LESESNE, HENRY DEAS

Name: Henry Deas Lesesne
Rank/Branch: United States Navy/O4
Unit: VA 55
Date of Birth: 13 February 1935 Florence SC
Home City of Record: Columbia SC
Date of Loss: 11 July 1972
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 204100 North 1060100 East
Status (in 1973):
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: A4
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident:
Refno:

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: 730329 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).

HENRY D. LESESNE
Lieutenant Commander- United States Navy
Shot Down: July 11, 1972
Released: March 29, 1973

Lieutenant Commander Henry D. Lesesne was born in Florence, South Carolina
on February 13, 1935. He grew up in Columbia, South Carolina, graduating
from Dreher High School in 1954, and then on to the Citadel, in Charleston,
South Carolina, where he graduated with a BA in History, in 1958. In
October, 1958 he entered the United States Navy, in the Aviation Officers
Candidate Program where he received a commission as an Ensign on February
27, 1959. He completed the training command, and was designated a Naval
Aviator in August, 1960. He began his first tour of duty in Jacksonville,
Florida flying A-1-H's as a fleet replacement pilot in VA-44 From there he
went to VA176 aboard the USS Shangri-La (CVA-38), making three Mediterranean
cruises, during his three year tour in VA-176. In February 1964 he received
orders to VT-7, in Meridian, Mississippi, as an instructor pilot flying
T2A's. After completing his tour, he returned to Cecil Field, Florida,
transitioning to the A4. Lcdr. Lesesne next reported to VA-81 at NAS Cecil
Field, making two Mediterranean cruises, one on the USS Shangri-La (CVA-38)
and the maiden cruise of the USS John F. Kennedy (CVA-67).

In July 1969, Lcdr. Lesesne reported to VA-44 as an instructor pilot in the
A-4 aircraft; in April 1970 he was sent to VA-127 at NAS Lemoore, California
to instruct in the A-4. On August 14, 1971, he reported to VA-55 and
deployed for West Pac in January 1972, arriving in the Gulf of Tonkin in
February. Lcdr. Lesesne was shot down on July 11, 1972, near Hanoi and was
captured and detained until March 29, 1973. He is presently transitioning to
the A7-E aircraft.

Lcdr. Lesesne is married to the former Linda Quinn James of Jacksonville,
Florida. They reside in Lemoore, California with their three daughters,
Elizabeth Anne, Lisa Karne, and Victoria Quinn.

December 1996
Henry Lesesne retired from the United States Navy as a Captain. He and Linda
now reside in Florida.

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