DORIO, JOHN ★ 18 DEC 44 - OCT 68 SCHELLER, JEFFREY ★ 31 JUL 54 - 1 OCT 72 KERBL, FRANK ★ 16 SEP 34 - 1 OCT 67 WILLIAMS, LEROY ★ 7 APR 42 - 3 OCT 65 KOCH, KENNETH ★ 18 JAN 49 - 3 OCT 70 FRITZ, RAYMOND ★ 28 MAY 47 - 4 OCT 67 FORMICA, GARY ★ 28 JUL 47 - 4 OCT 70 BIRD, JOHN ★ 14 MAR 44 - 4 OCT 66 HOPKINS, MARION ★ 25 MAY 47 - 4 OCT 67 OWEN, DAVID ★ 27 JAN 36 - 4 OCT 67 MIDUSKI, FRANCIS ★ 8 APR 44 - 5 OCT 67 BURGANS, RICHARD ★ 17 FEB 44 - 5 OCT 65 PIANO, RALPH ★ 8 SEP 48 - 5 OCT 69 ELFENBEIN, ERNIE ★ 5 FEB 48 - 6 OCT 67 SCHOELIER, TJEERD ★ 12 APR 45 - 6 OCT 67 GROSS, VICTOR ★ 30 AUG 46 - 7 OCT 67 METTINGER, ALBERT ★ 6 MAY 33 - 7 OCT 70 BROCKMANN, ROBERT ★ 17 JUL 43 - 7 OCT 66 PABST, EUGENE ★ 13 OCT 42 - 7 OCT 66 JACOBSON, JON ★ 19 OCT 47 - 7 OCT 70 RICHARDSON, CHARLES ★ 5 APR 44 - 8 OCT 68 GONZALEZ, FRANCISCO ★ 1 MAR 42 - 8 OCT 67 FERRUGGIA, RICHARD ★ 15 JUN 45 - 8 OCT 67 BRAYBROOKE, CHRISTOPHER ★ 25 MAR 28 - 8 OCT 67 FEISTNER, STEPHEN ★ 8 FEB 47 - 8 OCT 67 CAMPBELL, PATRICK ★ 21 NOV 46 - 8 OCT 66 LAZARO, ROBERT ★ 29 MAR 47 - 9 OCT 67 ARMSTRONG, WARDELL ★ 13 DEC 49 - 9 OCT 68 SUYDAM, JAMES ★ 4 OCT 48 - 9 OCT 69 BRENNAN, JOHN ★ 21 FEB 43 - 9 OCT 69 GODFREY, WILLIAM ★ 24 MAR 49 - 10 OCT 69 SCHIESS, THOMAS ★ 21 JUL 50 - 10 OCT 70 RAMOS, ANGEL ★ 20 MAY 48 - 10 OCT 66 HIMMELREICH, HARRY ★ 15 APR 46 - 10 OCT 65 FEENEY, JOSEPH ★ 22 JUL 49 - 10 OCT 71 JAMES, HENRY ★ 29 NOV 47 - 10 OCT 68 ALVES, MOSES ★ 23 NOV 34 - 11 OCT 69 HAHN, JEFFREY ★ 20 JAN 47 - 11 OCT 67 HARRIS, LANTIE ★ 29 JUL 48 - 11 OCT 68 LIGHT, JERRY ★ 23 JAN 47 - 11 OCT 67 SMYRYCHYNSKI, GEORGE ★ 7 AUG 43 - 13 OCT 66 MIKULA, EMERY ★ 20 MAR 42 - 13 OCT 66 MICHEL, ROBERT ★ 28 JAN 43 - 13 OCT 68 LANNING, HAROLD ★ 11 MAR 35 - 13 OCT 65 KRUEGER, JOHN ★ 19 FEB 50 - 13 OCT 69 BURROUGHS, ROBERT ★ 26 JUN 42 - 14 OCT 67 MULLINS, WILLIAM ★ 28 DEC 42 - 14 OCT 67 MERLINO, CARL ★ 20 JAN 37 - 14 OCT 71 SCHULZ, WILLIAM ★ 23 MAR 47 - 15 OCT 67 FERGUSON, KEVIN ★ 6 DEC 48 - 16 OCT 67 VANDERHOFF, GEORGE ★ 7 NOV 48 - 16 OCT 68 KUTKOWSKI, GREGORY ★ 21 MAR 48 - 18 OCT 70 SELF, EUGENE ★ 2 JUN 46 - 18 OCT 66 ARNTZ, WILLARD ★ 5 JUL 46 - 18 OCT 68 CUSTODE, RALPH ★ 13 OCT 48 - 18 OCT 69 EALEY, DOUGLAS ★ 28 FEB 42 - 19 OCT 68 SALUGA, STEPHEN ★ 24 DEC 46 - 19 OCT 68 MENA, SAMUEL ★ 23 SEP 49 - 19 OCT 68 COLANTUONO, WAYNE ★ 22 