Leo John Corcoran Jr.
![](https://ghostarmy.org/images/roster/Corcoran-photo.png)
T/5 in 603rd Engineer Camouflage Bn : Co A
ASN#33272248
Born 1921 in PA, Died 2012
Artist
County of residence at enlistment: Erie County, PA
Other residence(s): Erie, PA
United States Army, European Theatre of Operations
Occupation before the war: apprentices to printing trades
Leo Corcoran was born on July 20, 1921 in Erie, PA, the middle of three children. His father was a driver for a bakery, later a wholesale bakery salesman, and finally a bakery supervisor.
Leo grew up in Erie and graduated from Academy High School in 1938. The 1940 census categorizes him as a "new worker," but by the time he registered for the draft, on February 16, 1942, he was working in an engraving plant. He enlisted on June 16, 1942, with his occupation listed as "apprentices to printing trades." His artistic skills got him assigned to the 603rd Engineer Camouflage Battalion and he served in Europe with the unit during the war. He was discharged with the rank of T/5 on October 12, 1945 at Camp Shelby, MS.
Returning to Erie, he took up lithography work. In 1948, he was listed as an apprentice at US Printing and Lithograph in Erie, and by 1950 he was listed in the census as a litho artist. Erie city directories in the 1950s described him as "artist" and later as "retoucher." US Printing and Lithograph was known for the beautiful posters they produced for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circuses as well as other organizations. According to John Vanco, former director of the Erie Art Museum, they were "beautiful works of art made in the heyday of color lithography."
Sometime before 1950, Leo married Helen Garlow, and they became the parents of a daughter, Jane, born in 1955.
Leo would remain with US Printing and Lithograph until his retirement. His obituary describes him as an "accomplished lithographer," but goes on to say that he was also "a gifted artist, with great detail to his creations."
After he retired, Leo exhibited his art at several shows in Erie. He received an honorable mention at the Independent Council on Aging Senior Art Exhibit, a 1991 juried show, for a work entitled "Rockport, Mass." And, at the same show in 1996, he received the grand prize for a pencil drawing entitled "My Granddaughter."
Leo died on October 28, 2012, in Erie, and is buried at Erie Cemetery. His gravestone mentions the 603rd, and includes a small palette and brush carved into the stone.
Sources:
1930 census
1940 census
1942 draft card
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/7231437:2238?ssrc=pt&tid=59100524&pid=340137209135
1942 enlistment record
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/4200607:8939?ssrc=pt&tid=59100524&pid=340137209135
1945 article in the Erie Daily Times (PA) about his military service
1948 Erie PA city directory
1950 Pennsylvania WW2 veteran compensation file
1950 census
1952 Erie PA city directory
1955 article in the Erie Daily Times (PA) about the birth of his daughter
1960 Erie PA city directory
1991 article in the Morning News (Erie PA) about an art prize he won
1996 article in the Erie Daily Times (PA) about an art prize he won
2012 Social Security death index
2012 Find a Grave record
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/113409648/leo-john-corcoran
2012 obituary in the Erie Times-News (PA)
2017 article about the kinds of artwork US Printing and Lithograph produced
https://www.goerie.com/story/news/local/2017/01/24/erie-company-once-made-ringling/21885895007/