Leonard Lee Reynolds joined the US Army on 20 January 1942 in Chicago, Illinois after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.

While on active duty he deployed to North Africa on 26 April 1942 until 22 September 1944 as a Gun Crewman Heavy Artillery and served in the South Pacific Sea areas.

He held various jobs while he was on active Duty including as a Military Police (MP). He married Bonnie Margaret Dove in Chicago on 3 March 1945 while he was still on active duty.

He was discharged as a PFC on 12 October 1945 at Camp Lee, Virginia.