Leonard Matlovich Memorial
San Francisco, San Francisco, California
Marker Inscription
In memory of Leonard Matlovich Who lived in this building for several years His epitaph reads: Never Again 6 July 1943 Never Forget 22 June 1988 A Gay Vietnam Veteran When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one In 1975, Tech. Sgt. Leonard Matlovich, USAF winner of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, made the military's ban on gays a national issue when he appeared on the cover of Time magazine. He was arrested at the White House fighting against AIDS and always fought for full LGBT equality.
Erected by friends of Leonard Matlovich
The Story
This plaque honors Leonard Matlovich (1943–1988), an Air Force technical sergeant and decorated Vietnam veteran who lived in this San Francisco building. In 1975 he deliberately challenged the military's ban on gay service members, landing on the cover of Time magazine and forcing the issue into national view. He later fought against AIDS and for LGBT equality until his death, and his epitaph — "A Gay Vietnam Veteran" — reads "Never Again / Never Forget."
Why it matters
Matlovich turned his own service record into a public test of American equality, making him a landmark figure in the long struggle for LGBT civil rights.
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Related people
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Themes & tags
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