Lehnerd

John Valentine Lehnerd, 89, of Douglasville Nursing Home, Douglasville, Ga., died Aug. 9.

Born in Butler, Jan. 12, 1920, he was the son of the late Maurice P. and Amelia Neigh Lehnerd.

After World War II, he lived with his wife, the former Sue Van Hastey, and their three adopted sons, Johnny, Mark and Kevin, in Powder Springs, Ga. There John worked at Boeing, where supervised the guarding of Howard Hughes' aircraft, the "Gray Goose."

During World War II, he served with the 30th Infantry under Gen. Leland S. Hobbs as a first lieutenant in the European Theater. John received a Purple Heart with one bronze oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, the Presidential Unit Citation, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp, the Combat Infantry Badge First Award, the Belgian Fourragère, the Honorable Service Lapel Button World War II, the Expert Badge with Carbine Bar with Rifle Bar, the Sharpshooter Badge with Pistol Bar, and the Good Conduct Medal.

He also was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action on Jan. 10 1945, in Belgium. When a sudden concentration of enemy mortar fire fell on advancing troops and set an ammunition vehicle ablaze, Lt. Lehnerd left his sheltered position and went out into enemy fire to shovel snow on the vehicle in which the ammunition was exploding. After the blaze had diminished, he helped detach the trailer and drove the vehicle into an open field, where he succeeded in extinguishing the flames.

Preceding him in death were two brothers, Howard and Maurice C.; and two sisters, Cyrilla MacCarron and Marie Killmeyer.

Survivors include his son, Kevin Scott Lehnerd of Lawrenceville, Ga., and several nieces and nephews.

<B>LEHNERD </B>— John Valentine Lehnerd, who died Aug. 9, 2009, was buried in a flag-draped silver casket with full military honors at Marietta National Cemetery, Marietta, Ga. Buried next to him are his wife and sons Johnny and Mark.