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LEROY ALBIN
ARMY
Middle Island
April 13, 1897 George A. Albin married Alice E. Edwards from Swezeytown and built a home there. They had a son LeRoy, born in 1905 who graduated from New York University and began teaching Sept. 1929 in the new East Middle Island Schoolhouse (District # 17). After four years he became an English teacher in the Port Jefferson High School. He lived in the home that his parents built in Swezeytown.
On July 7, 1942 LeRoy was called to Governors Island for a physical examination for military service. He was inducted into the Army and reported to Camp Upton, Long Island on July 21. After 3 days there he was sent to Camp Gruber, Oklahoma which had opened in May 1942. In July the 88th Infantry Division began training there and LeRoy was assigned to Company D in the 349th Regiment. Company D was a heavy weapons company and Roy achieved the rank of Sergeant. He was home on a 10 day furlough in December and remained in Camp Gruber until May 28, 1943 when he qualified for the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) which had began that month. The ASTP was a controversial program under which qualified men were sent to college to study engineering and other technical subjects.
LeRoy was sent to Oklahoma A & M College, Stillwater, Oklahoma for one month awaiting his assignment in the ASTP program and on July 1, 1943 was sent to Purdue University Graduate School in Lafayette, Indiana. He came home on 10 day furlough in October 1943 and remained at Purdue until Feb. 1, 1944 taking courses in abnormal psychology and statistics under the ASTP program. On February 1, 1944 he was detailed to a special training unit at Camp Atterbury, Indiana as an instructor and a few days later was home on a 10 day furlough. He was able to come home on passes in June, July, and October and on August 29, 1945 he received his honorable discharge.
LeRoy Albin returned to his position as English teacher at Port Jefferson High School and remained there until his retirement.
Written by
Mr. Donald Bayles
January, 2001
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