Leo Case was a World War II tank commander and Navy Cross recipient who survived the battle of Iwo Jima, only to die of multiple cancers at the age of 58. His granddaughter, Jessie Hoerman, believes his illnesses were caused by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps training facility in North Carolina. She has collected a vast archive of records, including muster rolls and yearbooks, to support her family’s claim and help other veterans with similar cases.
Up to 1 million people who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 may have been exposed to a contaminated water supply. The chemicals present in the water, including trichloroethylene and benzene, have been linked to various health issues, such as cancer and cardiac defects. Leo Case died of bowel, colon, liver, and lung cancer in 1976, and an examination found no evidence of hereditary or infectious disease.
After the passage of the PACT Act in 2022, which expanded benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances, Hoerman began researching her grandfather’s history and connecting with other affected families. She aims to share her collection of Camp Lejeune materials with veterans named in her documents and provide support to those seeking justice for their loved ones’ illnesses.
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