The Forced Skinny Dipping of Wanomie, Pennsylvania

An article in the Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania Times-Leader on 5 June 1947 states that a 20 year old Wanamie youth,Leo Garvey, forced 11 boys to disrobe and jump into the Wanamie Reservoir at gunpoint.

They had to stay in the chilly water until he had enough "pleasure" at their discomfort (he said) and let him go.

The boys went home and told their parents, who called the police.  Leo was arrested, but released into the custody of his father on a $1,000 bail.

At his hearing before Alderman Stanley Salva, Leo said that he didn't know why he did it.  He received a $25 fine and was sent home.

This story bring up many questions.
1. Did Leo know the boys before?
2. Was he a swimming instructor or camp counselor?
3. Why were the boys shivering?  This was Pennsylvania in June.
4. Why a hearing before an alderman (city councilman) rather than a judge?
5. Why such a small fine?  Today he'd be going to prison.


Wanamie, Pennsylvania is in the southern Wyoming Valley, about 10 miles from Wilkes-Barre. It's a tiny village of 600, but in 1947 it was much bigger, drawing many immigrants to work in the coal mines.

But still small enough so that everybody knew everybody, so most likely Leo was acquainted with the boys before the incident.



Wanamie Dam, on Reservoir Creek, created a reservoir of 15-20 acres.  It was torn down in 2007.

I was unable to find any information about Leo except that his father, also Leo, was a secretary at the State Police Barracks, Wyoming, and his uncle was the Principal of the Columbus School.

That's why his punishment was so low.  He had connections.

In 2009, Ryan J. Garvey of nearby Nanticoke, age 18, shot at two teenage boys and their mother during an altercation at a bazaar in Sugar Notch.  I'm guessing it's our Leo's grandson.

Of the list of boys forced to skinny dip that day, I could only find one: Eugene P. Ziemba, owner of a multimillion dollar pipe company, passed away in 2016 at the age of 79.

His obituary doesn't mention the incident.