NOV 46 - 20 OCT 67 LATOURETTE, PAUL ★ 5 DEC 46 - 20 OCT 67 HENDRICKS, EUGENE ★ 13 JUL 46 - 21 OCT 68 MILEY, BRUCE ★ 20 DEC 46 - 21 OCT 68 VAN VLIET, HOWARD ★ 4 OCT 28 - 21 OCT 68 HAYNES, BARTON ★ 19 JUL 48 - 22 OCT 67 BACH, COLIN ★ 14 FEB 48 - 22 OCT 68 HOLDEN, THOMAS ★ 23 AUG 41 - 22 OCT 66 ETTZ, MICHAEL ★ 28 JAN 47 - 23 OCT 67 SIMONE, DENIS ★ 2 MAY 42 - 23 OCT 68 MORVAY, JON ★ 17 MAR 47 - 23 OCT 67 RILEY, RICHARD ★ 1 APR 45 - 24 OCT 68 SACKETT, DAVID ★ 8 OCT 46 - 24 OCT 69 MORLEY, JOHN ★ 13 APR 47 - 24 OCT 68 MEESTER, EVERETT ★ 8 JAN 48 - 24 OCT 68 WHELAN, JOSEPH ★ 1 FEB 42 - 25 OCT 69 ESPOSITO, JAMES ★ 31 AUG 44 - 25 OCT 68 HARGROVE, DALE ★ 14 APR 52 - 26 OCT 70 TUNICK, FRANKLIN ★ 10 APR 41 - 26 OCT 66 BROWN, RICHARD ★ 27 JUN 44 - 26 OCT 67 GRANT, WAYNE ★ 7 MAY 46 - 26 OCT 67 ELKINS, JAN ★ 20 MAR 48 - 26 OCT 68 WYATT, RONALD ★ 31 MAY 46 - 28 OCT 66 BOSKO, MICHAEL ★ 3 JUN 45 - 28 OCT 66 ROSSELL, FRANCIS ★ 26 DEC 43 - 28 OCT 68 MOYER, CHARLES ★ 12 JUL 47 - 28 OCT 67 FOXWORTH, ARTHUR ★ 17 MAY 40 - 28 OCT 69 MAC VEAN, STEPHEN ★ 30 JAN 44 - 29 OCT 69 GABURO, GEORGE ★ 9 JAN 36 - 29 OCT 67 GREGORY, DAVID ★ 8 AUG 45 - 31 OCT 66 DORIO, JOHN ★ 18 DEC 44 - OCT 68 SCHELLER, JEFFREY ★ 31 JUL 54 - 1 OCT 72 KERBL, FRANK ★ 16 SEP 34 - 1 OCT 67 WILLIAMS, LEROY ★ 7 APR 42 - 3 OCT 65 KOCH, KENNETH ★ 18 JAN 49 - 3 OCT 70 FRITZ, RAYMOND ★ 28 MAY 47 - 4 OCT 67 FORMICA, GARY ★ 28 JUL 47 - 4 OCT 70 BIRD, JOHN ★ 14 MAR 44 - 4 OCT 66 HOPKINS, MARION ★ 25 MAY 47 - 4 OCT 67 OWEN, DAVID ★ 27 JAN 36 - 4 OCT 67 MIDUSKI, FRANCIS ★ 8 APR 44 - 5 OCT 67 BURGANS, RICHARD ★ 17 FEB 44 - 5 OCT 65 PIANO, RALPH ★ 8 SEP 48 - 5 OCT 69 ELFENBEIN, ERNIE ★ 5 FEB 48 - 6 OCT 67 SCHOELIER, TJEERD ★ 12 APR 45 - 6 OCT 67 GROSS, VICTOR ★ 30 AUG 46 - 7 OCT 67 METTINGER, ALBERT ★ 6 MAY 33 - 7 OCT 70 BROCKMANN, ROBERT ★ 17 JUL 43 - 7 OCT 66 PABST, EUGENE ★ 13 OCT 42 - 7 OCT 66 JACOBSON, JON ★ 19 OCT 47 - 7 OCT 70 RICHARDSON, CHARLES ★ 5 APR 44 - 8 OCT 68 GONZALEZ, FRANCISCO ★ 1 MAR 42 - 8 OCT 67 FERRUGGIA, RICHARD ★ 15 JUN 45 - 8 OCT 67 BRAYBROOKE, CHRISTOPHER ★ 25 MAR 28 - 8 OCT 67 FEISTNER, STEPHEN ★ 8 FEB 47 - 8 OCT 67 CAMPBELL, PATRICK ★ 21 NOV 46 - 8 OCT 66 LAZARO, ROBERT ★ 29 MAR 47 - 9 OCT 67 ARMSTRONG, WARDELL ★ 13 DEC 49 - 9 OCT 68 SUYDAM, JAMES ★ 4 OCT 48 - 9 OCT 69 BRENNAN, JOHN ★ 21 