Henry Thomas Leonard

Sergeant Henry Thomas Leonard was killed in action on November 11, 1966 in Pleiku, South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.  He was 23 years old.

Henry Thomas Leonard was born in Henderson, North Carolina on August 19, 1943.

Sgt Leonard enlisted in the U.S. Army on May 1, 1962 and eventually served with the 281st Aviation Company, 1st Aviation Brigade.  The unit was deployed to the Republic of Vietnam and arrived at Nha Trang Bay, Republic of Vietnam on June 9, 1966.  Its mission was to provide administrative and tactical air movement and support of troops, supplies and equipment under direction of the Commanding Officer, 5th Special Forces Group.

On November 11, 1966, Sgt Leonard arrived at Pleiku to temporarily replace Sp4 Allipo (UH-1D Gunner) who was on R&R. Sgt Leonard only had three or four weeks left in Vietnam when he assumed duties as gunner on UH-1D 65-9711. The Huey and crew were part of the Rat Pack Platoon, 281st Assault Helicopter Company, who provided helicopter support to the 5th Special Forces "C" Detachment located at Pleiku in the highlands of South Vietnam.

Lt. Col. Al Cartwright provided the following account of the events that followed:  “Before sunrise on November 11, 1966 the Operations Officer of the "C" Detachment awakened the crew and alerted us for an emergency ammunition re-supply mission. He briefed us that the Mike Force was in heavy contact with NVA at a location near a dry lake bed west of Pleiku. All available personnel in the camp were stuffing sandbags with ammo, water and medical supplies and loading them into the middle of the open chopper. The Special Forces Supply Officer 1Lt Paul Hess, who had supervised the ammo detail, asked if he could go along and help unload the aircraft. He was told to take the seat next to Sgt Leonard. At first light Huey 9711 took off on its emergency ammo re-supply mission. There was no available helicopter gunship support. Contact was made with the Mike Force on the ground. They had been in a firefight all night and were critically low on ammo. Smoke was thrown and their location identified.

“Just before touchdown the aircraft started receiving hits. Sgt Leonard and Lt Hess opened fire. [They] had identified the NVA regulars coming out of the wood line not more than 40 yards away, firing at the chopper. Sometime during that exchange of fire both Sgt Leonard and Lt Hess were hit. The aircraft was receiving heavy fire as it touched down. It was apparent that the crew would not be able to unload the aircraft on that approach. The C.O. of the Mike Force Battalion, Captain Clyde Sincere, who rode out with us was on the left side next to the Crew chief, jumped out of the chopper, ran under the skids just before touchdown. He ran directly at the NVA firing his M16. He wanted to rejoin his troops.

“His quick reaction allowed us to pull pitch and get out of there, as we were receiving numerous hits. We had to circle to the left over the dry lake bed because the trees were too high in front of us with the load we had. As we flew away rounds were hitting the top of the aircraft. Warning lights were coming on, but there was no way we could sit down in the middle of that fire fight and survive. The crew chief climbed over the cargo and confirmed that both Leonard and Hess had been grievously hit. A few minutes later, with warning lights on, cautious flying and the blood of our fallen comrades everywhere, I was able to sit Huey 9711 down at 4th Infantry Aid Station.

“Just as soon as the skids touched down on the PSP, the engine quit. The power had not been rolled off or the switches turned off. The Huey had just died and the silence was deafening. The Battalion Medics ran out and removed Sgt Leonard and Lt Hess. They were both pronounced DOA.

Sergeant Henry Thomas Leonard is buried in Alpha Omega Cemetery in Henderson, North Carolina.  His name is inscribed on Panel 12e, Line 55 of the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. 

Last edited: 31 May 2026