Leon Waldo Sanford
Graduating
Class of 1918
Served in
World War I
Private
Leon Waldo Sanford
Army
Company H
Radio Section
Signal Corps
Hometown
Unknown
Date of Birth
Location of Death
New York City, NY
Date of Death
Location of Burial
East Cemetery, Westfield, WI
More About Private Sanford
Private Sanford entered the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1917 with the intention of specializing in mathematics.
However, Private Sanford enlisted in the United States Army Signal Corps after his first year at the university on June 15, 1918. With only two months of instruction, he and seven other classmates, were chosen to receive further training as quartermasters in New York.
Not even a month after arriving in New York, Sanford was rushed to the Base Hospital on September 8th to be treated for appendicitis. On September 30th, he was given permission to return to training, however, an hour later the entire hospital was placed under quarantine because of an outbreak of Spanish influenza within the camp. A few days later Private Sanford contracted the disease and soon thereafter contracted pneumonia. He passed away from the disease on October 13, 1918.