Beyond his service in the Vietnam War, US Air Force Tech. Sgt. Leonard Matlovich engaged in a very different fight, this time against the military itself. His story captured global attention in 1975 when he fought against the ban on homosexuality and openly revealed his sexual orientation.
Matlovich’s steadfast bravery and the following legal battle he pursued left a lasting impact on the fight for equality.
Leonard Matlovich’s early life
Leonard Matlovich was born into the US military, literally, on July 6, 1943 – his birth occurred on Hunter Air Force Base, Georgia, as his father was a retired sergeant in the US Air Force. Much of his childhood was spent on military bases, as his family moved to different ones throughout the southern states.
Matlovich was raised Catholic, and even attended the religious Bishop England High School while living in South Carolina. He, however, said he “graduated from Air Force high school.” Matlovich admitted that, as a teenager and young man, he was far from progressive, going so far as to fight against the 1964 Civil Rights Act, glorify Confederate imagery and have a strong bias against homosexuals – despite his own feelings.
Service in Vietnam
Considering his family’s extensive history of military service, it’s no surprise that Leonard Matlovich was inclined towards following a similar path. At the age of 19, he enlisted in the US Air Force, and soon thereafter, America committed to furthering its involvement in Vietnam.
As a declared patriot, Matlovich was eager to fight and promptly volunteered for overseas duty. He was deployed on three tours with the Air Force, though specific details of his assignments remain sparse. What is documented is Matlovich’s exemplary service record. While on sentry duty, he killed two Viet Cong soldiers, earning a Bronze Star. While in Đà Nẵng, he sustained injuries from an enemy land mine, earning him the Purple Heart.
Significantly, it was during his time in Vietnam that Matlovich’s preconceived notions about people of color began to dissolve, as he served under and alongside many remarkable individuals of all races. This experience also diminished his bias against homosexuals, helping him to start accepting his true self.
Leonard Matlovich takes a stand
After completing his service in Vietnam, Leonard Matlovich became a race relations instructor and a drug abuse counselor back in the United States. It was during this time that he finally began to accept who he really was, visiting gay bars and coming out to certain friends.
Things changed even more for Matlovich in March 1974, after he read an article by activist Frank Kameny in the Air Force Times, who was looking for a serviceman to challenge the gay ban in the US military. Matlovich reached out, and with his perfect service record was deemed an ideal fit.
With the help of American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attorney David Addlestone, they came up with their plan. On March 6, 1975, Matlovich delivered a personal letter to his commanding officer at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, which read, in part, “I consider myself to be a homosexual and fully qualified for further military service. My almost twelve years of unblemished service supports this position.”
Military discharge
Leonard Matlovich’s record was impeccable, but it wasn’t enough to change the stance held by the US military at the time.
The armed force’s own rules should have allowed him to continue serving because of his exemplary service, but when he refused to sign a document stating he would “never practice homosexuality again,” Matlovich was declared unfit. His General (Under Honorable Conditions) Discharge was confirmed in October 1975.
Matlovich sued for reinstatement. It took years, but the US Air Force was ultimately forced to do so – and give him a promotion at that. The service’s response was to offer him a large financial settlement of $160,000. Matlovich accepted the offer, as he believed that, if he re-entered the military, he’d be discharged once more.
Leonard Matlovich’s enduring legacy
Leonard Matlovich may have lost his military career, but he became an icon for gay rights. He was featured in Time magazine, the first time an openly-gay man was placed on the cover of a major publication. He continued to be an activist in the community, assisting in many different campaigns to prevent homosexual discrimination.
Tragically, in September 1986, Matlovich was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. Despite the toll this and his treatment took on him, he continued his advocacy, particularly against President Ronald Reagan‘s response to the crisis.
On June 22, 1988, Matlovich died after suffering complications from the condition. He was buried in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington DC, as the US military wouldn’t allow his memorial headstone to be included among those at Arlington National Cemetery. It reads: “When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.”
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Matlovich’s grave now serves as a memorial to gay veterans, as well as a site of ceremony for gay rights activists.
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