Estelle Joan Busch Leinen was born April 16, 1922 to Frank and Mary Alice Glavin Busch. Estelle celebrated her 100th birthday on April 16, 2022.
Estelle served with the U.S. Navy WAVES in World War II. She completed U.S. Naval Training School at Hunter College in the Bronx, NY where she received the rating of storekeeper and Storekeeper Specialist Training School from the University of Indiana in Bloomington, IN. Petty Officer Leinen served at the Great Lakes Naval Station from Sept. 14, 1943 to Aug. 6, 1946. For her service, Leinen received her Honorable Service Lapel in Aug. 1946, the same year she married Lavern P. “Spider” Leinen, a sailor from Earling, IA.
On her 98th birthday she received a letter from Capt. Raymond C. Lueng, Commanding Officer of the Great Lakes Naval Station in IL. “As a U.S. Navy WAVES veteran of World War II, you have my deepest appreciation for the sacrifices you made for the sake of this nation,” Capt. Lueng wrote.
“For your service here at Naval Station Great Lakes, I am happy to call you ’shipmate’.” Leinen was originally recruited by Genevieve Sullivan, sister of “The Fighting Sullivans” who served as a recruiter for the Navy after her five brothers died during WWII.
Lavern Peter “Spider” Leinen was born May 5, 1916 to Nickolas Silvester and Agnes Kenkel Leinen. He died Feb. 6, 1998 and is buried in Dow City Cemetery, Dow City, IA.
Lavern served with the U.S. Navy in World War II aboard the USS Chaumont (AP-5) and USS Kalinin Bay (CVE-68) - participating in the Battle of Midway at Leyte Gulf.
Source: ancestry.com
