Rank: Warrant Officer
Unit: Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 100E – Attack Helicopter Pilot
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Air Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Army Aviator Badge
Unit awards: Valorous Unit Award, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Note: AH-1G, Tail # 68-15121, Aircraft Commander
Flight class: 69-23, Fort Wolters, Texas
Enlisted by: Reserve
Date of birth: 5-Dec-1948
Hometown: El Paso, Texas
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 6-Aug-1968
Start of tour: 15-Sep-1969
Incident date: 2-May-1970
Date of casualty: 2-May-1970
Age at death: 21
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Helicopter Crash — Crew (MC). Aircraft loss, crash not at sea. Steven Joseph Greenlee was killed while co-pilot of a military aircraft on a combat operation when the aircraft was fired upon by a hostile ground force, crashed and burned. / Co-pilot – gunner on AH-1G on support mission. Crashed into USAF OV-10 due to hostile fire and burned.
Two Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
CWO William Wesley Davis
WO Steven Joseph Greenlee
Location of fatality: Cambodia, XT 473 972
Place of interment: Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, Texas, USA
View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)
DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS
POSTHUMOUS
WARRANT OFFICER WO1 STEVEN JOSEPH GREENLEE
2 MAY 1970
AIR CAVALRY TROOP
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Warrant Officer One (WO-1) Greenlee distinguished himself for heroism while participating in aerial flight evidenced by voluntary action above and beyond the call of duty on 2 May 1970 while serving as a pilot with the Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while flying a visual reconnaissance mission near the Cambodian border Warrant Officer Greenlee’s light observation helicopter began to receive intense enemy ground fire. Immediately he began placing suppressive fire upon the enemy positions, attempting to eliminate them. Despite the deadly barrage directed at the craft, Warrant Officer Greenlee courageously attempted to save the aircraft and the lives of his fellow crew members by forfeiting his. Warrant Officer Greenlee’s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Headquarters, II Field Force, Vietnam, General Orders No. 2378 (2 June 1970)