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The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the AIR MEDAL (Gold Star in lieu of the Second Award) to LANCE CORPORAL LEONARD LEROY LASAC UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
"For heroic achievement in aerial flight while serving with Marine
Medium
Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group Sixteen, First Marine
Aircraft
Wing in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of
Vietnam. On the morning of 17 December 1968, Lance Corporal LaSac
launched as an Aerial Gunner aboard the lead aircraft in a flight of
eight
CH-46 transport helicopters assigned to insert elements of a Marine
infantry
battalion into enemy controlled territory east of An Hoa in Quang Nam
Province.
Arriving over the designated area, he commenced his approach to the
landing
zone and came under a heavy volume of hostile fire. Undaunted by
the intense enemy fire, Lance Corporal LaSac delivered suppressive .50
caliber machine gun fire upon the enemy emplacements, enabling his
aircraft
to land in the hazardous site, debark its passengers, and depart the
area.
During four additional insertions of the Marine unit, he continued to
employ
his weapon against the enemy and was instrumental in the successful
accomplishment
of the hazardous mission.
Lance Corporal LaSac's courage, resolute determination and steadfast devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger inspired all who observed him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service." FOR THE PRESIDENT, /S/ H. W. Buse, Jr. H. W. BUSE, JR.
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Crew of YK-2
Maj. E. W. Graham | Pilot |
1stLt. Carmine A. Casciano | Copilot |
Cpl. George W. Wharton, III | Crew Chief |
LCpl. Leonard L. LaSac | Gunner |
Sgt. Dolph Quijano, Jr. | Gunner |
Leonard L. LaSac's History Index
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