Grave Sergeant Leonard P. Matlovich

U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant Leonard P. Matlovich (1943 – 1988) was a Vietnam War veteran and recipient of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.
Matlovich was the first gay service member to purposely out himself to the military to fight their ban on gays and perhaps the best-known gay man in America in the 1970s next to Harvey Milk. His fight to stay in the Air Force after coming out of the closet became famous.

Matlovich's headstone on the Congressional Cemetery, meant to be a memorial to all gay veterans, bears the following text:
"When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one."

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Fedor de Vries
• Photos: Ron Cogswell