Stephen Wesley Pless

HE BRAVED ENEMY FIRE TO RESCUE THREE WOUNDED AMERICAN TROOPS

Stephen Wesley Pless grew up in Georgia and enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve while attending the Georgia Military Academy. He trained at Parris Island, served as an artillery surveyor, then entered flight training in Pensacola. Commissioned a second lieutenant in 1959, he qualified as a Naval aviator the next year. Pless served in helicopter squadrons aboard ships and at Marine air stations before deploying to Southeast Asia. He flew hundreds of combat missions in Vietnam, including 780 combat helicopter missions over his career.

On August 19, 1967, Captain Pless was flying a helicopter gunship with Marine Observation Squadron 6 when he heard an emergency call: four American soldiers were trapped on a beach and being overwhelmed by Viet Cong fighters. He flew to the scene and saw enemy troops beating and bayoneting the wounded men. Pless made low strafing and rocket runs that drove the attackers back toward a tree line. When one of the soldiers signaled for help, he positioned his helicopter between the man and the enemy so the crew could reach him. The enemy repeatedly rushed and fired on the aircraft at close range. Once the crew had brought three wounded soldiers aboard, Pless turned toward the sea. The overloaded helicopter settled into the water four times before his flying skill carried it safely aloft. His actions prevented the small force from being annihilated.

President Lyndon B. Johnson presented Pless the Medal of Honor at the White House on January 16, 1969. He was the only Marine aviator to receive the Medal of Honor for service in Vietnam. His decorations also included the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Navy Commendation Medal with Combat “V,” and 38 Air Medals in total, of which 32 were awarded for his March–September 1967 tour. After returning from Vietnam, he served at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola and was promoted to major in November 1967. On July 20, 1969, Pless died in a motorcycle accident when his motorcycle plunged from an open drawbridge into Santa Rosa Sound. He was 29 and is buried at Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida.

MEDAL OF HONOR 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 four 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 rockets and machine-gun attacks were made at such low levels that the aircraft flew through debris created by explosions from its rockets. Seeing one of the wounded soldiers gesture for assistance, he maneuvered his helicopter into a position between the wounded man 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 four times into the water. Displaying superb airmanship, he finally got the helicopter aloft. Maj. 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.

SOURCES

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, “Major Stephen Wesley Pless,” Medal of Honor Recipients by Unit. 2. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, “Stephen Wesley Pless,” Vietnam War recipient profile and citation. 3. Naval History and Heritage Command, “Major Stephen W. Pless (T-AK-3007),” Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. 4. Stephen W. Pless, “Cherry 6,” National Museum of the Marine Corps.