JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) — A veteran is dedicating his craft of sculpting to honor fallen service members. Marine Corps veteran Cliff Leonard crafts bronze busts of fallen service members, working 60 to 70 hours on each sculpture, for their families at no cost.
Leonard, who began sculpting in his 50s about 20 years ago, works from his garage in Jacksonville. He has completed 65 busts, including service members who died in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.
“It was a long process. I started in wood, which is not very forgiving. Eventually, moved to clay, which is very forgiving,” Leonard said.
His latest work depicts Clifford Chester, a Vietnam veteran who died at age 25 when he dove on top of an explosive device in 1968. Chester, who grew up homeless, became a Medal of Honor recipient.
“Maybe this is a way to keep him alive. Somebody can see it and believe that it’s real and they were a real person,” Leonard said.
Leonard often finds inspiration from newspaper articles or television interviews with Gold Star families. He reaches out to offer his free services, creating one-of-a-kind bronze sculptures to honor their loved ones.
Leonard created a bust of Marine Wayne Vincent for his parents, Lee and Betty Sue Vincent of Gainesville, after their son died in Afghanistan in 2009. The sculpture was unveiled in 2013 and sits in the Vincent family home, inscribed with the words “Our greatest hero.”
“This was just a man who was a Marine who served and decided to do this, and this is the quality of work that he produces,” Lee Vincent said.
Leonard said he understands the limitations of his gesture but believes in the importance of being present for grieving families.
“What can you say to someone, a loved one that’s died? I mean, that’s going to make it any easier. Probably not much but at least you can be there,” he said.
The bust of Clifford Chester will be delivered to a library in his hometown of Port St. Joe in the Florida Panhandle.
“I do this because I want them to kind of – corny word – but kind of live on,” Leonard said.
Leonard is already planning his next sculpture of a Marine veteran who was the last living Medal of Honor recipient from World War II and died in 2022.
Veterans Day in NCFL 2025
Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
Copyright 2025 WCJB. All rights reserved.
