Leftwich Trophy

The Leftwich Trophy, also known as the Leftwich Award, is a trophy given for outstanding leadership and is an award presented annually in memory of Lieutenant Colonel William Groom Leftwich, United States Marine Corps, who was killed in action during the Vietnam War in November 1970.

Gen Hagee presents the Leftwich Trophy to Capt Bronzi in 2005.

Eligible nominees are Marine Captains in the ground combat element serving on active duty as a company or battery commander with the ground forces of the Fleet Marine Force at the time of nomination. Posthumous awards can be made of this award providing nomination complies with all the criteria for receiving the award. Selection is done by a board of senior officers chaired by the Deputy Commandant of Plans, Policy and Operations (DC, PP&O), who then after reviewing the applicants, makes recommendation to the Commandant of the Marine Corps for his final approval.

The trophy is provided to the Marine Corps through an endowment by the H. Ross Perot Foundation; Leftwich and Perot were classmates at the United States Naval Academy. The trophy itself was designed by Felix de Weldon, designer of the Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington, D.C.. The Leftwich Trophy, a replica of the statue commemorating the service and leadership of LtCol Leftwich, was first presented in June 1979 at the commissioning ceremony for the USS Leftwich (DD-984).

The Marine Corps bestowed the first posthumous Leftwich Trophy to Captain John W. Maloney,[1] who was killed on 16 June 2005 when the unit he was leading was ambushed in a small town south of Ramadi, Iraq.[2]

Recipients
YearRankNameUnit
1979CaptainClyde S. Brinkley, Jr.[3]2d Battalion, 2d Marines
1980CaptainCharles R. Sherrill[3]2d Tank Battalion
1981CaptainJohn Caldwell[3]32d MAU
1982CaptainDirk R. Ahle[3]1st Marines
1983CaptainRonald L. King[3]3d Battalion, 12th Marines
1984CaptainRobert K. Dobson, Jr.[3]2d Battalion, 8th Marines, 22d MAU
1985CaptainDennis J. Hejlik[3]3d Battalion, 8th Marines
1986CaptainDavid W. Mauldin[3]2d Battalion, 8th Marines
1987CaptainPaul E. Lefebvre[3]2d Battalion, 9th Marines
1988CaptainJohn R. Allen[3]3d Battalion, 4th Marines
1989CaptainJames B. Laster[3]1st Battalion, 25th Marines
1990CaptainRonald F. Baczkowski[3]3d Battalion, 1st Marines
1991CaptainDennis M. Greene[3]2d LAR Battalion
1992CaptainMichael L. Ettore[3]1st Battalion, 8th Marines
1993CaptainRobert F. Castellvi[3]BLT 2/9, 15th MEU
1994CaptainSteven M. Zotti[3]BLT 1/6, 22d MEU
1995CaptainJeffery J. Sharrock[3]3d MarDiv
1996CaptainJeffery J. Kenney[3]2d Battalion, 2d Marines
1997CaptainJulian D. Alford[3]3d Battalion, 8th Marines
1998CaptainJason Q. Bohm[3]2d Battalion, 1st Marines
1999CaptainDaniel M. Sullivan[3]3d Battalion, 8th Marines
2000CaptainJason L. Morris[3]BLT 1/5, 31st MEU
2001CaptainMichael D. Grice[3]2d Battalion, 11th Marines
2002CaptainFarrell J. Sullivan[3]3d Battalion, 8th Marines
2003CaptainChristeon C. Griffin[3]3d Battalion, 1st Marines
2004CaptainChristopher J. Bronzi[3]2d Battalion, 4th Marines
2005CaptainJohn W. Maloney[3][1]1st Battalion, 5th Marines
2006CaptainMatthew W. Tracy[3]2d Battalion, 3d Marines
2007CaptainJonathan Smith[3]BLT 2/4, 31st MEU
2008CaptainJonathan Hamilton[3]1st Battalion, 9th Marines
2009CaptainChristopher S. Conner[3]2d LAR Battalion
2010CaptainTimothy Ryan Sparks[3][4]1st Battalion, 6th Marines
2011CaptainCasey M. Brock[3]1st Battalion, 5th Marines
2012CaptainBenjamin M. Middendorf[3]2d Battalion, 5th Marines
2013CaptainChristopher A. Ashinhurst[3]1st Tank Battalion
2014CaptainDaniel E. Grainger[3]1st Battalion, 6th Marines
2015CaptainThomas W. Morrow[3]2d Battalion, 3d Marines
2016CaptainDavid J. Palka[3]Task Force Spartan
2017CaptainGregory M. Veteto[3]1st Battalion, 5th Marines
2018CaptainBrian D. Coleman[5][3]Task Force Southwest
2019CaptainJoseph F. Albano Jr.[6]1st Battalion, 6th Marines

References
  1. "Leftwich Trophy for Outstanding Leadership for CY2005 (ALMAR 015/06)". United States Marine Corps.
  2. Lowe, Christian (15 May 2006). "Marine Capt. John W. Maloney". Military Times (online). Gannett Company. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  3. "Leftwich Trophy Recipients". United States Marine Corps History Division. May 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  4. Theen, Andrew (11 April 2011). "Exclusive combat award for Marjah Marine". Marine Corps Times. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  5. https://www.usmcu.edu/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/People/Leftwich-Trophy-Recipients/
  6. https://www.marines.mil/News/Messages/Messages-Display/Article/2148963/calendar-year-2019-ltcol-william-g-leftwich-jr-trophy-for-outstanding-leadership/
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