Capt. Leo P. Zeola USNR (Ret.)

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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Capt. Leo P. Zeola, USNR (Ret) was born in Connellsville, PA, August 8, 1922. He entered the Navy Flight Training Program August 18, 1942 and was commissioned an Ensign and designated a Naval Aviator at Corpus Christi, TX in December 1943.

He saw combat action during World War II (WWII) as a fighter pilot with Composite Squadron Ten (VC-10) aboard the escort carrier USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73). He was aboard the ship when it was sunk by enemy shellfire during the Second Battle of the Philippines on October 25, 1944.

In November 1951 he was assigned as a Naval Flight Officer with VS-20 and saw action in Korea aboard the escort carriers BADOENG STRAIT and SICILY. Other duties following Korean service include: Instructor at Fleet Air Defense Training Center, Dam Neck, VA; CIC Officer with VW-11 flying the North-Atlantic Barrier; Staff Duty with CNARESTRA, Naval Air Station (NAS) Glenview, Illinois; Officer-in-Charge of the Naval Air Reserve ASW Tactical School, NAS Los Alamitos, CA; Staff duty with the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, DC from May 1971 to June 1972. Finally, Captain Zeola was the Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Reserve Unit at NAS Lakehurst, NJ until he retired on May 1, 1975 after over 32 years of Navy Service.