. Picked up the following bodies: identified each as best possible and then weighted them down for sea burial: (1) BARKSDALE, Leon T. 863 46 28 (service number). "Leon and I were both home on military leaves on two different occasions. By the grace of God just before Thomas' last engagement in the early summer of 1945, I took Leon into the Tiemeier Jewelry Store and surprised our mother who was employed there", said his brother. Leo was entitled to wear the Asiatic-Pacific ribbon with one silver star, representing 5 bronze stars, and two bronze stars to represent seven of the ten battle stars awarded to Indianapolis while he was on board. In a letter dated March 17, 1946, he was awarded the Purple Heart. His memorial service was held at Immanuel Lutheran Church March 31, 1946.