LEIKAM NORMAN ALEXIUS

Name: MAJ Norman Alexius Leikam
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 10/23/1965 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 33.4
Date of Birth: 06/02/1932
Home City: Hays, KS
Service: AT branch of the regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: B/2/20 ARA 1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Cavalry Division
Service: AT branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 02E-132
Short Summary: Shot by one of his own men while attempting to lead a convoy on the ground while CO of B/2/20 ARA 1 CAV
Service number: O94872
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: *
Primary cause: Homicide
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Started Tour: 08/16/1965
"Official" listing: ground casualty
Length of service: 12
Location: Unknown Province

Additional information about this casualty:
Maj. Norman Alexius Leikam was shot to death by a young (teen-age) drunken soldier from the 173rd Brigade. (Not his own unit, B Btry 2/20 Arty) He had three or four beers in him after his first combat patrol. He announced to his buddies... "I'am gonna kill the next mother fu**** who drives down this road" (outside the perimeter of Camp Hollaway at Pleiku). Unfortunately the next vehicle contained Maj. Leikam. He took three m-16 rounds to the chest at range of 100 feet or so. His chest cavity was essentially homogenized and he died instantly. I was his Summary Court officer for the collection of personal affects to be sent to NOK. I also was privy to the complete autopsy report. Before I left Vietnam in May of 1966, I saw orders posted on the btry. bulletin board the results of the General Courts Martial for the kid who killed Leikam..he got 20 years and a Dishonorable Discharge. From: Walter W. Powell

Reason: intentional homicide
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Roman Catholic
Burial information: ST JOSEPH CEMETERY, HAYS, KS
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: non-battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: officer
This record was last updated on 06/23/2008

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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023