After serving in the Vietnam War, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Leonard Matlovich faced a new battle—this time against the military establishment. In 1975, he made headlines worldwide by coming out and challenging the military’s ban on homosexuality.
Matlovich’s brave stand and the legal fight that followed were groundbreaking in advancing the movement for equality for different communities.
Leonard Matlovich’s early life
Leonard Matlovich’s connection to the US military began on July 6, 1943, when he was born at Hunter Air Force Base, Georgia, where his father, a retired US Air Force sergeant, was stationed. Matlovich grew up on military bases, as his family moved from installation to installation across the southern states.
Raised in the Catholic faith, Matlovich attended Bishop England High School in South Carolina, although he humorously referred to his education as being from “Air Force high school.” As a teenager and young adult, he acknowledged holding regressive views, including opposition to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, having admiration for Confederate symbols and having major prejudice against homosexuals, despite his own personal struggles.
Service in Vietnam
Following his family’s strong military legacy, Leonard Matlovich was naturally inclined toward a similar career. At 19, he enlisted in the US Air Force just as America’s involvement in Vietnam was intensifying.
A proud patriot, Matlovich was eager to serve in combat and volunteered for overseas duty. He completed three tours with the Air Force, though detailed records of his missions are limited. His distinguished service is noted, including an event during sentry duty where he took out two Viet Cong soldiers, which earned him a Bronze Star. While stationed in Đà Nẵng, he was wounded by an enemy land mine, resulting in a Purple Heart.
Matlovich’s time in Vietnam profoundly influenced his perspectives on race, as he worked with individuals from diverse backgrounds. This period also prompted a major shift in his views on homosexuality, marking the beginning of his journey toward self-acceptance.
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 had an outstanding service record, but it did little to shift the US military’s deeply rooted policies at the time.
Though military regulations technically allowed him to continue serving, Matlovich was declared unfit for duty after refusing to sign a document promising he would “never practice homosexuality again.” As a result, he received a General Discharge (Under Honorable Conditions) in October 1975.
Matlovich then launched a prolonged legal fight for reinstatement. Eventually, the US Air Force gave in, reinstating and promoting him, while also offering a substantial settlement of $160,000. Matlovich accepted, recognizing that further efforts to return would likely lead to another discharge.
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.”
More from us: The Vought F-8 Crusader was Nicknamed the ‘Last of the Gunfighters’
New! Want to become a trivia master? Sign up for our War History Fact of the Day newsletter!
Matlovich’s grave now serves as a memorial to gay veterans, as well as a site of ceremony for gay rights activists.