FEB 43 - 9 OCT 69 GODFREY, WILLIAM ★ 24 MAR 49 - 10 OCT 69 SCHIESS, THOMAS ★ 21 JUL 50 - 10 OCT 70 RAMOS, ANGEL ★ 20 MAY 48 - 10 OCT 66 HIMMELREICH, HARRY ★ 15 APR 46 - 10 OCT 65 FEENEY, JOSEPH ★ 22 JUL 49 - 10 OCT 71 JAMES, HENRY ★ 29 NOV 47 - 10 OCT 68 ALVES, MOSES ★ 23 NOV 34 - 11 OCT 69 HAHN, JEFFREY ★ 20 JAN 47 - 11 OCT 67 HARRIS, LANTIE ★ 29 JUL 48 - 11 OCT 68 LIGHT, JERRY ★ 23 JAN 47 - 11 OCT 67 SMYRYCHYNSKI, GEORGE ★ 7 AUG 43 - 13 OCT 66 MIKULA, EMERY ★ 20 MAR 42 - 13 OCT 66 MICHEL, ROBERT ★ 28 JAN 43 - 13 OCT 68 LANNING, HAROLD ★ 11 MAR 35 - 13 OCT 65 KRUEGER, JOHN ★ 19 FEB 50 - 13 OCT 69 BURROUGHS, ROBERT ★ 26 JUN 42 - 14 OCT 67 MULLINS, WILLIAM ★ 28 DEC 42 - 14 OCT 67 MERLINO, CARL ★ 20 JAN 37 - 14 OCT 71 SCHULZ, WILLIAM ★ 23 MAR 47 - 15 OCT 67 FERGUSON, KEVIN ★ 6 DEC 48 - 16 OCT 67 VANDERHOFF, GEORGE ★ 7 NOV 48 - 16 OCT 68 KUTKOWSKI, GREGORY ★ 21 MAR 48 - 18 OCT 70 SELF, EUGENE ★ 2 JUN 46 - 18 OCT 66 ARNTZ, WILLARD ★ 5 JUL 46 - 18 OCT 68 CUSTODE, RALPH ★ 13 OCT 48 - 18 OCT 69 EALEY, DOUGLAS ★ 28 FEB 42 - 19 OCT 68 SALUGA, STEPHEN ★ 24 DEC 46 - 19 OCT 68 MENA, SAMUEL ★ 23 SEP 49 - 19 OCT 68 COLANTUONO, WAYNE ★ 22 NOV 46 - 20 OCT 67 LATOURETTE, PAUL ★ 5 DEC 46 - 20 OCT 67 HENDRICKS, EUGENE ★ 13 JUL 46 - 21 OCT 68 MILEY, BRUCE ★ 20 DEC 46 - 21 OCT 68 VAN VLIET, HOWARD ★ 4 OCT 28 - 21 OCT 68 HAYNES, BARTON ★ 19 JUL 48 - 22 OCT 67 BACH, COLIN ★ 14 FEB 48 - 22 OCT 68 HOLDEN, THOMAS ★ 23 AUG 41 - 22 OCT 66 ETTZ, MICHAEL ★ 28 JAN 47 - 23 OCT 67 SIMONE, DENIS ★ 2 MAY 42 - 23 OCT 68 MORVAY, JON ★ 17 MAR 47 - 23 OCT 67 RILEY, RICHARD ★ 1 APR 45 - 24 OCT 68 SACKETT, DAVID ★ 8 OCT 46 - 24 OCT 69 MORLEY, JOHN ★ 13 APR 47 - 24 OCT 68 MEESTER, EVERETT ★ 8 JAN 48 - 24 OCT 68 WHELAN, JOSEPH ★ 1 FEB 42 - 25 OCT 69 ESPOSITO, JAMES ★ 31 AUG 44 - 25 OCT 68 HARGROVE, DALE ★ 14 APR 52 - 26 OCT 70 TUNICK, FRANKLIN ★ 10 APR 41 - 26 OCT 66 BROWN, RICHARD ★ 27 JUN 44 - 26 OCT 67 GRANT, WAYNE ★ 7 MAY 46 - 26 OCT 67 ELKINS, JAN ★ 20 MAR 48 - 26 OCT 68 WYATT, RONALD ★ 31 MAY 46 - 28 OCT 66 BOSKO, MICHAEL ★ 3 JUN 45 - 28 OCT 66 ROSSELL, FRANCIS ★ 26 DEC 43 - 28 OCT 68 MOYER, CHARLES ★ 12 JUL 47 - 28 OCT 67 FOXWORTH, ARTHUR ★ 17 MAY 40 - 28 OCT 69 MAC VEAN, STEPHEN ★ 30 JAN 44 - 29 OCT 69 GABURO, GEORGE ★ 9 JAN 36 - 29 OCT 67 GREGORY, DAVID ★ 8 AUG 45 - 31 OCT 66

