More detail on this person: One Of A&M's Most Decorated Graduates, He Never Talked About It
June 1999
Robert Livingston "Bob" Acklen '63 was a "frog," a mid-term freshman in Company A-2 of Texas A&M's
Corps of Cadets in January of 1960. He'd already spent a year and a half as an Army enlisted man, so
the military lifestyle was nothing new to him. In fact his proficiency in close order drill gained
him the coveted post of unit guidon bearer the next fall.
A quiet individual, he never talked much about himself. In fact, until shortly before he died of a
brain tumor on New Year's Eve, Bob had never even told his family he was a war hero and had received
numerous awards as a helicopter pilot and infantry commander in Vietnam.
Bob laid out of school for several years before returning to complete a degree in history in 1967.
He was commissioned a U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation. Just over a year later he was in
Vietnam. Except for a brief stint on staff and 10 months as an infantry company commander, he
piloted helicopters with the 1st Aviation Brigade and the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) until
he was shot down near Cheo Reo on May 8, 1971.
He received one of his Bronze Stars for valor when he grabbed a satchel bomb tossed near his
helicopter and threw it back at the enemy in January of 1969. In May of 1970, he earned a Silver
Star for leading a ground assault on an enemy village in Cambodia. In November of that year, he
earned an Air Medal for maneuvering his helicopter between an evacuation chopper and enemy positions
so other aircraft could rescue a ranger team. A Distinguished Flying Cross was awarded him when, in
February of 1971, he provided covering fire to extract a reconnaissance team being attacked at night
in adverse weather.
Told he would never walk again after his helicopter crashed, he spent almost two years
rehabilitating a back injury. He then completed requirements for a business degree at the University
of Texas and returned to active duty, earning a Ranger Tab and completing paratrooper training
before being assigned to a one-year tour in Korea.
Acklen received more than 60 awards and badges including the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying
Cross, six Bronze Stars, 40 Air Medals, four Army Commendation Medals, and a Purple Heart.
Fourteen of the awards were for valor. He also was presented nine decorations from the Republic of
Vietnam, including three for valor.
He retired as a captain in 1978 with a 70 percent disability because of his combat injuries and
earned a computer science degree at North Texas State University in 1989. He taught computer
science at the University of North Texas and wrote software programs for private companies. He also
produced a newsletter for the 101st Airborne Division.
From 1994 to 1996 he traveled at his own expense to analyze computer needs for an Israeli eye
hospital sponsored by the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. In December he was honored for his
humanitarian work by The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus and was in the process of being
nominated to become the only American ever presented the Special Gold Medal of the Royal House of
Savoy at the time of his death.
Acklen was survived by his father, Robert L. Acklen, Sr. of Dallas, two sisters and a brother.
c 1998 The Association of Former Students, Texas A&M University All rights reserved.
Bonze Stars, 40 Air Medals, four ACMs and a Purple Heart. Fourteen of the decorations were for
valor. He once jumped from his helicopter, picked up a satchel charge and threw it back at the
enemy.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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