Haas, Leon Frederick
Navy Lieutenant

Leon Frederick Haas, age 29, from Newton, New Jersey.

Spouse: Evelyn VanAuken (1920-73)

Children: Two daughters

Date of death: Monday, July 17, 1972
Death details:  Lieutenant Leon Frederick Haas entered the U.S. Navy from New Jersey and was a member of Attack Squadron 155, embarked aboard the USS Oriskany (CVA 34). On July 17, 1972, he piloted a single-seat A-7B Corsair II (bureau number 154521, call sign “Saddleback 510”) on a night surveillance mission of enemy targets off the coast of North Vietnam. During the mission, LT Haas flew the aircraft into the Gulf of Tonkin in a possible attempt to evade hostile fire or a midair collision. No radio contact was heard indicating trouble with the aircraft, but it never returned to the Oriskany. An immediate search was conducted but failed to locate the aircraft or LT Haas, and he remains unaccounted for. Today, Lieutenant Haas is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual’s case to be in the analytical category of Non-recoverable.