 Joining Task Force Alfa, Leftwich participated in 27 major operations against the Viet Cong in the central highlands of Vietnam, and spent more than 300 days in the field.He was wounded in the Battle of Hoai An on March 9, 1965 and awarded the Navy Cross and Purple Heart for extraordinary heroism.According to his citation, he "…played a major part in all phases of the successful relief of the village of Hoai An, which was under heavy enemy attack by two Viet Cong battalions… By his own personal example…, he led the attack… Despite injuries by enemy machine-gun bullets in the back, cheek and nose, he went to the aid of a mortally wounded comrade … and delayed his own evacuation until he could call for additional air strikes and brief the task force commander of the situation."