The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Chief Warrant Officer Two (CW-2) Leland C. Komich (ASN: W-3151607), United States Army, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight on 6 November 1965, while serving as Aircraft Commander of a UH-1D helicopter during the Plei Me-Ia Drang Valley operation. Chief Warrant Officer Two Komich participated in a medical evacuation of critically wounded from an area in which two infantry companies were heavily engaged with hostile forces. Three hours after the ambush of the two companies, the infantry, having finally fought their way to a small clearing, called for the flight to evacuate their wounded. By skillful navigation in the darkness, the area was located and as the flight approached the clearing it was met with hostile sniper fire. As the more critically wounded were being loaded, the Viet Cong opened fire from the treetops along the west side of the clearing. The flight departed with as many of the wounded as possible through a hail of heavy automatic weapons fire. NO further casualties were sustained during the medical evacuation despite the heavy enemy fire. Chief Warrant Officer Two Komich’s actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 229th Aviation Battalion (Assault Helicopter), and the United States Army.
Sponsored by:
Awards Received
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Silver Star
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Silver Star
Service:
United States ArmyRank:
Chief Warrant Officer Two (CW-2)Batallion:
229th Assault Helicopter BattalionRegiment:
5th Infantry RegimentDivision:
1st Cavalry DivisionAction Date:
November 14 – 17, 1965
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Chief Warrant Officer Two (CW-2) Leland C. Komich (ASN: W-3151607), United States Army, for gallantry in action while participating in aerial flight. Chief Warrant Officer Two Komich, assigned to Company B, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), United States Army, Vietnam, distinguished himself as a UH-1D Helicopter Pilot by heroism, engaged with the enemy at risk of life. On 14 November 1965, Chief Warrant Officer Two Komich flew 8 sorties supporting the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment engaging three enemy battalions who were determined to kill the American soldiers. On three flights, he freely chose to run what the battlefield commander called a gauntlet of enemy fire by landing in the Landing Zone during the critical afternoon hours when the battlefield commander had asked the aircrews for the last measure of devotion, for service far beyond the limits of duty and mission. Enemy troops were penetrating the Landing Zone. After he had flown in critical ammunition, his wingman was hit and forced to land, possibly on fire. He quickly chose to land next to the smoking aircraft, to wait under probable enemy fire to board the crew, a passenger and six wounded soldiers, and then to depart heavily loaded under density-altitude conditions with fifteen soldiers on board. Again, he chose to return with more ammunition, approached, missed the nearly obscured landing site, returned over the battlefield, landed, offloaded, and departed with seven wounded soldiers. He returned again, but was diverted because the Landing Zone had too much ammunition. On 17 November at Landing Zone ALBANY, he supported the 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, and freely chose two times to join other aircraft, landing by flashlight at night to extract fourteen more wounded soldiers. During these three days, Chief Warrant Officer Two Komich had placed himself at risk to extract a probable 39 wounded soldiers. His extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.