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Biography · Military

Leon Gilbert

1920–1999

United States

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Biography

Leon Aaron Gilbert Jr. (November 9, 1920 – March 28, 1999) was a decorated World War II combat veteran and a lieutenant in the all-black 24th U. S. Infantry Regiment that fought in the Korean War. His court-martial for refusing to obey an order from the regiment's white commanding officer led to worldwide protests and increased attention to segregation and racism in the U.S. military.

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Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

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