Donald Leta - Second Lieutenant (2LT)

Hometown:
Irvington
D.O.B.:
November 18, 1944
County:
Essex
Rank:
Second Lieutenant (2LT)
Branch:
Army
Date of Casualty:

February 13, 1968

Casualty Status:
Killed In Action
Country of Incident:
South Vietnam

Donald Leta was born on November 18, 1944, in Newark, NJ. His home of record is Irvington, NJ. Donald was called “Lete” by his friends and family. Lete spent his early life in North Plainfield, moving to Irvington during his elementary school years where he attended St. Paul the Apostle school. In 1962, he graduated from Irvington High School where he was a 4-year veteran of the football team including a co-captain and an outstanding wrestler and member of the Agorians.

He continued his education at Seton Hall University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Management in June of 1966. Don received an award for academic achievement in his junior year and became president of his fraternity, Gamma Iota Alpha. It was on campus that he also posted a brilliant four-year ROTC career as a member of the Pershing Rifles, Triphibian Guard and the ROTC Officers Club. Upon graduation from Seton Hall, Don was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant (2LT) in the US Army.

After college, Don became engaged and went to work for a short time at his father’s stone company, where he had worked all through high school and college. He spent the remainder of his stateside time training at Ft. Benning, GA and Ft. Carson, CO.

Leta was deployed to Vietnam in early January 1968 and assigned to A Company, 4th Battalion (Mechanized), 23rd Infantry Regiment, 25th Division known as the “Tomahawks”. Headquartered in Cu Chi this base camp was situated just west of Saigon in Hau Nghia province, III Corp.

During the 1968 Tet Offensive, Leta was on a mission near Ap Cho in Hua Nghia province. This area had been the scene of heavy fighting. Leta and three of his men were killed there by enemy fire on February 13, 1968.

He was survived by his father and two brothers.

Sources: Rich Forte, Bert Saum, Mike Andreoli, Don Cucuzzella (classmates), Seton Hall University and NJVVMF.
12/17/2024

Other Heros From Irvington

Hanlon, James - Sergeant

Hometown: Irvington