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3UHVHUYLQJ WKH /HJDF\ RI 0DULQH $YLDWLRQ Newsletter of the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation
SUMMER 2024
MAJOR STEPHEN W. PLESS – MEDAL OF HONOR AND THE “UH-1” (UNCOMMON HEROISM OF 1st ORDER) By George A. Haloulakos, CFA, MBA
By Combat Artist Lt. Colonel A. Michael (Mike) Leahy, USMC (Ret.)
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eroism – superlative courage in the face of great odds – and Marine Corps aviation – the “NineOne-One” unit of the United States military – have a long tradition in our nation's history. The heroic emergency actions taken by Major (then Captain) Stephen W. Pless piloting his UH-1 Iroquois Huey Helicopter during the Vietnam War on August 19, 1967, embody the highest standards of Corps aviation and is the focus of this article. The usage of the alpha-numeric designation of “UH-1” in the title of this article – “U” for uncommon, “H” for heroism and the number “1” for first or highest order – is a “play on words” tribute to a legendary Marine aviator flying an iconic helicopter in the face of intensified enemy attack to rescue stranded soldiers. Continued on page 3