Remembering the life and legacy of the first St. Johns County man to fall in Vietnam

This Memorial Day, St. Johns County honors Private First Class Leo C. Chase Jr., the first soldier from the area to perish in the Vietnam War.

Born on June 30, 1941, in St. Augustine, the native Floridian grew up in the historically African American community of Lincolnville.

His sister, Carla Chase, remembered her sibling as “a wonderful man. He was kind, gentle,” reflecting the person behind the uniform—a beloved brother and son whose death rocked his distant hometown like a mortar shell.

As the Vietnam War escalated, Chase Jr. enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was assigned as a rifleman with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, a unit with a long and respected history.

In November 1965, Chase was deployed to South Vietnam and took part in the Battle of Ia Drang Valley, one of the earliest and fiercest battles of the war.

During heavy combat near the Cambodian border on November 15, 1965, PFC Chase was cut down in action at just 23 years old. His death marked the first loss from St. Johns County in Vietnam, bringing the cost of the remote conflict home to the Old City.

Chase’s passing exacted a steep toll on his immediate family and the Lincolnville community. His sister has spoken about the importance of remembering him as more than a soldier as the years pass.

“He was a gentle soul,” she told the St. Augustine Record in 2021. “We want people in the community to know who he was and to remember his sacrifice.”

In 2021, the St. Augustine VA Clinic was officially named in PFC Leo C. Chase Jr.’s honor. The effort was spurred by former local lawmakers including John Rutherford and Michael Waltz, with support from current Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The clinic serves thousands of veterans in St. Johns County and surrounding areas, providing care and support as a lasting tribute to Chase and all who served.

The dedication ceremony was a significant moment for Chase’s family and the local community, providing a visible and lasting recognition of his sacrifice.

Three years before his passing, his daughter, Dr. Nathalie Chase Thompson. wrote a comment on an online memorial.

“Leo although I was so young when I lost you, I can still see you standing in the living room door,” she wrote. “Thought you were a giant. The Holy Spirit has called you to be just that to me in my heart. I will forever love you and keep you in my heart.”