Leo Bedard was born on December 23, 1907, in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on October 2, 1928, completed basic training of NTS Newport, Rhode Island, in January 1929, and completed training as a ship fireman at NTS Hampton Roads, Virginia, in November 1929. F3C Bedard next completed Submarine School at Submarine Base New London, Connecticut, in July 1930, followed by service aboard the submarine USS S-13 (SS-118) from August 1930 to July 1932. His next assignment was aboard the submarine tender USS Holland (AS-3) from July to September 1932, and then aboard the submarine USS Narwhal (SS-167) from September 1932 to September 1933. F1C Bedard served at New London from October 1933 to June 1934 for the fitting out of the submarine USS Cuttlefish (SS-171), followed by service aboard USS Cuttlefish from June 1934 to December 1935. His next assignment was aboard the submarine USS Nautilus (SS-168) from December 1935 to January 1937, and then at Submarine Base New London for the fitting out of the submarine USS Permit (SS-178) from January to March 1937. Bedard then received a new Rate of Machinist's Mate 2nd Class, and served aboard USS Permit from March 1937 to September 1941. He left active duty on November 4, 1941, but re-enlisted on January 19, 1942. Bedard joined the crew of USS Grunion (SS-216) as Chief Motor Machinist's Mate in April 1942, and he was killed in action during a confrontation with the armed Japanese freighter Kano Maru on July 30, 1942. The ship was found by a search team on August 22, 2007, and the U.S. Navy announced the sunken vessel located off the coast of the Aleutian Islands is the World War II submarine USS Grunion (SS-216) on October 1, 2008.

His Navy Commendation Medal Citation reads:

For meritorious conduct as a member of the crew of the U.S.S. GRUNION which destroyed three enemy destroyers while engaged in a war patrol in enemy controlled waters. Despite severe and persistent anti-submarine measures resulting from these three successful attacks, the GRUNION was brought safely through the counter attacks and continued an aggressive war patrol. As a member of the crew of the GRUNION, your performance of duty was an important and material contribution to the prosecution of this war.