Stephen W . Pless Stephen Wesley Pless ( September 6 , 1939 – July 20 , 1969 ) was a major in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War . He earned the Medal of Honor as a UH - 1 Iroquois " Huey " helicopter pilot for rescuing soldiers trapped by heavy enemy fire . Childhood . Pless was born Stephen Pollard on September 6 , 1939 , in Newnan , Georgia . After his parents divorced , his mother Nancy Lassetter Pollard moved to Atlanta and remarried , to Berlin Pless . Stephen was adopted by his stepfather and took the Pless surname . He attended Decatur High School in Decatur before transferring to Georgia Military Academy in College Park , graduating from that school in 1957 . Early career . While a senior at Georgia Military Academy , Pless enlisted in the U . S . Marine Corps Reserve on September 6 , 1956 , and served with the 1st Motor Transport Battalion in Atlanta . After graduation , he attended recruit training and advanced combat training at Parris Island , South Carolina , finishing in October 1957 . He then served as an artillery surveyor with the 10th Marine Regiment , 2nd Marine Division , until September 1958 . While attending flight training at Pensacola , Florida , he was commissioned as a second lieutenant on September 16 , 1959 . He was promoted to first lieutenant on March 16 , 1960 , and designated a naval aviator upon graduation from flight training on April 20 , 1960 . Pless next served successively as squadron pilot with HMR ( L ) - 262 , Marine Aircraft Group 26 ( MAG - 26 ) , at New River , North Carolina ; with HMR ( L ) - 264 aboard the and later the ; again with HMR ( L ) - 262 , Marine Aircraft Group 26 , at New River ; as Assistant Administrative Officer of HMR ( L ) - 262 aboard the ; and as Squadron Adjutant , HMM - 162 , Marine Aircraft Group 26 , at New River . Vietnam War . Ordered to East Asia in June 1962 , he saw duty as Assistant Administrative Officer of HMM - 162 , MAG - 26 , in Thailand , and at Da Nang , in the Republic of Vietnam . Upon his return to the United States in June 1963 , he reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida and served as a basic flight instructor , VT - 1 , and later as Officer in Charge , Aviation Officer Candidate School . He was promoted to captain on July 1 , 1964 . After his detachment in April 1966 , Pless was assigned duty as Brigade Platoon Commander , 1st ANGLICO , Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay , Hawaii . In August 1966 , he became Officer in Charge , Republic of Korea Detachment , and later Brigade Air Officer , 1st ANGLICO , Sub - Unit 1 , with the 2d Brigade Korean Marine Corps , at Chu Lai , in the Republic of Vietnam . For his service in this capacity , he was awarded a Bronze Star Medal and the Korean Order of Military Merit . From March 20 to September 22 , 1967 , Pless served in Vietnam as Assistant Operations Officer , VMO - 6 , Marine Aircraft Group 36 , 1st Marine Aircraft Wing . During this time , he earned the Medal of Honor , the Silver Star , the Distinguished Flying Cross , the Purple Heart , and 32 Air Medal s . Over the course of his time in Vietnam , Pless flew a total of 780 combat missions . He was the only Marine aviator awarded the Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War . A complete list of his medals and decorations include the Medal of Honor , the Silver Star , the Distinguished Flying Cross , the Bronze Star , the Purple Heart , 38 Air Medals , the Navy Commendation Medal with valor device , the National Defense Service Medal , the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal , the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal , the Korean Order of Military Merit , the Vietnam Service Medal , and the Vietnam Campaign Medal . His decorations include : Life after Vietnam . After his return from Vietnam , Pless served as an administrative assistant of Aviation Officer Candidate School at Naval Air Station Pensacola , Florida . While serving in that capacity , he was promoted to major on November 7 , 1967 . On January 16 , 1969 , four days before leaving office , President Lyndon B . Johnson presented Pless the Medal of Honor at a White House ceremony . Also receiving the Medal of Honor that day was fellow Newnan , Georgia , native Joe M . Jackson , an Air Force pilot who , like Pless , had earned the nation ' s highest military decoration for an air rescue in Vietnam . Legend states that , upon realizing that both Pless and Jackson were from the same small Georgia town , President Johnson quipped " there must be something in the water down in Newnan " . The Department of Defense , recognizing the extreme circumstances of the helicopter rescue , awarded all three of Pless ' s crewmates decorations . Rupert Fairfield , Leroy Poulson , and John Phelps were each awarded the Navy Cross , the second highest Naval award for valor . The combined crew of four represent the most highly - decorated helicopter crew to fly in the Vietnam War . Pless died in a motorcycle accident on July 20 , 1969 , just over six months after receiving the nation ' s highest award for gallantry in action . While driving across a drawbridge which connected the city of Pensacola to Pensacola Beach , his motorcycle plunged off the end of the open bridge into the water . The center span of the bridge opened horizontally , and Pless did not realize it was open until it was too late . His body was recovered by divers seven hours later . News of his death was overshadowed by the Apollo 11 moon landing , which occurred the same day . Posthumous honors . The United States Navy honored Pless by naming a Maritime Prepositioning ship after him . Dedicated in the 1970s , the Jackson - Pless National Guard Armory in Newnan honors both of the town ' s Medal of Honor recipients . The Huey helicopter which Pless flew during his Medal of Honor mission is on display at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico , Virginia . The Collings Foundation , of Stow , Massachusetts , currently owns and operates a VMO - 6 UH - 1E Huey flown by Pless in combat . This aircraft is a sistership to the MOH aircraft on display at Quantico . It is based in Houston , Texas with other aircraft of the Collings Foundation Viet Nam Memorial Flight . It is flown at airshows and special events . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : Major ( then Capt . ) , U . S . Marine Corps , VMO - 6 , MAG - 36 , 1st Marine Aircraft Wing . Place and date : Near Quang Nai , Republic of Vietnam , August 19 , 1967 . Entered service at : Atlanta , Ga . Born : September 6 , 1939 , Newnan , Ga . Citation . For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a helicopter gunship pilot attached to Marine Observation Squadron 6 in action against enemy forces . During an escort mission Maj . Pless monitored an emergency call that 4 American soldiers stranded on a nearby beach were being overwhelmed by a large Viet Cong force . Maj . Pless flew to the scene and found 30 to 50 enemy soldiers in the open . Some of the enemy were bayoneting and beating the downed Americans . Maj . Pless displayed exceptional airmanship as he launched a devastating attack against the enemy force , killing or wounding many of the enemy and driving the remainder back into a treeline . His rocket and machinegun attacks were made at such low levels that the aircraft flew through debris created by explosions from its rockets . Seeing 1 of the wounded soldiers gesture for assistance , he maneuvered his helicopter into a position between the wounded men and the enemy , providing a shield which permitted his crew to retrieve the wounded . During the rescue the enemy directed intense fire at the helicopter and rushed the aircraft again and again , closing to within a few feet before being beaten back . When the wounded men were aboard , Maj . Pless maneuvered the helicopter out to sea . Before it became safely airborne , the overloaded aircraft settled 4 times into the water . Displaying superb airmanship , he finally got the helicopter aloft . Major Pless ' extraordinary heroism coupled with his outstanding flying skill prevented the annihilation of the tiny force . His courageous actions reflect great credit upon himself and uphold the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U . S . Naval Service .