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Jack Leininger - Vietnam War
Jack Leininger served as a Army aviator/Warrant Officer during the Vietnam War, flying Medivac missions from June 1967 to June 1968. He spent the first several months in southern South Vietnam with the 45th Air Ambulance Company. In January 1968 he was transferred to Quang Tri province and was assigned to the 571st Air Ambulance Detachment. He was there during the Tet Offensive, flying Medivac missions into Hue during the battle for that city, and into Khe Sanh during the siege of the Marine base. During Jack’s year in Vietnam he flew 1,227 Medivac missions, delivering over 2,700 casualties to aid stations and hospitals.
Interview Links
Feature Excerpt
Becoming a decoy
Abstract
Interview Session 1 - Audio
Early life, basic training, officer candidate school, and flight school
Interview Session 2 - Audio
Flying Medivacs in Vietnam from July 1967 to July 1968
Interview Session 3 - Audio
Reflections of service in Vietnam, coming home and a life in IL Army National Guard
Photos
Caption:
The 67-1 class photo for Jack Leininger’s Warrant Officer Course, Company B-1 at Ft. Wolters, Texas. Leininger is in the top row, third from left. He graduated in April 1967.
Where:
Ft. Wolters, Texas
When:
April 1967
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Warrant Officer 1 Leininger stands next to a Medivac helicopter on September 5, 1967 (Huey) when his unit was based in Long Binh, South Vietnam.
Where:
Long Binh, South Vietnam
When:
September 5, 1967
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
This baby photo of Jack Leininger’s son Jeff was taken in September 1967 while Jack was in Vietnam. His wife Jackie took the photo while living with her parents.
Where:
Illinois
When:
September 1967
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Maj Salmon and Jack stand underneath a propeller blade after a tree strike in September 1967. The unit was stationed at Long Binh at the time.
Where:
Long Binh, South Vietnam
When:
September 1967
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
This Otter (a fixed wing prop driven aircraft) crashed on an airfield that was still under construction airfield at Long Binh in November 1967. Leininger’s platoon leader was flying new arrivals to their assigned base camp. All but the pilot died in the crash. Leininger flew him to a hospital at Long Binh and a couple hours later to Saigon, where a C-141 was waiting to transport him to Japan.
Where:
Long Binh, South Vietnam
When:
November 1967
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Jack was rail thin when this photo was taken in Hawaii while he was on R & R. He lost a lot of weight during the first few months of 1968, months that coincided with the Tet Offensive.
Where:
Hawaii
When:
December 1967
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
A unit party in Quang Tri province. Leininger was the only one wearing a uniform. “Duty calls.” All but four of those in the photo arrived in country less than two months before, in December 1967. They were traded to the 571st to become aircraft commanders while the new arrivals went to Long Binh.
Where:
Long Binh, South Vietnam
When:
December 1967
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Vietnamese villagers are approaching the Medivac in the village of Quan Loi, circa 1967.
Where:
Quan Loi, South Vietnam
When:
Circa 1967
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Medivac crewmen with the 45th Medical Company at Long Binh in 1967.
Where:
Long Binh, South Vietnam
When:
Circa 1967
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Jack is at the Long Binh base camp with several Vietnamese friends. Sang, on the left, was 21 years old at the time the photo was taken in the fall of 1967. The girl in black was 19 years old while the short girl was 15 years old.
Where:
Long Binh, South Vietnam
When:
1967
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Leininger was in the process of relocating from Nah Trang north to I Corps sector in Quang Tri province in early January 1968. Everything he owned at the time fit into the Sea bag.
Where:
Nha Trang, South Vietnam
When:
January 1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Jack, Bill Elliott and Gene Fisher’s home, a French Villa, in Nha Trang for three weeks in January 1968, prior to the beginning of the Tet Offensive. It helped make them happy to “get your hind end up to I Corps.”
Where:
Nha Trang, South Vietnam
When:
January 1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
North Vietnamese casualties hit by U.S. fire in February 1968 during the height of the Tet Offensive. This photo was taken at the Rock Pile, north of Khe Sanh. It was not uncommon for the Medivacs to transport enemy combatants as well as civilians, ARVN and U.S. troops.
Where:
Rock Pile, north of Khe Sanh
When:
February 1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Bill Elliott, Gene Fisher, and Jack were relaxing on the beach across the street from their villa at Nha Trang on Feb 1, 1968. They were enjoying some rare down time from the demands of the war.
Where:
Nha Trang, South Vietnam
When:
Feb 1, 1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
The bunkers used to protect the Medivac helicopters while at Phu Bai were built by U.S. Navy Sea Bees. Jack stands next to his aircraft in early February 1968, just days after the Tet Offensive began.
Where:
Phu Bai, central Vietnam
When:
February 1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Unloading South Vietnamese soldiers at the U.S. aid station at Dong Ha in February 1968.
Where:
February 1968
When:
Dong Ha
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
The Citadel and Hue in March 1968, during the Tet Offensive. Leininger’s crew supported operations there as well as Khe Sanh and other I Corps sites.
Where:
Hue , central Vietnam
When:
March 1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Vietnamese civilians carry a litter with other civilians hit by ‘friendly’ artillery fire in March 1968. Jack’s unit was supporting ground operations in the I Corps region in northern South Vietnam.
Where:
Northern South Vietnam
When:
March 1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
South Vietnamese (Army of Vietnam-ARVN) and a U.S. soldier carry a South Vietnamese child hit by ARVN unit's artillery round.
Where:
South Vietnam
When:
Circa 1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Leininger’s Medivac was picking up civilian to take to aid station south of Phu Bai after they were wounded by friendly forces in 1968. They would usually haul the entire family to the aid station, and often family members would get sick in the back during the flight.
Where:
Phu Bai, central Vietnam
When:
1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Dean Petersen and Jack Leininger flew a wounded Marine out to the hospital ship USS Repose and were met by the ship's crew, waiting to celebrate the 7,000th landing on the Repose at midnight in early 1968. It was a bit warm, as is evidenced by the frosting melting. The two other pilots flew the aircraft back to our base camp, while Dean and Jack remained overnight.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
American troops were issued Military Payment Currency (MPC) in lieu of U.S. or Vietnamese currency. Jack brought the 1968 version home for future show and tells.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1968
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption:
The back side of the Military Payment Currency (MPC) issued by the U.S. Army in 1968. Jack brought the 1968 version home for future show and tells.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1968
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption:
Jack stands in front of a bunker along with the son of one of the hooch maids who kept the G.I.s living quarters clean.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
The hooch maid’s whole family joins Jack in front of his bunker. There was no shortage of Vietnamese peasants who were eager to work for the Americans in order to earn a living.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
During a night mission in very low wet weather conditions while flying Medivac missions in 25th Infantry Divisions area of Operations, this 45th Med Co aircraft crashed, with four KIAs (Killed In Action).
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
When landing on a tight LZ (landing zone), Leininger’s Medivac “used the tail rotor for a chain saw. He flew the aircraft an additional 3.5 hours with hot refueling.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Jack found this poem “A Dustoff Medic” in an edition of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilot Association newsletter.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption:
Jack Leininger with Colonel Randy Harrison (Plans, Operations and Training Officer for the Illinois Army National Guard) while the two were on deployment in Panama in April 1992.
Where:
Panama
When:
April 1992
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo