Donald Ray "Fuzz" Leonard: America Loses A Hero
SP/4 Donald Ray "Fuzz" LEONARD
330th RRCo
United States Army Security Agency (ASA)
Pleiku, RVN
1968
330th RRCo
United States Army Security Agency (ASA)
Pleiku, RVN
1968
LEONARD, Donald Ray
Born May 7, 1945 in Indiana and passed away on November 16, 2009
in Lincoln, CA. Donald is survived by his son, Derek Leonard, his
sisters Sheri Leonard and Donna Leonard, his former spouse, Mary
Jane Leonard, and his life partner Kathy Tejada. He was predeceased
by his parents, Raymond and Mary Leonard.
Honoring his military service, services will be held at Sacramento
Valley National Cemetery, 5810 Midway Road, Dixon, CA on Monday
November 23 at 3pm. Arrangements respectfully completed by the
Trident Society.
On the night of September 12, 1968 the 330th Radio Research
Company attached to "Engineer Hill" just outside of Pleiku,
Republic of Vietnam, came under enemy attack. During the attack,
two enemy mortar positions opened fire and were walking their mortar
rounds into the position of both Donald Ray Leonard and several
members of the 330th. As the enemy rounds closed in on their
position, Specialist Leonard, in total disregard for his own life, ran to
Chris Dickson's position and dove on top of him. Almost simultaneously
a mortar round landed approximately three feet from Dickson's feet,
blowing Leonard off the top of him. Had Leonard not performed this act
of heroism, the shrapnel that he took to his chest would have blown
the back of Dickson's head off.
America has lost a true American Hero and I have lost a very, very
dear friend.
Born May 7, 1945 in Indiana and passed away on November 16, 2009
in Lincoln, CA. Donald is survived by his son, Derek Leonard, his
sisters Sheri Leonard and Donna Leonard, his former spouse, Mary
Jane Leonard, and his life partner Kathy Tejada. He was predeceased
by his parents, Raymond and Mary Leonard.
Honoring his military service, services will be held at Sacramento
Valley National Cemetery, 5810 Midway Road, Dixon, CA on Monday
November 23 at 3pm. Arrangements respectfully completed by the
Trident Society.
On the night of September 12, 1968 the 330th Radio Research
Company attached to "Engineer Hill" just outside of Pleiku,
Republic of Vietnam, came under enemy attack. During the attack,
two enemy mortar positions opened fire and were walking their mortar
rounds into the position of both Donald Ray Leonard and several
members of the 330th. As the enemy rounds closed in on their
position, Specialist Leonard, in total disregard for his own life, ran to
Chris Dickson's position and dove on top of him. Almost simultaneously
a mortar round landed approximately three feet from Dickson's feet,
blowing Leonard off the top of him. Had Leonard not performed this act
of heroism, the shrapnel that he took to his chest would have blown
the back of Dickson's head off.
America has lost a true American Hero and I have lost a very, very
dear friend.
Labels: 330th RRC, BirthRight, Donald Ray Leonard, Healing, Healing Mass, Mystic Monk Coffee, Portiuncula: the Little Portion, ProLifeBlogs, WorldNetDaily
posted by Chris Dickson, F.L.A. at
8:59 PM
2 Comments:
I remember the night well
Lou Krieger 330th RRC
Pleiku RVN
Jan 68 - Sept 69
Hi, Lou!
What was your MOS ??? O5D or O5H ??? Or Monterey Mary?
Do you remember Jim McFarland from Worchester, Mass who took it in the spine that night? I ran into him in Germany (I was at Rothwesten and Mac was TWX'n from Bavaria somewhere) sometime in '70...
Fuzz and I tried for a couple years to locate Mac...
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