The Wall › Panel 1W › California › Michael David Cleaves
MICHAEL DAVID CLEAVES
Specialist Four · U.S. Army
August 19, 1951 – April 24, 1972
Service recordMichael David Cleaves, of Los Angeles, California, served as a Specialist Four in the U.S. Army. He died on April 24, 1972, in Laos, at age 20. His name is inscribed on Panel 1W, Line 5 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
On the Wall
Panel 1W · Line 5
Names are inscribed in the order of loss, starting at Panel 1E at the apex and ending at Panel 1W. At the Memorial, find the panel number at the base and count down from the top line.
Remember
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Service
- Branch
- U.S. Army
- Rank
- Specialist Four (SP4)
- Service
- Drafted (Selective Service)
- Occupation
- Heavy Lift Helicopter Repairer (67X)
- Unit (as recorded)
- 1 AVN BDE
- Born
- August 19, 1951
- Home of record
- Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles County)
Casualty
- Date of death
- April 24, 1972
- Age
- 20
- Country
- Laos
- Casualty type
- Non-hostile
- Category
- Accident
- Circumstance
- Helicopter Crash — crew
Context · from the records
What was happening
Six names on the Wall carry the date April 24, 1972. In April 1972, 106 Americans whose names are on the Wall died in the war.
The 1st Aviation Brigade, his unit in the record, lost 17 of its members that month.
He died in Laos while the air war over Laos was under way. From 1964 to 1973, U.S. aircraft bombed the Ho Chi Minh Trail and supported the war in northern Laos; many of the Americans lost over Laos were never recovered.
Read the history
On the Wall
Also on Panel 1W, Line 5
- STEVE POROVICHSenior Master Sergeant · April 21, 1972
- MICHAEL DEAN BAKERSeaman · April 23, 1972
- GEORGE WILLIAM CARTERMajor · April 24, 1972
- WADE LYNN ELLENWarrant Officer 1 · April 24, 1972
Same unit, same day
- WADE LYNN ELLENWarrant Officer 1 · Panel 1W, Line 5
- JAMES EDWARD HUNSICKERFirst Lieutenant · Panel 1W, Line 6
- JOHNNY MACK JONESFirst Lieutenant · Panel 1W, Line 6
From Los Angeles
- JAMES WILLIAM MCNALLYTechnical Sergeant · October 23, 1963
- FRANK JOHN HOLGUINPrivate First Class · March 15, 1964
- RICHARD DEAN GOSSCaptain · August 29, 1964
- JOHN LOWERY MCCOYSergeant First Class · September 26, 1964
- JAMES HENRY MCLEANMaster Sergeant · February 9, 1965
- DWIGHT GLENN FRAKESChief Petty Officer · February 24, 1965
- AARON HAROLD WESTERNPrivate First Class · June 16, 1965
- EDWARD JAMES ANDERSPrivate First Class · June 18, 1965
- MAURICE RICHARD HILLPrivate · June 29, 1965
- WILLIAM WARREN HAILLieutenant Colonel · August 2, 1965
Source. U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Casualty Analysis System, Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File (as of April 29, 2008), Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Record Group 330, National Archives (NAID 2240992). Panel and line as recorded in that file. This page presents the official record and its historical context; no biography has been written for him yet. See something wrong? Report a correction.