More detail on this person: I had the privilege
of flying with CW4 Robert Paul Metcalf, of
Potsdam, NY, one of your members.
I further had the honor of marrying his cousin and
naming our Son Paul Robert. Bob flew Medevac in
Nam, as a Reservist, and as a New York State
Trooper . . . he was one of the most safety
conscious, experienced, & competent Pilots I ever
had the privilege to Crew for. This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site:
03/10/2024
Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association
Chief Metcalf died today of pancreatic cancer in a
hospital in Houston, TX.
Obituary:
Robert Paul Metcalf, 66, Potsdam, passed from this
world at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston,
Texas at 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 3, 2012 where he had
been a patient since December 20, 2011.
Robert was born on January 22, 1945 in Massena,
the son of Robert C. Metcalf and Anne Dean. He
attended Lisbon High School and received two
college degrees.
Robert married the love of his life, Shirley Ann
Perry from Norfolk, and they resided in the Town
of Potsdam. They have one son, John Robert
Metcalf, who resides in Houston with his wife
Kristine and their children, Delaney, age 10, and
Ryan, age 6.
Robert worked as a New York State Police trooper
for 27 years and received the Silver Star award
for bravery. He spent the last 16 years of his
career with the State Police as a Medivac
helicopter pilot, coordinating search-and-rescue
missions with the forest rangers in the Adirondack
mountains and surrounding area and performing
hospital transportation flights.
Robert served in the Vietnam War and was awarded
the Master Army Aviator Badge, Vietnam Campaign
Medal, Vietnam service medal, Overseas Service
Ribbon, 11 Air medal awards and the National
Defense Service Medal with a Bronze Service Star.
He retired from the U. S. Army with the rank of
chief Warrant Officer, 4th grade.
Robert was a substitute math and science teacher
at Lisbon High School for 10 years and was well
known for his volunteer work and dedication to
serving his community. He was a member of the
Potsdam Lions Club and a life member of the
Potsdam BPOE Elks Lodge.
Robert was predeceased by his father, Robert C.
Metcalf; his mother, Anne Dean; his grandfather
Paul Dean; his grandmother, Catherine Dean; his
aunt, Mildred Dean; and his Uncle Raymond Dean.
Calling hours are Friday, January 13, from 2:00 to
4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Seymour Funeral
Home in Potsdam. An Elks service will be held at
the funeral home on Friday evening at 7:30 p.m.
followed by a Lions Club service at 8:00 p.m. Both
are open to the community.
The funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, January
14 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary's Church, 17 Lawrence
Ave., Potsdam, with Msgr. Robert Aucoin
Celebrant. A spring burial will be held with full
military honors in the Church of the Visitation
Cemetery in Norfolk at a date and time to be
announced.
Arrangements are with the Seymour Funeral Home
in Potsdam.
http://northcountrynow.com/obituaries/robert-paul-
metcalf-66-potsdam-0
Bob had served about another 20 years in the Army
Reserve Aviation system as a UH-1 PIC, Safety
Officer for several years, and generally a great
Mentor and inspiration to the younger Enlisted
members of our Unit who chose to attend,
successfully, Flight School, and return to the
Unit. He also garnered the respect and admiration
of the general Enlisted Corps who served with him.
Again, he was one of the best UH-1 pilots that I
had the privilege of Crewing for. He trusted my
mechanical skills as as much as I trusted his
Piloting skills . . .
I will pass on a copy of The Aviator to his Widow,
Shirley and three to his Son, John (two for his
Grandchildren) and keep one for myself.
As a wise old Aviator once told me: "Maintain thy
Airspeed or the Ground Shall Rise and Smite thee
Smartly"
From: Gary J Stefanini SSG USA (Ret)
Bob was with the 120th (Saigon) in Vietnam and I
flew H-34s with him out of Finthen Army Airfield
in Germany while he was attached to the 8th
Division flight detachment.
From: John Mateyko
Eulogy by Roger C Baker, CW4 USA Retired
REAL HEROS DON'T WEAR CAPES AND
MASKS, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THEY WEAR
UNIFORMS AND THEY DO FLY. BOB WORE 2
UNIFORMS PROUDLY, THAT OF A STATE
TROOPER, AND THAT OF AN ARMY AVIATOR.
I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO SHARE
A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE
MILITARY WITH BOB. I FIRST MET BOB BACK IN
1975 DURING AN ARMY RESEVE WEEKEND
DRILL. SINCE THEN, WE FLEW TOGETHER FOR
21 YEARS TO INCLUDE A 10 MONTH ACTVATION
DURING DESERT STORM. OUR MILITARY
CAREERS ENDED IN 1996, BUT WE REMAINED
CLOSE FRIENDS EVER SINCE. BOB AND
SHIRLEY HAVE NEVER MISSED OUR YEARLY
REUNIONS AT MY HOUSE.
