Harvey Leclaire is a Veteran of the Vietnam War. He was drafted in 1955 and did his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He then did his training as an infantry soldier also at Fort Leonard Wood. Infantry soldiers were ground troops in the U.S. Army who were the first line of defense in ground combat. After finishing his training, Leclaire was stationed in Hawaii where he served his entire one year of service in the Army. Being drafted into the Army was Leclaire’s first time leaving the Midwest and getting to travel.

Leclaire was born in 1937. He was born and raised in the Lake Andes area. After Leclaire was discharged from the Army, he returned back home to the Lake Andes community. He then began working for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He worked for the BIA for nine years. During the course of coming back to Lake Andes and working, he met his wife, Jennifer James. The couple wed, but did not have any children.

Some of Leclaire’s hobbies over the years have included hunting and fishing. Leclaire enjoyed hunting for different kinds of wild game including deer and pheasants. He also enjoyed fishing for any kind of fish.

Thank you, Harvey, for your service and for being this month’s Lake Andes Veteran of the Month.