Pine City Post 51 celebrates WWII veteran’s 99th birthday

By Pine City Post 51
Howard Ledin, in the driver’s seat, is pictured in a WWII-era jeep with his family. A special thank you to Paul Dorow of Pine Cty, owner of the jeep, a Willys MB from February 1945.

Howard Ledin celebrated his 99th birthday on July 27 at Pine City Post 51 with friends and family. Ledin currently lives at Rushseba Assisted Living in Rush City.

Ledin served in the Navy 1943-1946, shortly after he graduated from North Branch High School in May 1943. Howard graduated from Bainbridge Naval Training Station as a radioman. For the next two years, Ledin was stationed within the state.

During his third year of service Ledin was deployed to the Philippine Islands along with troops in a transport ship. The intended mission was to invade Japan. On the journey over, the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945. On Aug. 9, the second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Shortly after, Japan surrendered.

The troops ship stopped at the Marshall and Caroline islands. The rest of his time was spent on LST 1058. From this point in his service, Ledin delivered necessary supplies to the islands of Leyte, Samar, Mindoro, and city of Zamboanga on the island of Mindanao.

After serving, Ledin went to law school and graduated in 1950 from the University of Minnesota. Ledin was able to open the Hinckley Law Office in 1955. In 1959, Ledin and his family moved to Pine City where he served as Pine County attorney 1960-1974 and continued practicing law until age 85.

Pictured in the WWII-era jeep with Ledin is his family. A special thank you to Paul Dorow of Pine Cty, owner of the jeep, a Willys MB from February 1945.