SOMEHOW WAY BACK IN OUR UNIT HISTORY,
AN AARDVARK WAS CHOSEN AS OUR UNIT
MASCOT. PLEASE DON'T ASK ME TO EXPLAIN
THIS, BUT BOB WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS
DECISION. YOU MUST KEEP IN MIND THAT
ARMY AVIATORS HAVE STRANGE SENSE OF
HUMOR. BOBS DRY HUMOR AND WELL TIMED
SARCASM MADE MANY A DULL DRILL
WEEKEND MORE THAN INTERESTING.
EARLY ON, BOB ALONG WITH BOB BERTOLLINI,
WAS DESIGNATED A BULL AARDVARK. THIS
WAS A UNIQUE HONOR AND ALTHOUGH IT
WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT THE OFFICIAL CHAIN OF
COMMAND, IT WAS OFTEN MORE EFFECTIVE
THAN THE REAL ONE. SOMETIMES LEADERS
ARE OBVIOUS BECAUSE THEY WEAR STARS
AND BARS, GIVE ORDERS AND STAND OFF BY
THEMSELVES. OTHER TIMES, LEADERS STAND
IN THE RANKS AND LEAD FROM BEHIND. BOB
WAS ONE OF THESE. HE LED BY SETTING THE
EXAMPLE AND SELECTIVE USE OF HIS
INTESTINAL FORTITUDE. WHEN THE ORDERS
WERE GIVEN AND THE BRIEFINGS
COMPLETED, THE UNIT MEMBERS WOULD
OFTEN TURN TO BOB AND ASK HIM, WHAT DO
YOU THINK WE SHOULD DO? THIS WAS
CLEARLY EVIDENT DURING ANNUAL TRAINING
1990 AT GAGETOWN, CANADA. BOB AND
ANOTHER CRUSTY OLD WARRANT, BOB
FRANCE WERE ENGAGED IN A DEBATE OVER
FLIGHT OPERATIONS WITH A YOUNG CAPTAIN
IN THE OPERATIONS TENT. THE CAPTAIN
BECAME SO IRRATE THAT HE ORDERED THEM
BOTH FROM THE TENT. BOB JUST SMILED AND
TOOK A SEAT, BOB FRANCE DID THE SAME.
FINALLY THE CAPTAIN LEFT IN A HIGH STATE
OF FRUSTRATION. THE CAPTAIN WAS
REFERED TO BY ALL THE WARRANT OFFICERS
AS JUNIOR FROM THAT DAY FORTH.
ONE OF MY FONDEST MEMORIES OF BOB
OCCURRED IN 1979. WE WERE FLYING A
TRAINING MISSION ON A SUNDAY MORNING IN
THE LOCAL AREA, AND BY CHANCE WE
HAPPENED TO FLY OVER MY HUNTING
GROUNDS DOWN IN JAMESVILLE. A VERY
LARGE BUCK WAS SPOTTED AND WE MADE
SEVERAL LOW PASSES ADMIRING HIS RACK.
THIS WAS FAR MORE EXCITING THAN THE
NORMAL TRAINING FLIGHT, SO WE CONTINUED
OUR DEER RECON OUT INTO THE HIGH RENT
DISTRICTS OF FAYETTEVILLE AND MANLIUS.
MORE DEER WERE OBSERVED AND OUR
FLIGHT LEVEL WAS LOWERED FOR BETTER
OBSERVATION. UNFORTUNATILY, SOME OF
THE RESIDENTS BECAME SOMEWHAT UPSET
AT THE DEER RUNNING THRU THEIR YARDS
WITH THE HUEY HELICOPTER IN PURSUIT.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE SUNDAY MORNING
TRANQUILITY WAS SOMEWHAT INTERUPTED.
BOB AND I CONCURRED THAT THIS WAS
GREAT FUN. UPON RETURNING TO THE FLIGHT
FACILITY, OUR BOSS, JIM TINNEY WAS
STANDING IN FRONT OF THE HANGAR WITH HIS
ARMS FOLDED. UPON APPROACHING HIM, HE
QUESTIONED US, HOW DID THE FLIGHT GO? I
KNEW WE HAD BEEN HAD, SO WE FESSED UP
TO OUR MISCHIEF. I MADE A OUICK PHONE
CALL TO THE LOCAL POLICE WHO FIELDED
THE COMPLAINTS AND RECEIVED SPECIAL
DISPENSATION WITH THE PROMISE NOT TO
REPEAT THIS MISSION. JIM FORGAVE US, BUT
HE NEVER LET US FORGET IT.
ON BEHALF OF ALL THE OFFICERS, MEN AND
WOMEN WHO SERVED WITH BOB IN THE
ARMY RESERVES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE I
CAN SAY TO CONVEY WHAT HE MEANT TO ALL
OF US. HIS LEADERSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP
WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN. WHEN THE
AARDVARKS MEET FOR THEIR ANNUAL
REUNION NEXT FALL, GLASSES WILL BE
RAISED IN TRIBUTE TO HIS MEMORY. ONCE AN
AARDVARK, ALWAYS AN AARDVARK.
SHIRLEY, I HOPE YOU ARE THERE.
From: Gary J Stefanini, SSG USA (Ret)