LEUNING VERNON LEE

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Name: WO1 Vernon Lee Leuning
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 03/04/1968 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 21.7
Date of Birth: 06/16/1946
Home City: Yakima, WA
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: A/7/1 CAV
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 67-9/67-7
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 42E-068
Short Summary: On temporary assignment from A/7/1 CAV to the 162 AHC for the purpose of in-country orientation.
Aircraft: UH-1C tail number 64-14158
Service number: W3156552
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: co-pilot
Started Tour: 02/01/1968
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Binh Duong Province III Corps.

Additional information about this casualty:
Died with three other crew members at Phouc Vinh with the 162 AHC guns (aerial weapons) with AC CW2 Tweedy. He took my place on a night stand-by alert. The aircraft was hit by outgoing friendly fire (mortars) as they responded to a enemy probe at approximately 2130-2200 fours. from C. Michael Quigley, July 1995. WO1 Leuning, Vernon Lee was killed on 3/4/68 in the UH-1C listed. But he was assigned to A/7/1 Air Cav. and was with CW2 Tweedy, Vernon Ruben. Their UH-1C was hit by friendly arty fire at night at 1500' during a VC attack on Phouc Vinh. Both died instantly. Leuning was on temporary assignment, as I was, to the 162 AHC for the purpose of in-country orientation. The 7/1 Air Cav arrived in country in late Feb of 68. I witness this incident, because I was in the trailing gunship. Mike Mellon, November 1999 VHPA note: This incident happened on 4 March 68 late at night. Leuning is the only one of the four listed as KIA on the 4th. The other three crew members Tweedy, Murray, and Novakovic are listed as KIA on the 5th as well as the helicopter is listed as destroyed on the 5th.

Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Protestant - no denominational preference
Burial information: ZILLAH CITY CEMETERY, ZILLAH, WA
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 04/26/2002

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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023