HYATT, LEO GREGORY
Name: Leo Gregory Hyatt
Rank/Branch: O4/United States Navy, pilot
Unit: RVAH 12
Date of Birth:
Home City of Record: Salem NH
Date of Loss: 13 August 1967
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 215100 North 1064500 East
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: RA5C
Missions: 33
Other Personnel in Incident: Wayne Goodermore, returnee

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews.

REMARKS: 730314 RELEASED BY DRV

SOURCE: WE CAME HOME copyright 1977
Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor
P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St., Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Text is reproduced as found in the original publication (including date and
spelling errors).
UPDATE - 09/95 by the P.O.W. NETWORK, Skidmore, MO

LEO G. HYATT
Commander - United States Navy
Shot Down: August 13, 1967
Released: March 14, 1973

I am originally from New Hampshire. I graduated from the Naval Academy in
1957 and flew F-8's in my first tour. However, I went to Vietnam in the RA5C
and was shot down over North Vietnam on 13 August 1967. Injuries to my left
shoulder probably can not be corrected after so long a time nor will the 67
months of captivity ever be redeemable for me, my wife, or our two children.
However, it was a small price to pay to help guarantee the freedom of
millions of people in South Vietnam and the rest of Southeast Asia.
Thousands paid the supreme sacrifice while other thousands were maimed. We
Americans must learn to accept our responsibilities to mankind to do all in
our power to keep men from coming under the enslavement of the cancer to
man's civilization - Communism. We must forever work to attain our goals
through four responsibilities:

Responsible Political Leadership - no more aiding or abetting or
providing better propaganda for the enemy than he is capable of
producing himself.

Responsible Press - tell it like it really is but tell "both" sides
and not just the sensational caused by the noisy minority.

Responsible Educators - let us not allow the Communists to infiltrate
our schools any longer and corrupt the minds of our impressionable
youth, and at the same time, let us teach our people what America is
all about.

Responsible Citizens - use your right to vote, be proud and patriotic
and quit being the silent majority. Our President and nation needs
your support.

While in captivity, I was surrounded by men who displayed such fantastic
fortitude, honor and devotion to country that it was impossible to be
otherwise. God bless them, our country and those Americans who believe in
America and do not spend their every breath criticizing her and trying to
tear her apart.

Let us make this country once again of the people, for the people, and by
the people - the majority of the people - and give thanks each day that we
were fortunate enough to be born Americans in the greatest, finest country
in the history of man.

December 1996
Leo Hyatt retired from the United States Navy as a Captain. He and his wife
Barbara reside in Florida.

---

Use your Browser's BACK function to return to the PREVIOUS page

---