Patrick Thomas Leonard

Patrick Thomas Leonard was a United States Army sergeant who served during the Indian Wars in the late 19th century. He is recognized for his actions during these conflicts, which earned him the nation's highest military decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor.

For many years, a historical confusion existed regarding his service record. Until 1984, military records and historians believed that Leonard was a double recipient of the Medal of Honor. This was later corrected when research revealed that some of the actions attributed to him were actually performed by another Irish-born soldier with a nearly identical name, Patrick James Leonard.

Sergeant Leonard's legacy remains preserved as an official Medal of Honor recipient, representing the significant contributions of Irish-immigrant soldiers in the post-Civil War American West.