Lee Strickland, the Chief of the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department and U.S. Army Veteran of the Vietnam War died early on Saturday, June 17 2006. He died, suddenly, of cancer which was only recently diagnosed.

Lee was a third generation Great Neck resident and graduated from Great Neck High School in 1962. He also graduated from SUNY Farmingdale, the Academy of Aeronautics, SUNY Empire State College and New York Institute of Technology with a Master of Science (Magna Cum Laude). He was a professor at the College of Aeronautics in Queens.

Lee enlisted in the U.S. Army in September 1966 and completed basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. He attended Primary Flight School at Fort Walters, Texas and Advanced Flight School at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He graduated as an Army Aviator, Helicopter Pilot and promptly was transferred to the Republic of Vietnam. While serving in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, he specialized in aircraft recovery. These elite units recover any aircraft that goes down anywhere in the world.

Upon returning to the United States with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer, he attended the Army Aviation School for Helicopter Flight Instructors. Upon graduation he served as a helicopter flight instructor.

During his service in Vietnam he earned the Bronze Star with V for Valor, eight Air Medals, The Vietnam Service and Vietnam Campaign Medals with three stars, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Medal and a Meritorious Unit Citation.

He also earned several civilian commercial pilot ratings for airplanes and helicopters including multi-engine airplane, instrument ground instructor and power plant mechanic.

Lee joined the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department in 1975 as a probationary fireman. He served as a firefighter for 10 years and became a second lieutenant in 1985, progressively rising in rank to captain in 1989. He served as deputy chief beginning in 1997 and became chief of the department in 2005.

He was awarded the Fire Department Medal of Valor for placing himself in harms way by driving his car in front a speeding motorist who would have struck several firefighters controlling traffic while an apparatus was backing into a firehouse on Northern Boulevard in Great Neck.

Lee was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars serving as commander of Post 372, a life member of The American Legion, and a life member of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association.

He is survived by his wife Madeline, daughters Jacqueline and Tiffany, and son Thomas who is currently on active duty in the United States Marine Corps, and by his brother William.