Leroy Schreiber was born on December 13, 1917, in Plymouth, Massachusetts. After graduating from Harvard University in 1939, he entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1940, and was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings in 1941. Capt Schreiber served as an instructor pilot in the U.S. for 2 years before completing P-47 Thunderbolt transition training and transferring to the 61st Fighter Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group in England in July 1943. He was credited with the destruction of 2 enemy aircraft in aerial combat before joining the 62nd Fighter Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group in August 1943, and he later served as Commander of the 62nd Fighter Squadron from February 1944 until he was killed in action over Germany on April 15, 1944. During his time in combat with the 62nd Fighter Squadron, Maj Schreiber was credited with the destruction of an additional 10 enemy aircraft in aerial combat for a total of 12, plus 1 probable, 6 damaged, and 2 destroyed on the ground while strafing enemy airfields. He was buried at the Ardennes American Cemetery in Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium.

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.