A graduate of Central High School, he achieved the distinction of serving simultaneously as Class President, Governor of Boys State, Co-Captain of the football team, and commander of the JROTC unit.

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.

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."

Assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in November 1967 while serving as a systems analyst with the Manpower Management Information Branch, G-1 Division.

The team was extracted under Leftwich's personal supervision, then, as the helicopter began its ascent, it crashed into a mountainside in enemy territory, killing all aboard.

[1] A partial list of Leftwich's medals and awards includes: A monument that represents him stands at Camp Barrett at Marine Corps Base Quantico.